Fieldnotes Blog

11Oct 2012 by Angie Eldred
Identifying Mitigation Sites in Southeast Alaska

Identifying Mitigation Sites in Southeast Alaska

Restoration & Mitigation
This project began in 2012 with the intention of Identifying potential aquatic resource mitigation sites throughout Southeast Alaska Starting in Haines, SAWC spent several months researching potential mitigation sites in the region.  The beginning stage of this project entailed a steep learning curve in order to identify sites that meet the criteria necessary for mitigation purposes.  Research involved in this site selection process was mostly completed in the office before visiting the site, by way of compiling and analyzing high resolution satellite imagery of the area.  This imagery was viewed in both ArcGIS as well as Google Earth in order to overlay specific features such as the shapefile for anadromous fish streams, which provides a more in depth picture of a specific area. Haines, Skagway and Juneau are the first…
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09Oct 2012 by admin
Salmon in The Trees Author Amy Gulick in Haines AK

Salmon in The Trees Author Amy Gulick in Haines AK

Community Watershed Stewardship, Events, Trainings & Opportunities
Award wining author and photographer Amy Gulick will be in Haines Alaska October 17th-20th Join us in Haines for a week of photography workshops, Chilkat River Tours, and a celebration of the rich cultural and natural wonders of the Chilkat Valley. [styledbox type="information" ]Scheduled Events[/styledbox] This week of events was made possible by the organization and coordination of 7 Echoes Homestead in Haines Alaska. For more information please visit the website of this community-based effort.  
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01Oct 2012 by admin
Identifying Potential Mitigation Sites in Juneau

Identifying Potential Mitigation Sites in Juneau

Community Watershed Stewardship, Restoration & Mitigation
On September 17th, Melany traveled to Juneau and met with John Hudson from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct site assessments for as many as 12 potential mitigation sites.  It was extremely informative and productive.  I quickly learned how tedious it can be to view each site from the perspective of a habitat biologist, fisheries biologist and ecologist, which are all important scopes in identifying potential mitigation projects. Check out an example of the Project Report from one of the sites we identified at Fish Creek on North Douglas Island: Fish Creek-West Pond Enhancement This was an excellent example of a site that needs enhancement to improve fish habitat. Google Earth image of West Pond site West pond has very steep side banks that would benefit from a…
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20Sep 2012 by admin
Wetland Functional Assessment training in Haines AK

Wetland Functional Assessment training in Haines AK

Events, Trainings & Opportunities
Natural Resource Managers and Practitioners trained in WESPAK-SE The Chilkoot Indian Association and the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition brought Dr. Paul Adamus to Haines Alaska last week to train 17 participants in the Wetland Ecosystem Service Protocol that he developed specifically for Southeast Alaska. WESPAK-SE is a rapid functional assessment methodology that is used to generate scores for wetland functions and values. These scores support informed aquatic resource management. The class learned how to rapidly assess and score 23 functions and values of tidal and non-tidal wetlands in Southeast Alaska. Participants learned how to interpret and use these scores to prioritize wetlands in a watershed or community, as well as evaluate impacts for wetland permit applications, as well as identify ways to enhance specific wetland functions. [styledbox type="information" ]"> WESPAK-SE PowerPoint Presentation[/styledbox]…
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06Sep 2012 by admin
Communities and Tribes on Prince of Wales gather for project planning workshop

Communities and Tribes on Prince of Wales gather for project planning workshop

Community Watershed Stewardship, Events, Trainings & Opportunities
The Prince of Wales Watershed Association invites SAWC to facilitate a community-based watershed project planning workshop in Craig Alaska. Thanks very much to the leadership board and staff of the Prince of Wales Watershed Association and the staff of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Tongass National Forest, the National Forest Foundation, and the Southeast Alaska Watershed for dedicating your time and energy to the two day workshop in Craig. It was an incredibly resourceful few days for participants, presentors and facilitators. Workshop Topics Included: Sustainable Rural Communities and Coordinating Rural Networks Building Organizational Core Strategies, Capacities, and Structures The Watershed Approach The Watershed Condition Framework the U.S. National Forest assessment of Prince of Wales; Angela Coleman, Tongass National Forest, Craig Ranger District (USFS) Community-Based Watershed Assessments; John…
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