Community Outreach and Engagement

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The USGS regularly participates in discussions to hear from Alaska Native and rural communities and keep them informed of our research plans and findings.  Starting in 2022, the USGS is encouraging more Participatory Science with its partners (see below).  Additionally, the USGS actively supports the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) through internships, classes, and mentoring. The USGS also participated in the recent revision of the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee’s (IARPC) revision of “The Principles for Conducting Research in the Arctic” and we follow these important guidelines in our work.  We welcome comments on new venues for sharing our information and ways of gaining perspectives that will inform how we conduct and communicate our activities.

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2024 Outreach and Engagement Activities

USGS Attended the Waterfowl Conservation Committee Meeting: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce attended the Association of Village Council Presidents Waterfowl Conservation Committee (WCC) in person in Bethel, AK on March 19, 2024. The WCC is a Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta regional group of the state-wide Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council and discusses migratory bird regulations, subsistence harvest, traditional knowledge, and scientific research to inform residents of the region and obtain their feedback on these activities.

USGS Presented on Caribou Populations in Alaska at the Regional Advisory All-Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Heather Johnson gave presentations at the Regional Advisory All-Council meeting held in Anchorage, Alaska, March 7-8, 2024. This meeting was organized by the Federal Subsistence Management Program for regional subsistence advisory committees across Alaska and included multiple sessions on issues affecting subsistence activities in the state. Heather gave presentations on the status of caribou populations across the state, a key subsistence resource for numerous communities.

USGS Presented Pacific Salmon Research to all of Alaska's Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils: Alaska Science Center Research Fish Biologist Vanessa von Biela, provided presentations at the All-Council meeting of the ten Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils within the Federal Subsistence Management Program. The Federal Subsistence Management Program is a multi-agency effort to provide the opportunity for a subsistence way of life by rural Alaskans on Federal public lands and waters as mandated in the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Dr. von Biela was invited to present at this All-council meeting because her recent and ongoing research on warming freshwater temperatures and heat stress in Pacific salmon is of interest to many regional councils in light of several Pacific salmon declines that have limited or closed subsistence fishing in recent years. The All-council meeting was March 5-8, 2024 in Anchorage, Alaska, it was a free, public meeting and no registration was required. More information is available here.

2023 Outreach and Engagement Activities

USGS Attended the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood attended the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) meeting on December 15, 2023. Atwood summarized research conducted in 2023 and asked for feedback on the plan for sampling bears in 2024. The polar bear research program plans its field effort with input from the AEWC to avoid disturbing subsistence activities. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research.

USGS Attended Eskimo Walrus Commission Meeting: USGS scientists William Beatty, Anthony Fischbach, Karyn Rode, and John Pearce met with the Eskimo Walrus Commission December 7-8, 2023, in Anchorage, Alaska to discuss previous, ongoing, and future USGS-led research on Pacific walruses. These updates to Commissioners included recent USGS work on evaluation of satellite imagery for walrus haulout monitoring, new estimates of walrus regional abundance at a haulout from drone imagery, a new estimate of total walrus abundance, and monitoring walrus body condition through collaboration with hunters on St. Lawrence Island and with USFWS. The Eskimo Walrus Commission represents Alaska's coastal walrus hunting communities and works on resource co-management issues on behalf of Alaska Natives in coastal Yupik and Inupiaq communities in collaboration with state and federal agencies. For more information about ongoing walrus research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/walrus-research.

USGS Attended the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center Associate Center Director (Ecosystems Office) John Pearce attended the virtual Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council on November 2-3, 2023, to listen to discussions and give a brief update on current USGS activities related to migratory birds. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council was formed in 2000 and consists of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and representatives of Alaska Native councils and communities across the state. The Council's primary purpose is to conserve migratory birds through development of recommendations for Alaska Native subsistence harvest in Alaska.

USGS Briefed North Slope Borough Planning Commission: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce provided an in-person briefing to the North Slope Borough Planning Commission on October 26, 2023. Pearce gave an update about recent and ongoing USGS Ecosystems Mission Area research on the North Slope of Alaska and learned of any concerns or questions from Commissioners related to planned USGS activities in the region. More information about some of the ecosystem research that the Alaska Science Center conducts on the North Slope of Alaska can be found on the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems webpage.

USGS Met with Partners on Pacific Walrus Project: Alaska Science Center and Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center research wildlife biologist William Beatty and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service colleagues met with a representative of the Eskimo Walrus Commission and Alaska Native hunters to discuss recent and future field efforts on Pacific walrus population ecology, particularly an on-going collaboration to assess population dynamics of the Pacific walrus population in the Bering and Chukchi seas. More about this project can be found here: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/qa-vessel-cruise-estimates-pacific-walrus-demography. The Eskimo Walrus Commission is the Pacific walrus co-management partner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

USGS Attended the Annual Meeting of the Inuvialuit-Inupiat Joint Polar Bear Commission
On August 15-16, 2023, Todd Atwood attended the Inuvialuit-Inupiat Joint Polar Bear Commission meeting in Anchorage, AK. The commission was formed in 1988 following an agreement between the Inupiat of the North Slope of Alaska and the Inuvialuit of the Northwest Territories, Canada, and represents traditional users of polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea on matters concerning conservation and sustainable harvest. Atwood provided an update on the spring 2023 field season and the progress of ongoing studies. For more information about polar bear research visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research.

USGS Attended the Waterfowl Conservation Committee Meeting: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce attended the Association of Village Council Presidents Waterfowl Conservation Committee (WCC) in person in Bethel, AK on August 8, 2023. The WCC is a Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta regional group of the state-wide Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council and discusses migratory bird regulations, subsistence harvest, traditional knowledge, and scientific research to inform residents of the region and obtain their feedback on these activities.

USGS Briefed North Slope Borough Planning Commission: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce provided an in-person briefing to the North Slope Borough Planning Commission on May 25, 2023.  Pearce gave an update about recent and ongoing USGS Ecosystems Mission Area research on the North Slope of Alaska and learned of any concerns or questions from Commissioners related to planned USGS activities in the region. More information about some of the ecosystem research that the Alaska Science Center conducts on the North Slope of Alaska can be found on the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems webpage: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/changing-arctic-ecosystems.

USGS Met with Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation (UIC) Science: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Biologist John Pearce met with UIC Science General Manager and other UIC Science staff on May 23, 2023. UIC supports some USGS field work on the North Slope of Alaska through their logistics and commercial services. At this meeting, discussions centered around new ways that USGS and UIC Science can work together in the North Slope region, especially in terms of supporting students in the northern Alaska who are interested in science. 

USGS Participated in Community Engagement on Salmon Declines: Alaska Science Center Research Fish Biologist Vanessa von Biela traveled to Emmonak in western Alaska on March 15, 2023, to participate in a community meeting. This meeting is part of a new collaborative research project that combines local and traditional knowledge, western science, and community-based monitoring to understand western Alaska salmon declines with funding from the North Pacific Research Board. As part of this project, local and traditional knowledge interviews will be conducted in the Yukon River delta community of Emmonak where residents have insights about salmon health as they leave ocean feeding habitats and begin river migrations. Shifts in marine feeding success with rapid warming in the Bering Sea and warm Yukon River conditions that cause heat stress have been major concerns for salmon. This effort is led by the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association with collaborators that include Emmonak Tribal Council, USGS, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and tribal councils where other efforts are planned (Alakanuk, St. Mary's, and Huslia). For more information about ongoing almon research please visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/assessing-heat-stress-migrating-yukon-river-chinook-salmon.

USGS Hosted Quarterly Meeting on Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with Stakeholders: Alaska Science Center Hydrologist Jenn Hamblen hosted the upcoming quarterly meeting on the USGS Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with stakeholders in Alaska and Canada on March 13, 2023. The USGS project collects discrete and continuous water quality and solids data for six transboundary watersheds: the Alsek, Chilkat, Taku, Stikine, Unuk, and Salmon rivers. There is active mining on the Canadian side of the border in all but two of these watersheds, and planned mining activity within Alaska in one watershed. Participants included other researchers and stakeholders from Tribes, First Nations, agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Goals included collaborating with researchers to help ensure data is comparable, working with partners to fill in gaps in data collection on the watershed scale, and seeking feedback to help ensure that data collected from the USGS project meets stakeholder needs. This meeting's focus was planning 2023 sampling trips in order to co-sample to compare field and lab methods between USGS and other governments/organizations conducting water quality sampling in these Transboundary watersheds. For more information about USGS Southeast Alaska transboundary rivers monitoring visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/usgs-transboundary-river-monitoring-southeast-alaska.

USGS and Partners Collaborated with Hunters on St Lawrence Island to Study Pacific Walrus: Alaska Science Center research wildlife biologist Karyn Rode traveled with partners from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Eskimo Walrus Commission to the villages of Gambell and Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, from March 6-9, 2023, to meet with local hunters to share preliminary results and discuss continued participation in a study to identify links between walrus body condition and reproduction. Participants discussed modifying approaches for obtaining body measurements and samples that would allow assessments of the effects of variation in adult female body condition on calf production and survival.

USGS Led Session for the Alaska Native Science and Engineering (ANSEP) Program. Alaska Science Center Biologist Danielle Gerik conducted a discovery lesson on Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) in Alaska for middle school students from all over Alaska participating in the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) on February 15, 2023. ANSEP works with Alaska Native students starting in grade school providing a longitudinal pathway to a STEM degree. The aim was to inform and engage students on the topic of HABs in Alaska including research as the Alaska Science Center through discussion and a hands-on activity visually identifying HAB organisms.

USGS Participated in "I Know I Can" Outreach Efforts for Elementary Students: The I Know I Can partnership (University of Alaska College Savings Plan and Alaska Commission on Post-secondary Education) is an important tool to encourage children and their families to start thinking about college early in their school careers. On January 16, 2023, Alaska Science Center Biologist, Sarah Traiger volunteered in a virtual visit with 1st through 4th graders at Mertarvik Pioneer School in Newtok, Alaska. Volunteers introduced themselves and described their career path, then read a book to the students. Traiger read the book "I Know I Can" in English and a local volunteer read the book in Yugtun (Central Yup'ik). The students then drew a picture of themselves in their chosen future career. 

USGS Hosted Quarterly Meeting on Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with Stakeholders: Alaska Science Center Hydrologist Jenn Hamblen hosted the quarterly meeting on the USGS Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with stakeholders in Alaska and Canada on January 10, 2022. The USGS project collects discrete and continuous water quality and solids data for six transboundary watersheds: the Alsek, Chilkat, Taku, Stikine, Unuk, and Salmon rivers. There is active mining on the Canadian side of the border in all but two of these watersheds and planned mining activity within Alaska in one watershed. Participants included other researchers and stakeholders from Tribes, First Nations, agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Goals included collaborating with researchers to help ensure data is comparable, working with partners to fill in gaps in data collection on the watershed scale, and seeking feedback to help ensure that data collected from the USGS project meets stakeholder needs. This meeting's focus was planning 2023 sampling trips in order to co-sample to compare field and lab methods between USGS and other governments/organizations conducting water quality sampling in these Transboundary watersheds. For more information about USGS Southeast Alaska transboundary rivers monitoring visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/usgs-transboundary-river-monitoring-southeast-alaska.

2022 Outreach and Engagement Activities

USGS Briefed North Slope Borough Planning Commission: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce provided an in-person briefing to the North Slope Borough Planning Commission on December 15, 2022. Pearce gave an update about recent and ongoing USGS Ecosystems Mission Area research on the North Slope of Alaska and learned of any concerns or questions from Commissioners related to planned USGS activities in the region. More information about some of the ecosystem research that the Alaska Science Center conducts on the North Slope of Alaska can be found on the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems webpage: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/changing-arctic-ecosystems.

USGS Scientists Attended the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientists Todd Atwood and John Pearce attended the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) meeting, December 12-15, 2022. Atwood discussed the 2022 Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear sampling effort and solicited input on field activities planned for 2023. Pearce assisted with a presentation by USFWS on planned vessel cruises in the Chukchi Sea in 2023 to quantify the age and demography of the Pacific walrus population. The AEWC manages the bowhead whale subsistence hunt locally through a cooperative agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The USGS Alaska Science Center plans its field effort with input from the AEWC to avoid disturbing subsistence activities. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research.

USGS Attended the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood attended the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council (ANCC) meeting on December 7, 2022. Atwood provided an update on polar bear research and solicited input on field activities planned for 2022. The ANCC co-manages polar bears with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ANCC board members represent communities situated along the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea coasts. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research.

Arctic Rivers Summit Workshop: USGS Alaska Science Center scientists Mike Carey and Josh Koch attended the Arctic Rivers Summit in Anchorage, Alaska December 6-8, 2022. The workshop is part of a five-year Arctic Rivers Project funded by the National Science Foundation's Navigating the New Arctic Program and plans to discuss the current and potential future states of Alaskan and Yukon rivers and fish. The Summit brought together up to 150 Tribal and First Nation leaders, community members, managers, and knowledge holders, western scientists, federal, state, and provincial agency representatives, academic partners, and non-governmental organizations. For more information about this USGS research visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/rusting-arctic-rivers-freshwater-ecosystems-respond-rapidly and https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/qa-arctic-rivers-project.

USGS Attended Eskimo Walrus Commission Meeting: USGS scientists William Beatty, Anthony Fischbach, Karyn Rode, and John Pearce met with the Eskimo Walrus Commission December 5-6, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska to discuss previous, ongoing, and future USGS-led research on Pacific walruses. These updates to Commissioners included recent USGS work on evaluation of satellite imagery for walrus haulout monitoring, new estimates of walrus regional abundance at a haulout from drone imagery, a new estimate of total walrus abundance, and monitoring walrus body condition through collaboration with hunters on St. Lawrence Island and with USFWS. The Eskimo Walrus Commission represents Alaska's coastal walrus hunting communities and works on resource co-management issues on behalf of Alaska Natives in coastal Yupik and Inupiaq communities in collaboration with state and federal agencies. For more information about ongoing walrus research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/walrus-research.

USGS Participated in Science and Job Fair in Nuiqsut, Alaska: Alaska Science Center scientist John Pearce participated in a Science and Job Fair community event in the northern Alaska village of Nuiqsut on November 10, 2022. The biennial event is attended by federal and state agencies, environmental consulting firms, and industry representatives working near the community of Nuiqsut on the North Slope of Alaska. Pearce provided information and hands-on activities related to recent and ongoing USGS research near Nuiqsut on migratory birds, Pacific walrus, and polar bears. For more information about USGS ecosystems research in northern Alaska visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/changing-arctic-ecosystems.

USGS Participated in Eskimo Walrus Commission Young Hunters – Walrus Summit: USGS Alaska Science Center Research Wildlife Biologist Tony Fischbach was invited to participate in the Young Hunters - Walrus Summit being hosted in Nome, Alaska by the Eskimo Walrus Commission, which represents Alaska's coastal walrus hunting communities and works on resource co-management issues in collaboration with state and federal agencies. On October 6, 2022, Fischbach gave a presentation on “Walrus Environments: Habitats, Climate and Research” in collaboration with Gay Sheffield, Marine Advisory Program Agent for Alaska Sea Grant.

USGS Attended the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist John Pearce attended the virtual Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council on October 5-6, 2022, to listen to discussions and give a brief update on current USGS activities related to migratory birds. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council was formed in 2000 and consists of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and representatives of Alaska Native councils and communities across the state. The Council's primary purpose is to conserve migratory birds through development of recommendations for Alaska Native subsistence harvest in Alaska.

USGS Hosted Quarterly Meeting on Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with Stakeholders: Alaska Science Center Hydrologist Jenn Hamblen hosted the quarterly meeting on the USGS Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with stakeholders in Alaska and Canada on September 29, 2022. The USGS project collects discrete and continuous water quality and solids data for six transboundary watersheds: the Alsek, Chilkat, Taku, Stikine, Unuk, and Salmon rivers. There is active mining on the Canadian side of the border in all but two of these watersheds, and planned mining activity within Alaska in one watershed. Participants included other researchers and stakeholders from Tribes, First Nations, agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Goals included collaborating with researchers to help ensure data is comparable, working with partners to fill in gaps in data collection on the watershed scale, and seeking feedback to help ensure that data collected from the USGS project meets stakeholder needs. This meeting focused on co-sampling opportunities between Tribes and the USGS to compare field and lab methods as well as the creation of a regional GIS database of watershed research in the study area. For more information about USGS Southeast Alaska transboundary rivers monitoring visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/usgs-transboundary-river-monitoring-southeast-alaska . 

USGS Presented at the 2022 Tlingit & Haida Southeast Environmental Conference: Jennifer Hamblen, Alaska Science Center Hydrologist, presented preliminary results of the US Geological Survey Southeast Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project on August 30, 2022. Tribes, First Nations, and the USGS collaborate to monitor the water quality and quantity of five transboundary rivers in Southeast Alaska. The session included speakers from the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission and Tlingit & Haida, who spoke about transboundary rivers research and community concerns with the predicted increase in mining in these watersheds. The conference is hosted by the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska each fall. This was the first time this conference was held live as well as remotely, with over 140 attendees from throughout the nation. For more information about USGS transboundary rivers monitoring visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/usgs-transboundary-river-monitoring-southeast-alaska .

USGS Attended the Inuvialuit-Inupiat Joint Polar Bear Commission meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood attended the Inuvialuit-Inupiat Joint Polar Bear Commission meeting August 16-17, 2022, in Vancouver, B.C. The commission includes members from northern communities in Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories, and makes recommendations on the management of Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. Atwood discussed the 2022 polar bear sampling effort and solicited input on field activities planned for 2023. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research .

USGS Drone Studies on Walrus Presented to Alaska Native Village Corporation: Alaska Science Center walrus researcher Anthony Fischbach provided study results to the Cully Corporation on the use of survey drones to estimate walrus abundance and to ground-truth satellite imagery interpretation of the occurrence of walruses resting onshore. USGS survey drone work recently determined that more than 150 thousand walruses used coastal areas on and adjacent to Cully Corporation lands near the community of Point Lay during the two study years (2018 and 2019). USGS satellite imagery interpretation provided precise footprints of the native corporation lands used by walruses during 2018-2020. During the presentation, USGS learned that these study results are providing the basis for Cully Corporation to evaluate the conservation value of an easement to protect walruses resting on these native corporation lands. USGS was able to collect these survey drone data with support of the USGS National Uncrewed Systems Office prior to 2019 executive and secretarial orders that banned use of survey drones within the Department of Interior.  The survey drone platform is a valuable toolset to help collect data and inform management of Department of Interior resources.

USGS Bering Sea Science Highlighted by International Arctic Research Center New Publication: Alaska Science Center science on salmon, walrus, seabirds, and harmful algal blooms was highlighted in the 2022 Bering Region Ocean Update, an annual report by the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) and the International Arctic Research Center. The focal areas of the report (salmon, walrus, crab, halibut, seabirds, and climate) were topics of interest identified by a Community Advisory Panel comprised primarily of Indigenous resource managers and knowledge holders from across Alaska. The report presents what is known and not known about each topic in the Bering Sea Region, future research plans and who is doing the work and their contact information. The report can be found online in both web and PDF versions here https://uaf-iarc.org/bering-sea-changes/ .

Scientist Delivered Invited Presentations at One Health and Local Environmental Observer Network Meetings: Andy Ramey, USGS Alaska Science Center Research Wildlife Geneticist, delivered invited presentations on the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds inhabiting North America at the Alaska One Health Group meeting hosted by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Arctic Investigations Program on June 7, 2022 and at the Local Environmental Observer Network Spring Webinar hosted by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium on June 14, 2022. In these presentations, Andy provided background information on HPAI in wild birds, a situational update on recent detections of HPAI in North American and Alaska, information on how to report observations of sick and dead birds potentially affected by HPAI, and links to online resources where the public can track recent detections of HPAI in North America and find guidance on best practices to minimize risk to human and animal health.

USGS Participated in NSF Panel Discussion on Participatory Research and Indigenous Leadership in Research: Alaska Science Center Associate Center Director for Ecosystems John Pearce participated in a panel discussion for employees at the National Science Foundation on June 6, 2022, to discuss aspects of the new IARPC Arctic Research Plan that address Participatory Research. Pearce is the liaison for the co-leads of the IARPC Participatory Research and Indigenous Leadership in Research Foundational Activity: Maija Katak Lukin (Native Relations Program Manager for the National Park Service Alaska Region) and Ciisquq Crystal Leonetti (Alaska Native Affairs Specialist with the USFWS). More information about the new IARPC Arctic Research Plan can be found at https://www.iarpccollaborations.org .

USGS Hosted Quarterly Meeting on Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with Stakeholders: Alaska Science Center Hydrologist Jenn Hamblen hosted the quarterly meeting on the USGS Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with stakeholders in Alaska and Canada on June 14, 2022. The USGS project collects discrete and continuous water quality and solids data for five transboundary watersheds: the Alsek, Taku, Stikine, Unuk, and Salmon rivers. There is active mining on the Canadian side of the border in all but one of these watersheds. Participants included other researchers and stakeholders from Tribes, First Nations, agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Goals included collaborating with researchers to help ensure data is comparable, working with partners to fill in gaps in data collection on the watershed scale, and seeking feedback to help ensure that data collected from the USGS project meets stakeholder needs. This meeting focused on a presentation by Taku River Tlingit First Nation about their watershed monitoring projects in the Taku watershed. For more information about USGS Southeast Alaska transboundary rivers monitoring visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/usgs-transboundary-river-monitoring-southeast-alaska. 

USGS Attended the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist John Pearce attended the virtual Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council on April 7, 2022, to listen to discussions and give a brief update on USGS migratory bird research activities. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council was formed in 2000 and consists of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and representatives of Alaska Native councils and communities across the state. The Council's primary purpose is to conserve migratory birds through development of recommendations for Alaska Native subsistence harvest in Alaska.

USGS Collaborates with USFWS and Eskimo Walrus Commission: USGS is collaborating with the US Fish and Wildlife Service Marine Mammals Management Office and the Eskimo Walrus Commission as part of a steering committee to guide development of a walrus management tool for use by US Fish and Wildlife Service.  The tool, an analytical model, will inform species status assessments and evaluate potential impacts of harvests and other sources of stress and mortality on the population. The model is also intended to serve as a tool for subsistence hunting communities in Alaska and Chukotka to inform local harvest-management programs. For more information about ongoing walrus research please visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/walrus-research .

USGS Attended Ice Seal Committee Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Karyn Rode attended the annual Ice Seal Committee meeting March 25, 2022. Rode provided a briefing on the paper “Seal body condition and atmospheric circulation patterns influence polar bear body condition, recruitment, and feeding ecology in the Chukchi Sea” published 2021 in Global Change Biology.  The publication documented relationships between the body condition of polar bears and that of their primary prey, ringed and bearded seals. Seal body condition included in the study was obtained from measurements of harvested ice seals in collaboration with Alaska Native hunters and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The Ice Seal Committee was established to preserve and enhance ice seal habitat, protect and enhance Alaska Native culture and traditions – particularly activities associated with subsistence use and to disseminate timely and reliable information about ice seals through research and outreach. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research .

USGS Attended the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood virtually attended the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) meeting on February 4, 2022. Atwood discussed the plan for sampling bears in 2022 and ask for feedback. The polar bear research program plans its field effort with input from the AEWC to avoid disturbing subsistence activities. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research .

USGS Attended the Barrow Whaling Captain’s Association Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood virtually attended the Barrow Whaling Captain’s Association (BWCA) meeting on January 28, 2022. Atwood provided a summary of the 2021 polar bear sampling effort and solicited input on field activities planned for 2022. The polar bear research program plans its field effort with input from the BWCA to avoid disturbing subsistence activities. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research .

USGS Attended the Polar Bear Technical Committee Meeting: Alaska Science Center Research Wildlife Biologist Todd Atwood virtually attended the Polar Bear Technical Committee (PBTC) meeting on January 25-28, 2022. The PBTC supports the Polar Bear Administrative Committee (PBAC) by reviewing scientific research and Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and providing the PBAC with an annual status assessment of the polar bear subpopulations in Canada. Atwood provided an update on a collaborative US-Canada study to estimate the abundance of Beaufort Sea polar bears. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research .

USGS Attends the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood virtually attended the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council (ANCC) meeting on January 13, 2022. Atwood provided an update on polar bear research and solicited input on field activities planned for 2022. The ANCC co-manages polar bears with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ANCC board members represent communities situated along the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea coasts. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/polar-bear-research .

2021 Outreach and Engagement Activities

USGS Attended Eskimo Walrus Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientists Karyn Rode, Anthony Fischbach, and John Pearce provided an update on walrus research accomplishments, ongoing work, and future plans at the virtual annual Eskimo Walrus Commission meeting, December 14-15, 2021. These updates to Commissioners include recent USGS work on evaluation of satellite imagery for walrus haulout monitoring, new estimates of walrus abundance at the haulouts from drone imagery, and monitoring walrus body condition through collaboration with hunters on St. Lawrence Island and with USFWS. The Eskimo Walrus Commission represents Alaska's coastal walrus hunting communities and works on resource co-management issues on behalf of Alaska Natives in coastal Yupik and Inupiaq communities in collaboration with state and federal agencies. For more information about ongoing walrus research please visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/walrus-research .

USGS Facilitated Virtual TESNAR Training on Water Quality Sampling and Data Analysis & Management: Alaska Science Center and Washington Water Science Center staff hosted a training for Tribes and First Nations within the transboundary rivers regions of Southeast Alaska and Canada. Training topics included identifying project water quality data objectives, sampling methods for water quality, sediment, and fish tissue, and evaluating, interpreting, and managing data. Funding was provided by the USGS Technical Training in Support of Native American Relations (TESNAR) Program. The training took place on December 8 and 10 from 9am to 12pm Alaska time, with an optional Q&A session from 1-2pm on each day. For more information about USGS transboundary rivers monitoring visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/usgs-transboundary-river-monitoring-southeast-alaska .

USGS Scientist Invited Speaker at Alaska Tribal Conference on Environmental Management (ATCEM):  Alaska Science Center Wildlife Biologist Sarah Schoen gave a presentation on harmful algal blooms (HABs) and seabirds with USFWS biologist Robb Kaler as part of a training session on HABs put together by Rose Masui (NOAA), Thomas Farrugia (Alaska Ocean Observing Systems) and Andie Wall (Kodiak Area Native Association). The training focused on HABs basics, impacts, and monitoring techniques, and was held virtually on Monday November 15, 2021. The ATCEM is a networking space for Tribal environmental professionals from across the state to learn from one another, connect with support organizations and agencies, and discover resources to help assist in efforts to improve local environmental health. For more information about USGS Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins in Alaska Seabirds visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/harmful-algal-bloom-toxins-alaska-seabirds .

USGS Evaluated Satellite Imagery for Monitoring large Pacific Walrus Haulouts: Pacific walruses are using coastal haulouts to rest between foraging bouts in the Chukchi Sea more often and in larger numbers in late summer, because climate warming has reduced availability of sea ice that historically had provided resting platforms near their preferred benthic feeding grounds. With greater numbers of walruses hauling out onshore, new opportunities arise for monitoring the population. USGS Alaska Science Center scientists Anthony Fischbach and David Douglas evaluated Earth observing satellite imagery for monitoring walruses at a haulout in northwestern Alaska. They evaluated the consistency of visual interpretations among trained observers and evaluated the interpretations against ground truth imagery collected by a small unoccupied aerial system. They found that optical satellite sensors with moderate resolution and high revisitation rates demonstrated robust and repeatable qualities for monitoring walrus haulouts; however, clouds imposed temporal gaps. Radar imagery also demonstrated robust capabilities for monitoring the study haulout and was only limited by satellite overpass timing. Additional study is needed to evaluate radar imagery interpretations at haulouts with more complex local terrain and beach substrates. Prior to initiating the study, we consulted with the Eskimo Walrus Commission, an Alaska Native co-management group that represents coastal communities with cultures that rely on walruses, to ensure that our methods would not adversely affect conservation efforts nor infringe on the privacy of local residents. The paper is available as an early view in Remote Sensing at: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13214266 .

Paper Documented Iñupiaq Knowledge of Polar Bears by Participants from Four Alaska Beaufort Sea Communities: Alaska Science Center scientists Karyn Rode and George Durner worked with social scientists who specialize in indigenous knowledge to coordinate and conduct interviews of 47 participants in the communities of Wainwright, Utqiaġvik, Nuiqsut, and Kaktovik. All participants identified notable and directional changes in sea ice conditions, including earlier ice breakup, later ice return, thinner ice, and less multiyear pack ice. These changes corresponded with participant's observations of bears spending more time on land in recent decades. Participants also described a recent phenomenon of bears being exhausted and lethargic after long distance swims from the pack ice to land in the summer and fall. Several participants also noted that bears are denning more on land than in the past. Participants expressed concerns that the response of polar bears to changing environmental conditions will increase challenges for maintaining community safety. The paper is available in Arctic at: https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic73030 .

USGS Hosted Quarterly Meeting on Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with Stakeholders: Alaska Science Center Hydrologist Jenn Hamblen hosted the quarterly meeting on the USGS Alaska Transboundary Rivers Project with stakeholders in Alaska and Canada on September 24, 2021. The USGS project collects discrete and continuous water quality and solids data for five transboundary watersheds: the Alsek, Taku, Stikine, Unuk, and Salmon rivers. There is active mining on the Canadian side of the border in all but one of these watersheds. Participants included other researchers and stakeholders from Tribes, agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Goals included collaborating with researchers to help ensure data is comparable, working with partners to fill in gaps in data collection on the watershed scale, and seeking feedback to help ensure that data collected from the USGS project meets stakeholder needs. For more information about USGS transboundary rivers monitoring visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/usgs-transboundary-river-monitoring-southeast-alaska .

USGS Presented Virtually at the 2021 Southeast Environmental Conference: Jennifer Hamblen, Alaska Science Center Hydrologist, co-presented with Tribal partners Tony Gallegos of the Ketchikan Indian Community and Raymond Paddock of Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA) on partnering to monitor transboundary rivers on September 21, 2021. Tribes, First Nations, and the USGS collaborate to monitor the water quality and quantity of five transboundary rivers in Southeast Alaska. The conference is hosted by CCTHITA each fall. For more information and to assist this or future conferences, contact Dominique Stitt at dstitt@ccthita-nsn.gov .

USGS Attended the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientists Caroline Van Hemert and John Pearce attended the virtual Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council on September 22, 2021, to listen to discussions and give a brief update on USGS migratory bird research activities. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council was formed in 2000 and consists of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and representatives of Alaska Native councils and communities across the state. The Council's primary purpose is to conserve migratory birds through development of recommendations for Alaska Native subsistence harvest in Alaska.

USGS Attended Ice Seal Committee Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Karyn Rode attended the Ice Seal Committee meeting September 10, 2021, to report on a recently published study that identified relationships between polar bear recruitment, body condition and feeding ecology and the body condition of ringed and bearded seals. Data on ice seal body condition were made available from a collaborative long-term monitoring effort of Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Alaska Native hunters from coastal communities in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas. The study concluded that continued monitoring of ice seals via data collected from harvests provide important information for monitoring the status of the Chukchi Sea polar bear subpopulation. The Ice Seal Committee was established to help preserve and enhance ice seal habitat; protect and enhance Alaska Native culture, traditions-particularly activities associated with the subsistence use of ice seals; and to disseminate timely and reliable information about ice seals through research and outreach activities. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/polar-bear-research .

USGS Attended the Inuvialuit-Inupiat Joint Polar Bear Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center Research Wildlife Biologist Todd Atwood virtually attended the Inuvialuit-Inupiat Joint Polar Bear Commission meeting on August 18, 2021. The commission includes members from northern communities in Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories, and makes recommendations on the management of Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. Atwood discussed the 2021 polar bear sampling effort and solicited input on field activities planned for 2022. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/polar-bear-research .

USGS Attended the Waterfowl Conservation Committee Meeting: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce attended the virtual Association of Village Council Presidents Waterfowl Conservation Committee (WCC) on August 10, 2021. The WCC is a Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta regional group of the state-wide Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council and discusses migratory bird regulations, subsistence harvest, and scientific research to inform residents of the region and obtain their feedback on these activities.

USGS Presented to Middle School Students: Alaska Science Center Wildlife Biologist Brian Uher-Koch gave a virtual presentation about sea ducks to students at the Pribilof Island Seabird Youth Network in St. Paul, Alaska on July 21, 2021. The goals of the Network are to open doors for youth to careers in science and natural resource management and to increase the students’ understanding of their local natural resources, as well as to build local capacity for the collection of seabird monitoring data. Uher-Koch shared information about sea duck ecology, diet, research, and conservation. For more information about sea duck research visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/sea-duck-research.

USGS Attended the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood attended (virtually) the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) meeting on July 21, 2021. Atwood discussed the 2021 polar bear sampling effort and solicited input on field activities planned for 2022. The AEWC manages the bowhead whale subsistence hunt locally through a cooperative agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The polar bear research program plans its field effort with input from the AEWC to avoid disturbing subsistence activities. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/polar-bear-research. 

USGS Presented at Community Climate Change Participation Meeting: Alaska Science Center Hydrologist Janet Curran presented a talk about river erosion and flooding to a public forum on July 14, 2021 via zoom, hosted by the Copper River Native Association (CRNA). CRNA is developing the Copper Valley Climate Adaptation Plan to anticipate future regional climate changes and protect the health and safety of residents and the environment. Together with communities around the Copper Valley, they have identified river erosion and flooding as among their top five climate change risks and are gathering input on potential adaptation solutions.

USGS Contributed to Arctic Activities Updates for Community Awareness: The USGS Alaska Science Center contributed to an effort by the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) and the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) that shows the status of research vessels and aircraft in Arctic regions of Alaska.  A spreadsheet of vessel and aircraft activity is listed in two primary postings on the AOOS and IARPC websites and their listservs.  The information is also sent to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant, tribes and tribal corporations, Alaska regional consortiums, the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, among others. The main purpose is to provide another venue for information and increase the transparency of survey activities in the Arctic that may affect Arctic communities and share information about the purpose of these surveys. 

USGS Attended the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientists Brian Uher-Koch and John Pearce attended the virtual Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council on April 5-6, 2021 to listen to discussions and give a brief update on USGS migratory bird research activities. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council was formed in 2000 and consists of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and representatives of Alaska's Native population. The Council's primary purpose is to conserve migratory birds through development of recommendations for the subsistence spring/summer harvest in Alaska.

USGS Attended Kodiak Regional Migratory Bird Co-Management Council: Alaska Science Center scientist Brian Uher-Koch attended the Kodiak Regional Migratory Bird Co-Management Council on Monday, March 29, 2021, remotely. Uher-Koch presented on a recent study that he led to investigate shifts in the abundance and distribution of wintering emperor geese that spend fall and winter in the Kodiak Archipelago region and further west along the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands.  Emperor geese are endemic to the Bering Sea region and an important component of subsistence culture for people that live in western and southwestern Alaska.

USGS Briefed North Slope Borough Planning Commission: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce provided a briefing at the North Slope Borough Planning Commission Meeting on February 25, 2021. Pearce gave an update about recent and ongoing USGS Ecosystems Mission Area research on the North Slope of Alaska and learned of any concerns or questions related to planned USGS activities in the region for 2021. More information about some of the research USGS conducts on the North Slope of Alaska can be found on the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems page here: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/changing-arctic-ecosystems .

USGS Briefed Yukon River Subsistence Users on Chinook Salmon Heat Stress Research: USGS Alaska Science Center Research Fish Biologist Vanessa von Biela provided a briefing to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Subsistence Regional Advisory Council on Thursday March 4, 2021 and a similar briefing was provided to Tanana Chiefs Conference on February 24, 2021. von Biela summarized recently published research that uncovered evidence of heat stress in the majority of Yukon River Chinook salmon sampled. Chinook salmon have been the focus of management concern in recent decades because of low abundance and frequent fishing restrictions. This research provided the first evidence that heat stress may contribute to the low population abundance in an Alaskan Pacific salmon population. The warmest Yukon River water temperatures occur right in the middle of the summer Chinook salmon run and often peak in the range associated with heat stress in Pacific Northwest salmon populations (18 to 21 °C). For more information about ongoing salmon research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/assessing-heat-stress-migrating-yukon-river-chinook-salmon .

USGS Attended the Waterfowl Conservation Committee Meeting in Bethel, Alaska:
Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce and Research Wildlife Biologist Paul Flint attended the virtual Association of Village Council Presidents Waterfowl Conservation Committee (WCC) on March 2, 2021. The WCC is a Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta regional group of the state-wide Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council and discusses migratory bird regulations, subsistence harvest, and scientific research to inform residents of the region and obtain their feedback on these activities.

NOAA and USGS Presented on Next Arctic Research Plan at Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Meeting: Candace Nachman (NOAA) and John Pearce (USGS) co-presented an update for the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission on the status of the draft Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026 and the upcoming public comment period that begins in March 2021. Nachman and Pearce are members of the Plan Development Steering Committee for the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC).  More information about the plan development process can be found here: https://www.iarpccollaborations.org/arctic-research-plan-2022-2026.html .

USGS Scientists Attended the Barrow Whaling Captain's Association, Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, and Polar Bear Technical Committee meetings: Todd Atwood virtually attended the Barrow Whaling Captain's Association meeting on January 29, 2021, and the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission meeting the week of February 5-8, 2021, to discuss and solicit input on polar bear research activities planned for 2021. On February 1-4, 2021, Todd Atwood and Jeff Bromaghin virtually attended the annual meeting of the Polar Bear Technical Committee of Canada and presented findings from the latest assessment of the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation of polar bears. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/polar-bear-research .

2020 Outreach and Engagement Activities

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USGS Attended Eskimo Walrus Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientists Chad Jay, Karyn Rode, and Anthony Fischbach provided an update on walrus research accomplishments in 2020 and plans for research in 2021 at the virtual annual Eskimo Walrus Commission meeting, December 16-17, 2020. Work plans for 2021 include a study funded by the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems initiative to develop methods for monitoring walrus body condition and determine how body condition influences reproductive success in walruses. This new 5-year project is a collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Eskimo Walrus Commission, and Alaska Native hunters from Gambell and Savoonga, Alaska. The Eskimo Walrus Commission represents Alaska's coastal walrus hunting communities and works on resource co-management issues on behalf of Alaska Natives in coastal Yupik and Inupiaq communities. 

USGS Attended Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientists Todd Atwood and Karyn Rode attended the annual Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council (ANCC) meeting virtually from Anchorage, Alaska, on December 14, 2020. ANCC is an Alaska Native organization representing tribes in Alaska that traditionally harvest polar bears (nannut) for subsistence. ANCC engages in polar bear management processes to ensure the health and well-being of polar bears and its Tribal members. Atwood presented the results of recently completed studies that provide updated estimates of survival and abundance and terrestrial dens. Rode presented the findings of a study that summarized Iñupiaq knowledge of Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. The study used semi-structured interviews to solicit knowledge from 47 polar bear hunters from the communities of Wainwright, Utqiağvik, Nuiqsut, and Kaktovik, and is the largest such effort conducted in Alaska. 

USGS Attended Inuvialuit-Inupiat Polar Bear Joint Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientists Todd Atwood, Jeff Bromaghin and John Pearce attended the annual Inuvialuit-Inupiat Polar Bear Joint Commission virtually from Anchorage, Alaska, on October 28, 2020. The commission includes members from northern communities in Alaska, the Northwest Territories of Canada, the North Slope Borough, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey and makes recommendations on the management of polar bears in the U.S. and Canada. Atwood presented an update on research activities and discussed the results of recently completed studies and Bromaghin presented results from a recent mark-recapture analysis to update the status of the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation of polar bears in Alaska. 

USGS Presented at Virtual Strait Science Workshop Series: Alaska Science Center researchers Caroline Van Hemert and Matthew Smith gave a presentation on USGS harmful algal toxin research at the virtual Strait Science Workshop series on October 22, 2020. Since 2017, seabird populations in the Chukchi Sea and Bering Strait regions of Alaska have experienced annual, multi-species mortality events. Van Hemert and Smith presented data on the presence of algal toxins in seabird tissues sampled from carcasses opportunistically collected by biologists and local volunteers from the Bering Strait region between 2017-2020. Saxitoxin was found in the majority of Northern Fulmars collected in the Bering/Chukchi seas in 2017. Samples from subsequent years, however, revealed very few detections of either saxitoxin or domoic acid. These results are important to individuals from the Bering Strait region who utilize these birds as a subsistence food source. Samples collected from the area will continue to be tested for the presence of toxins. Learn more about Alaska Science Center harmful algal toxin research at: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/harmful-algal-bloom-toxins-alaska-seabirds . 

USGS Presented at Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program Insight Session: On October 21, Alaska Science Center geologist Adrian Bender presented at an hour-long online Insight Session to about 40 middle school students participating in the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP). In a 15-minute presentation, Adrian shared educational, professional, and field experiences, and offered advice for interested students to get involved with USGS Alaska Science Center science. For more information about ANSEP please visit: https://www.ansep.net/.

DOI Agency Partners Attended Walrus Information Needs Meeting: Researchers and managers from Alaska’s USGS, USFWS, and BOEM offices presented information on current and planned walrus research and discussed emerging issues in a two-day virtual meeting October 14-15, 2020. Walruses are important to Alaska Native subsistence and are experiencing a warming environment and increasing human activities in the Arctic. This meeting was important for facilitating studies that are collaborative and relevant to DOI management agencies in meeting walrus conservation and regulatory goals. More about the USGS walrus research program can be found here.

USGS Attended the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce attended the virtual Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council on September 29, 2020 and gave a brief update on USGS migratory bird research activities. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council was formed in 2000 and consists of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and representatives of Alaska's Native population. The Council's primary purpose is to conserve migratory birds through development of recommendations for the subsistence spring/summer harvest in Alaska. More information about Alaska Science Center work on migratory birds can be found here. 

USGS Briefs Office of Tribal Relations on New NSF Arctic Rivers Project: USGS Alaska Science Center scientists Josh Koch and Michael Carey, along with Nicole Herman-Mercer (USGS), Ryan Toohey (USGS Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center), and Keith Musselman (University of Colorado) presented information to the Office of Tribal Relations on September 22, 2020 on a new five-year project, funded through the National Science Foundation's "Navigating the New Arctic" program. The project will establish a large and novel dataset on water quality in the rivers of the Alaska and Canadian Arctic and use hydrologic and fish bioenergetic modeling to develop various scenarios of how warming, permafrost thaw, and altered hydrology will impact fish resources and human travel during winter on rivers. The range of modeling scenarios will be informed by and compared to Indigenous observations and experiences to provide a holistic understanding of the current and future changes. 

USGS Attended the Waterfowl Conservation Committee Meeting in Bethel, Alaska: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce and Wildlife Biologist Paul Flint attended the Association of Village Council Presidents Waterfowl Conservation Committee (WCC) on March 3, 2020, in Bethel, Alaska. The WCC is a Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta regional group of the state-wide Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council and discusses migratory bird regulations, subsistence harvest, and scientific research to inform local residents and obtain their feedback on these activities.

USGS Briefed North Slope Borough Planning Commission: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce attended the North Slope Borough Planning Commission Meeting on February 27, 2020, in Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska. Pearce provided an update about on-going and new USGS research on the North Slope of Alaska that may have implications for North Slope Borough's planning and permitting actions.

KBRW Radio Call-in Show about Pacific Walruses: Alaska Science Center scientist Chad Jay participated in a call-in radio show on February 21, 2020, about Pacific walruses. USFWS organized the radio show to provide an opportunity for people in northern Alaska to hear about issues related to Pacific walruses and to call in with their questions. Other participants include Joel Garlic-Miller (USFWS), Raphaela Stimmelmayr (North Slope Borough Wildlife Department veterinarian), and Charlie Brower (Eskimo Walrus Commission).  The show was broadcast in Utqiagvik (Barrow) on KBRW radio (AM 680khz/FM 91.9) which serves the North Slope communities of Utqiagvik, Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainwright, Atqasuk, Nuiqsut, Prudhoe Bay and Kaktovik.  

USGS Initiated Study of Pacific Walrus in Collaboration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Eskimo Walrus Commission.  Alaska Science Center research wildlife biologist Karyn Rode traveled with partners from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Eskimo Walrus Commission to the villages of Gambell and Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, from February 19 to 21, 2020, to meet with local hunters about participation in a study to identify links between walrus body condition and reproduction.  Participants discussed approaches for obtaining body measurements and samples that would allow assessments of the effects of variation in adult female body condition on calf production and survival.  Data collection would initiate in spring 2020.              

USGS Led Session for Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program's Middle School Academy: Alaska Science Center scientist Kim Kloecker conducted a learning session for students in the Middle School Academy, which is part of the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP), on February 14, 2020. The session was for 54 students from the Lower Kuskokwim School District in western Alaska. Kloecker conducted a hands-on activity and shared information about  a USGS bivalve study that is part of Gulf Watch Alaska. Concepts included: field sampling, using calipers, comparing different study sites, experimental design, using results to propose conclusions and design further experiments, and intertidal ecology.

KYUK Alaska Public Media: Vanessa von Biela, USGS Alaska Science Center Research Fish Biologist, was interviewed by Johanna Eurich, a reported with KYUK Public Radio (640 AM & 90.3 FM), in Bethel, Alaska after seeing her presentation at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium on heat stress in Yukon River Chinook Salmon. Read the full story at: https://www.kyuk.org/post/future-salmon-warming-world-part-1.

USGS Attended Cape Krusenstern National Monument Subsistence Resource Commission Meeting: Alaska Science Center scientist Michael Carey, along with Jon O’Donnell of the National Park Service, attended the Cape Krusenstern National Monument Subsistence Resource Commission meeting in Kotzebue, Alaska on February 4-5, 2020 to discuss an ongoing project examining the influence of beaver dams on water quality and fish habitat in Arctic streams. North American beaver colonization is an emerging issue in the Arctic, because beavers are invading new ecosystems beyond their historic range, with the potential to alter aquatic and riparian ecosystems. For more information about this research visit: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/beavers-impacting-tundra-ecosystems-bite 

USGS Participated in Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Workshop on Northern Alaska Local Community and Research Agency Communication: Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce and Wildlife Biologist George Durner participated in the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission working group meeting on February 5, 2020, in Anchorage.  Durner presented on current and planned USGS polar bear research activities in northern Alaska.  Pearce and Durner also participated in a one-day workshop on developing recommendations and best practices for communications among local residents and research agencies regarding research planning, implementation, and results and incorporation of Indigenous knowledge in research.

2019 Outreach and Engagement Activities

USGS Presented at the Eskimo Walrus Commission: USGS researchers Chad Jay, Karyn Rode, and Anthony Fischbach presented to the annual Eskimo Walrus Commission meeting on December 10, 2019.  The USGS researchers provided an update on ongoing walrus research and described a new study funded by the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems initiative.  This new study will develop methods for monitoring walrus body condition and determine how body condition influences reproductive success in walrus.  This new project is a collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Eskimo Walrus Commission, and Alaska Native hunters from Gambell and Savoonga, Alaska and the Commission passed a resolution in support of the 5-year study.  The Eskimo Walrus Commission represents Alaska's coastal walrus hunting communities and works on resource co-management issues on behalf of Alaska Natives.

USGS Participated in Nuiqsut Science Fair: Alaska Science Center Wildlife Biologist Dan Ruthrauff participated in a Science Fair community event in the northern Alaska village of Nuiqsut on November 14, 2019. The biennial event was attended by agencies and industry representatives working near the community of Nuiqsut on the North Slope of Alaska. Ruthrauff provided information and a hands-on activity related to recent and ongoing USGS research near Nuiqsut on migratory birds, particularly snow geese and white-fronted geese, two species that are increasing in number on the North Slope of Alaska. More information about USGS ecosystems research in northern Alaska can be found here. 

USGS Scientist Attended the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council Meeting in Nome, AK: Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood attended the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council (ANCC) meeting in Nome on October 29-30, 2019. The ANCC represents Alaska villages on matters concerning the conservation and sustainable subsistence use of polar bears. Atwood provided an update on research activities in 2019 and plans for 2020. For more information about ongoing polar bear research please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/polar-bear-research. 

USGS and USFWS Visited with Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Communities to Discuss Bird Bands: Alaska Science Center supervisory wildlife biologist John Pearce and Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge biologist Bryan Daniels visited with residents of three communities on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in western Alaska October 9-11, 2019. The goal of the trip was to hear people's perspectives about bird banding and the reporting of band encounters to the USGS reportband.gov website. Following community engagement on the topic, USFWS and USGS are banding more waterfowl species on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta to inform the management of waterfowl populations throughout the Pacific Flyway. Additionally, the USGS and USFWS have spent the past year requesting feedback from Alaska Native co-management councils about the best way to talk with hunters about bird banding and reporting of encounters. These conversations, and recent assistance from Alaska Native Science and Engineering Students, have led to the creation of important talking points and outreach materials that USGS and USFWS will present in western Alaska this week. Feedback from these meetings will be discussed with co-management councils next spring and incorporated into future outreach programs.  

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USGS Briefed Native Village of Nuiqsut and North Slope Borough Planning Commission
Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce visited Nuiqsut, Alaska, on September 24th and 25th to brief the Native Village of Nuiqsut on USGS research activities on lands near the village (Colville River Delta and National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska). Pearce also attended the North Slope Borough Planning Commission Meeting on September 26, 2019, in Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska. Pearce provided an update about on-going and new USGS research on the North Slope of Alaska that may have implications for North Slope Borough's planning and permitting actions.

USGS Presented to Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council
Alaska Science Center Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Pearce presented to the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. Pearce updated the group on recent and ongoing USGS migratory bird research and USGS efforts to inform rural communities in Alaska of these research studies. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council was formed in 2000 and consists of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and representatives of Alaska's Native population. The Council's primary purpose is to conserve migratory birds through development of recommendations for the subsistence spring/summer harvest in Alaska.

USGS Attended the Waterfowl Conservation Committee Meeting in Bethel, Alaska
Alaska Science Center supervisory biologist John Pearce attended the Association of Village Council Presidents Waterfowl Conservation Committee (WCC) on August 30, 2019, in Bethel, Alaska. The WCC is a Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta regional group of the state-wide Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council and discusses migratory bird regulations, subsistence harvest, and scientific research to inform residents and obtain their feedback on these activities.

USGS Attended Inuvialuit-Inupiat Polar Bear Joint Commission meeting
Alaska Science Center scientist Todd Atwood attended the annual Inuvialuit-Inupiat Polar Bear Joint Commission meeting in Anchorage, Alaska August 20-22, 2019. The commission includes members from northern communities in Alaska and the Northwest Territories and makes recommendations on the management of polar bears. Atwood presented an update on research activities and discussed the results of recently completed studies.

USGS Presented to Association of Village Council Presidents
Alaska Science Center Supervisory wildlife biologist John Pearce and Alaska Native Science and Engineering Student (ANSEP) USGS intern Jakob Sipary gave a presentation to the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) in Bethel, Alaska, on Thursday, July 25, 2019. Pearce and Sipary have been collaborating with the USGS Bird Banding Lab to find ways to encourage hunters in western Alaska to report metal bands that they encounter on migratory birds. Pearce and Sipary have developed a number of new tools that might be helpful in community outreach and education and will discuss with and get feedback from AVCP on these new tools. Staff of the USFWS Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge in Bethel, Alaska, also participateed in the meeting.

USGS Participated in Harmful Algal Bloom Workshop
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists Caroline Van Hemert and Matt Smith and Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program student intern Jakob Sipary participated in a harmful algal bloom workshop in Nome, Alaska, on July 17, 2019. Van Hemert and Smith presented on recent USGS research related to algal toxins and effects on marine resources, such as seabirds, and also participated in a panel discussion regarding current events in the Bering Straits region and how communities and agencies are responding and coordinating their activities. More information about USGS research on marine algal toxins and seabirds can be found at: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/science/harmful-algal-bloom-toxins-alaska-seabirds . 

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USGS Led Session for Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program's Middle School Academy
Alaska Center scientist John Pearce conducted a learning session for students in the Middle School Academy, which is part of the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) on July 12, 2019. The session was for over fifty 6th through 8th grade students. Pearce presented on what types of disturbances (e.g., people, vehicles, aircraft) cause the greatest disturbance to Arctic-nesting -geese in Alaska. The learning session was based on a publication released in 2017 by USGS Alaska Science Center. More information on the study can also be found here: https://www.alaskapublic.org/2018/02/28/what-can-geese-teach-us-about-the-future-of-arctic-development. For more information about ANSEP visit: https://www.ansep.net.

USGS Led Alaska Hydrology Sessions for Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program:
On June 21, 2019, Alaska Science Center scientists Johnse Ostman and Cash Crissup led two 90-minute sessions on Hydrology in Alaska for 54 previous Middle School Academy students participating in Geosciences Week as part of the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP). The sessions highlighted required skills and education for careers in hydrology and included a hands-on-activity exploring water use needs of a population by quantifying runoff in South Fork Chester Creek. For more information about ANSEP visit: https://www.ansep.net.

Community Outreach - USGS Presented on Sea Otter and Nearshore Ecosystem Research
On May 17, 2019, Alaska Science Center biologists, Kim Kloecker and Benjamin Weitzman, presented information on USGS research and then participated in a community conversation about ecosystem changes in the marine environment in the coastal towns of Seldovia and Port Graham (near Homer, AK). They were invited to take part in the community's ongoing series focused on climate change, along with other researchers from the Gulf Watch Alaska Program, a multi-agency, long-term monitoring program. Kim presented current research on sea otter diets in the region and Ben covered some of the results of his doctoral research on bivalve communities in the Gulf of Alaska. More information about the USGS Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research Project and the Gulf Watch Alaska Program can be found at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/science/nearshore-marine-ecosystem-research and https://gulfwatchalaska.org/.

USGS Met with the Point Lay Tribal Council to Discuss Walrus Research
Alaska Science Center scientist Chad Jay met with the coastal community of Point Lay on March 21, 2019, to discuss results of a new study that used a drone to estimate the size of a large aggregation of walruses that forms near Point Lay when sea ice disappears offshore each year in late fall. The population estimates are important to DOI management agencies for authorizing offshore oil and gas activities in the Chukchi Sea.

USGS Attended the North Slope Game Commission Meeting
USGS Alaska Science Center Research Wildlife Biologist Todd Atwood attended the annual meeting of the North Slope Borough Game Commission meeting in Utqiagvik on February 20-21, 2019. The commission is comprised of members from northern communities and makes recommendations to the borough on wildlife management priorities. Atwood presented an update on USGS polar bear research activities and plans for 2019.