Search Results for: climate

The Tongass National Forest is the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest, containing nearly 17 million acres of old-growth trees, towering mountains, lush coastlines, and healthy populations of fish and wildlife. These lands and waters support the ways of life of Southeast Alaska’s diverse communities, including its 19 federally-recognized Lingít, Haida, and Tsimshian Alaska Native Tribes. (Bethany Goodrich / Sustainable Southeast Partnership)

Resilient Peoples and Place: Revising the Tongass Forest Plan

A conversation with U.S. Forest Service Deputy Supervisor Barbara Miranda

The Tongass National Forest is the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest, containing nearly 17 million acres of old-growth trees, towering mountains, lush coastlines, and healthy populations of fish and wildlife. These lands and waters support the ways of life of Southeast Alaska’s diverse communities, including its 19 federally-recognized Lingít, Haida, and Tsimshian Alaska Native Tribes. (Bethany Goodrich / Sustainable Southeast Partnership)
Kaskanak Creek in the Bristol Bay’s Kvichak watershed is seen from the air on Sept. 27, 2011. Threats to the watershed and other sites were cited by the Environmental Protection Agency when it issued a decision barring permitting of the Pebble mine. But the Dunleavy administration and Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. have taken legal action to try to reverse that decision. (Photo provided by Environmental Protection Agency

State lawsuit claims federal government owes Alaska $700 billion for quashing Pebble mine

The federal government owes Alaska more than $700 billion in compensation for the 2023 Environmental Protection Agency action that blocked development of the massive and… Continue reading

Kaskanak Creek in the Bristol Bay’s Kvichak watershed is seen from the air on Sept. 27, 2011. Threats to the watershed and other sites were cited by the Environmental Protection Agency when it issued a decision barring permitting of the Pebble mine. But the Dunleavy administration and Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. have taken legal action to try to reverse that decision. (Photo provided by Environmental Protection Agency
Sunset hues color the sky and the snow at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus on Feb. 26. Enrollment in the University of Alaska system is growing, as are research programs, notably the Arctic-focused programs for which UAF is famous, said University of Alaska President Pat Pitney. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

University of Alaska president celebrates ‘meaningful progress’ at state’s varied campuses

After years of uncertainty, budget woes and contraction, the University of Alaska system is now growing again, the system’s president said on Monday. Student enrollment… Continue reading

Sunset hues color the sky and the snow at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus on Feb. 26. Enrollment in the University of Alaska system is growing, as are research programs, notably the Arctic-focused programs for which UAF is famous, said University of Alaska President Pat Pitney. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Fishing boats are lined up on Oct. 3, 2022, at a dock at Kodiak’s St. Paul Harbor. Alaska’s fishing industry is being battered by competition from vast quantities of Russian fish, inflation that has reduced seafood demand and other factors. State legislative leaders are proposing a task force to come up with some policy responses to help the industry and those who depend on it. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Leading Alaska legislators propose task force to help rescue a seafood industry ‘in a tailspin’

Russian fish flooding global markets and other economic forces beyond the state’s border have created dire conditions for Alaska’s seafood industry. Now key legislators are… Continue reading

Fishing boats are lined up on Oct. 3, 2022, at a dock at Kodiak’s St. Paul Harbor. Alaska’s fishing industry is being battered by competition from vast quantities of Russian fish, inflation that has reduced seafood demand and other factors. State legislative leaders are proposing a task force to come up with some policy responses to help the industry and those who depend on it. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Emergency response officials probe the wreckage of a simulated avalanche site during a training exercise in Lemon Creek on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Simulated disaster strikes — repeatedly — as do rescue efforts during avalanche training exercise

Staged burial of three homes implores multitude of agencies to share specialized response skills

Emergency response officials probe the wreckage of a simulated avalanche site during a training exercise in Lemon Creek on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A mountain biker takes advantage of a trail at Eaglecrest Ski Area during the summer of 2022. The city-owned resort is planning to vastly expand its summer activities with a new gondola and the facilities by 2026. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)

Eaglecrest’s big summertime plans, including the gondola, get OK from planning commission

Ski area also planning new summit lodge, snowtubing park, bike trails and picnic pavilion by 2026.

A mountain biker takes advantage of a trail at Eaglecrest Ski Area during the summer of 2022. The city-owned resort is planning to vastly expand its summer activities with a new gondola and the facilities by 2026. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)
Spruce Root was invited by the U.S. Forest Service to help roll out the Tongass National Forest Plan Revision process. (Photo by Bethany Goodrich)

Resilient Peoples and Place: Stronger Together in 2024 — A letter from the Sustainable Southeast Partnership

Founded in 2012, the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) is an Indigenous values-led collective impact network that’s based in, and working for, Southeast Alaska. Our partners… Continue reading

Spruce Root was invited by the U.S. Forest Service to help roll out the Tongass National Forest Plan Revision process. (Photo by Bethany Goodrich)
Mauka Grunenberg looks at live oysters for sale on Aug. 29, 2022, at Sagaya City Market in Anchorage. The oysters came from a farm in Juneau. Oysters, blue mussels and sugar, bull and ribbon kelp are the main products of an Alaska mariculture industry that has expanded greatly in recent years. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska’s mariculture industry expands, with big production increases in recent years, report says

While Alaska’s mariculture industry is small by global standards, production of farmed shellfish and seaweed in the state has increased substantially in recent years, according… Continue reading

Mauka Grunenberg looks at live oysters for sale on Aug. 29, 2022, at Sagaya City Market in Anchorage. The oysters came from a farm in Juneau. Oysters, blue mussels and sugar, bull and ribbon kelp are the main products of an Alaska mariculture industry that has expanded greatly in recent years. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
A previously unidentified Eastern North Pacific right whale surfaces in the waters of the Gulf of Alaska in September 2023. The discovery of this whale was hailed by scientists studying the critically endangered population. Members of the public are being asked to choose a name for the animal through an online contest that will use bracketed competition. (Photo by Bernardo Alps/NOAA Fisheries, International Whaling Commission and WildSea Inc.)

Agency asks public to name, get to know member of highly endangered Alaska whale population

NOAA wants people online to name Eastern North Pacific right whale spotted in September.

A previously unidentified Eastern North Pacific right whale surfaces in the waters of the Gulf of Alaska in September 2023. The discovery of this whale was hailed by scientists studying the critically endangered population. Members of the public are being asked to choose a name for the animal through an online contest that will use bracketed competition. (Photo by Bernardo Alps/NOAA Fisheries, International Whaling Commission and WildSea Inc.)
Forest Wagner visits Kanuti Hot Springs, located in Interior Alaska not far from the Arctic Circle. (Photo by Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Alaska hot springs, far and wide

After a few hours of skiing through deep snow, Forest Wagner and I smelled a tuna sandwich. We knew we were closing in on warm… Continue reading

Forest Wagner visits Kanuti Hot Springs, located in Interior Alaska not far from the Arctic Circle. (Photo by Ned Rozell)
Mendenhall Tower Apartments, the tallest building in Juneau, seen during a rainy morning Feb. 22. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

The building that saved Juneau

Mendenhall Tower Apartments and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Mendenhall Tower Apartments, the tallest building in Juneau, seen during a rainy morning Feb. 22. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
An underwater image captured in 2016 shows sockeye salmon swimming up the Brooks River in Alaska’s Katmai National Park to spawn. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is buying about 50 million pounds of Alaska fish — pollock, pink salmon and sockeye salmon — to use in its food and nutrition-assistance programs. (Photo provided by the National Park Service)

Agriculture Department commits to big purchase of Alaska salmon and pollock for food programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will purchase about 50 million pounds of Alaska seafood to use in national food and nutrition-assistance programs, state officials said… Continue reading

An underwater image captured in 2016 shows sockeye salmon swimming up the Brooks River in Alaska’s Katmai National Park to spawn. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is buying about 50 million pounds of Alaska fish — pollock, pink salmon and sockeye salmon — to use in its food and nutrition-assistance programs. (Photo provided by the National Park Service)
Smokestack emissions into Fairbanks’ atmosphere are seen on March 1, 2023, from the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska legislators give closer look at bill aimed at storing carbon emissions underground

Bill could enable enhanced oil recovery, sequestration of emissions from new coal-fired power.

Smokestack emissions into Fairbanks’ atmosphere are seen on March 1, 2023, from the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
People rally outside the Alaska State Capitol, Monday, Jan. 29, in support of increased funding for public schools in the state. The rally was set to take place the night of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s State of the State speech but the speech was delayed until Jan. 30 after high winds disrupted flights carrying speech guests and Cabinet members. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)

A high cost of living and lack of a pension strain teachers in Alaska. Would bonuses help keep them?

Cory Hughes moved to a remote Alaska village to teach and would happily stay and retire there if he could afford to — despite the… Continue reading

People rally outside the Alaska State Capitol, Monday, Jan. 29, in support of increased funding for public schools in the state. The rally was set to take place the night of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s State of the State speech but the speech was delayed until Jan. 30 after high winds disrupted flights carrying speech guests and Cabinet members. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)
(Photo courtesy of the University of Alaska Southeast)

Neighbors: Symposium at UAS explores Arctic climate, nuclear weapons, environment and stability

A symposium from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. Saturday at the University of Alaska Southeast’s Egan Lecture Hall will explore Arctic climate, nuclear weapons, environmental,… Continue reading

(Photo courtesy of the University of Alaska Southeast)
A man walks a Fairbanks street during an ice-fog episode in January 2012. (Photo by Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Ice fog not often a part of northern life

An old friend — a character not seen in these parts for a few years — showed up last week in Fairbanks. Ice fog. Ice… Continue reading

A man walks a Fairbanks street during an ice-fog episode in January 2012. (Photo by Ned Rozell)
Joe Orsi (left) and Sam Bertoni stand next to a 3,000-plus garlic bulb harvest in Juneau in late summer of 2023. (Photo courtesy of Joe Orsi)

My Turn: Moving the needle forward for Alaskan agriculture and local food security

As a follow-up to a recent “My Turn” article in the Juneau Empire by Colin Peacock on prioritizing food security for Alaska, I would like… Continue reading

Joe Orsi (left) and Sam Bertoni stand next to a 3,000-plus garlic bulb harvest in Juneau in late summer of 2023. (Photo courtesy of Joe Orsi)
Lauren Stichert, a senior at Thunder Mountain High School, testifies before the Juneau Board of Education during a meeting about the school district’s budget crisis Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

District leaders focus on least, most dramatic school consolidation options to cope with budget crisis

All proposals consolidate both middle schools into one, leave sizable remaining deficit.

Lauren Stichert, a senior at Thunder Mountain High School, testifies before the Juneau Board of Education during a meeting about the school district’s budget crisis Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A northern red-backed vole is seen in this undated photo. Small mammals, especially northern red-backed voles, have been found to be infected with Alaskapox, a disease that was not identified until 2015. State health officials on Friday reported that a man died from the infection in January in the first known fatality associated with the viral disease. (Photo by Jim Dau/provided by Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

First fatal case of Alaskapox, a newly identified viral disease, claims Kenai Peninsula man

An elderly man on the Kenai Peninsula has died from Alaskapox, making him the first person to be killed by the viral disease that was… Continue reading

A northern red-backed vole is seen in this undated photo. Small mammals, especially northern red-backed voles, have been found to be infected with Alaskapox, a disease that was not identified until 2015. State health officials on Friday reported that a man died from the infection in January in the first known fatality associated with the viral disease. (Photo by Jim Dau/provided by Alaska Department of Fish and Game)
A map showing some orange streams found in national park units in northern Alaska. (Map created by Carson Baughman, USGS; photos by Ken Hill, National Park Service)

Alaska Science Forum: The rusting of northern Alaska streams

During these late winter days, researchers who are studying the rusty discoloration of northern Alaska streams are prepping for summer field trips. Jon O’Donnell of… Continue reading

A map showing some orange streams found in national park units in northern Alaska. (Map created by Carson Baughman, USGS; photos by Ken Hill, National Park Service)