Federal subsistence hunting permits for Wrangell St Elias National Park and Preserve available

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Federal subsistence registration permits for permit hunts in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve are available at the park's Visitor Center in Copper Center, the Slana Ranger Station, and the Chitina Ranger Station.Please bring your State of Alaska resident hunting license, a photo ID (such as a driver's license), and proof of your local physical address (such as a voter registration card or utility bill listing the physical address) when you come to get a permit. Regular season sheep hunters, make sure you get a state harvest ticket and seal the horns. For more information, call 822-5234.

BLM to Premiere New Film at Arctic Interagency Visitor Center in Coldfoot

Arctic Ice Bergs (Photo credit: Polar Cruises)

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Bureau of Land Management will celebrate the release of a new film, Arctic Visions & Voices, with a reception and screening at 7 p.m. on the summer solstice, June 21, 2012, at the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center in Coldfoot.

Inspired by the unique environments and people of northern Alaska, the 15-minute film was produced by Post Modern Company of Denver, Colorado, for viewing in the visitor center’s auditorium. The film’s release puts the final touch on the award-winning visitor center, which first opened to the public on the summer solstice in 2004.

Arctic Visions & Voices shows the starkly beautiful and sometimes ferocious arctic environment and the different ways people value the area. It entices viewers to go out and explore further – to touch the tundra, listen to the songbirds, and dip their toes in the Arctic Ocean. Featured in the film are a highway equipment operator, a truck stop manager, a permafrost scientist, local residents, wildlife biologists, visitors, backcountry guides and the spectacular landscape itself.

The film, like the visitor center for which it was made, is the result of a long-standing, cooperative effort between the BLM, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The Arctic Interagency Visitor Center is open in summer from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For more information, call 907-678-5209 or visit the BLM’s Dalton Highway website at www.blm.gov/ak/dalton.

Park seeks students for summer YCC positions

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Sitka National Historical Park, (February 17, 2012)- Sitka National Historical Park will be hiring students for the Youth Conservation Corp this summer. Duties may include greeting visitors at the park visitor center and Russian Bishop's House, assisting with cultural or natural resources, or helping with the maintenance division.Hires will work 40 hours a week, eight to ten weeks, and be paid $10.00 per hour. Please note, this program is limited to students ages 15 to 18.

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Park Visitor Center Closed for Washington’s Birthday

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Sitka National Historical Park, (February 17, 2012)- The Visitor Center and Russian Bishop's House units of Sitka National Historical Park will be closed for Washington's Birthday, a federal holiday, on Monday, February 20, 2012. The park trails will remain open during the regular winter trail hours of 7a.m. to 8 p.m.

Washington's Birthday is the last of these federal holidays before the summer season; the park will be open every day, including holidays, for the summer season.

The Visitor Center is currently open from 8a.m. to 5p.m., except for weekends when it is closed Saturday for lunch from 11a.m. to noon and all day Sunday. The Russian Bishop's House is closed for winter operations, but tours are available through special arrangements. For details, please contact the park Visitors Center, (907) 747-0110.

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• Seeking Applications for Sitka National Historical Park 2012 (alaska-outdoors.blogspot.com)
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• Bears of North America Evening Program and Book Signing (alaska-outdoors.blogspot.com)

Northern 1980 Additions to Denali National Park and Preserve Now Open to Snowmobiling for Traditional Activities

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DENALI PARK, Alaska: Recent storms have brought additional snow to the park, and the Superintendent has determined that there is now adequate snow cover for the use of snowmobiles for traditional activities in all of the 1980 additions to Denali National Park and Preserve. The open areas include the park and preserve additions north and south of the crest of the Alaska Range.

Riders are reminded that all lands within the former Mount McKinley National Park on both the north and the south sides of the crest of the Alaska Range are closed to all snowmobile use by federal regulation. Maps with GPS coordinates for the park and preserve boundary are available on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/park-boundary-info.htm.

Overall, riding conditions are variable. It is the rider's responsibility to avoid locations where wind or topographic conditions may have reduced snow depth and created situations where damage to vegetation or soils could occur, or where vegetation is taller than the protective snow cover.

Riding conditions are potentially very dangerous due to recent snowfall and high winds. Avalanche hazard is high due to wind crusts and layers in the snow pack. It is important to avoid steep slopes, narrow valleys, and ravines. There are many areas of thin ice or open water on rivers.

Winter weather in the Alaska Range can change very quickly and become severe, with high winds and temperatures well below zero. Park rangers stress the importance of bringing survival gear on all trips into the backcountry and informing friends or relatives of your travel plans. Remember to assess local conditions before venturing into the backcountry.

Regulations and information regarding snowmobiling in Denali National Park and Preserve is available on the web at www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/snowmobiling.htm.

The Murie Science and Learning Center is open daily from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm as the winter visitor center, providing visitor information and backcountry permits. Additional information is available on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena or by calling (907) 683-9532 between 9:00 am - 4:00 pm daily.

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Fire Management Staff to Burn Debris Piles at Wrangell St Elias

Image via WikipediaFire management staff at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve will burn piles of debris consisting of trees and brush from, October 22, 2011 through October 31, 2011. Burning of piles could occur anytime during the above dates. The pile burn location is at the Wrangell-St. Elias Park and Preserve Headquarters. Smoke may be visible from the Richardson Highway.

National Park Service Fire Management staff will be on site managing the burn. The burn piles resulted from a hazardous fuels treatment project that occurred on the property during the summer of 2011.

The primary project goal is to provide a reduced fuel buffer zone on NPS land surrounding the Wrangell St Elias headquarters. The project includes the parking area, administrative, visitor center, and seasonal housing structures.The fuel buffer will provide for public and firefighter safety in the event of a wildland fire.

For additional information please call Wrangell-St. Elias Public Affairs at (907)-822-7223.

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National Public Lands Day Celebrated September 24, 2011

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Sitka National Historical Park (September 8, 2011) - Did you know that one-third of the land in America is yours? There's a special joy in getting our hands dirty when it helps keep our land beautiful-the spaces where we can all hike, bike, climb, swim, explore, have a picnic or simply relax. National Public Lands Day is a great opportunity for youths to experience stewardship over their community and to see their peers leading by example.

So, please join the Girl Scouts and staff at Sitka National Historical Park as we celebrate the 18th annual National Public Lands Day! Together we will work to clean up our treasured park.

Bring some water, a friend, and a willingness to give back to your community. We will meet at the Visitor Center at 1:00 p.m. Trash bags, safety vests, protective gloves and "Leave No Trace" educational programming will be provided, along with light refreshments. There will also be park-oriented films, including works by Ken Burns, continuously playing in our lobby theater throughout the day. Prizes will also be awarded to all of those who participate.

To learn more about this nationwide celebration, visit http://www.publiclandsday.org.

The submissions from participants in our recent "Reflections of Renewal on Indian River" photo contest will also be on display in the Visitor Center lobby, along with a display provided by the Girl Scouts revealing some highlights from their recent public service trip to Glacier Bay National Park!

Also be sure to visit Sitka National Historical Park's new Facebook page at

http://www.facebook.com/SitkaNationalHistoricalPark to receive updates on events and activities around the park!

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