The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center’s Feb. 2 Fireside Lecture will uncover the mystery behind what’s affecting Juneau’s spruce trees and forests.
Elizabeth Graham, an entomologist with the Juneau Forestry Sciences Laboratory, will talk about the insects and other organisms that are damaging spruce trees in Southeast Alaska. Some of the bugs Graham will discuss are native to the area, some aren’t, but the few small bugs have the potential to cause a big problem for Sitka spruce trees. Attendees will learn some of the different insects and fungi impacting the trees, and how to identify signs and symptoms of their damage.
The Friday night Fireside Lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. and repeats at 8 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Fireside Lectures and Visitor Center entrance are free of charge in the winter. Winter hours are Fridays, Saturday, and Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Discovery Southeast bookstore inside the center will be open during the same hours as the visitor center, including Friday nights for lectures. The nonprofit bookstore and the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center are partnering to encourage local authors and artists to present their products for visitors.
For more information, contact Nikki Olsen at 789-0097, or nolsen@fs.fed.us. Follow on the web page at www.mendenhallglacier.net and Facebook at MendenhallGlacierVC.
