Denali Winter Artists-in-Residence Arrive

Denali Landscape (Photo credit: blmiers2)

DENALI PARK, Alaska: The National Park Service has expanded the Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program to include winter residencies on an ongoing basis, and the first two participants in this winter's program will begin their residencies this week.

Beau Carey, a landscape painter currently living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, arrives on Tuesday, March 18.He will spend four nights in the Savage River Cabin, located at Mile 13 on the Denali Park Road, and afterwards will lead an outdoor painting workshop (already full by pre-registration). Carey recently returned from an international residency above Norway's Arctic Circle.

Nicole Stellon O'Donnell, a poet and essayist from Fairbanks, Alaska, arrives on Friday, March 21. She will be housed at park headquarters until heading out to the Savage Cabin the following week.Writers and poets (and those interested in writing and poetry) are invited to a free workshop and reading with Nicole taking place on Saturday, March 29 at the Murie Science and Learning Center, beginning at 6:00 pm. No prior registration is required to take part.Her winter residency at Denali follows scheduled readings in New York City and Los Angeles.

The winter residencies will help raise public awareness of the winter experience in Denali and increase the number of winter pieces represented in the park's permanent collection. The first winter residency was done in 2010 by University of Alaska Fairbanks Professor Emeritus Kesler Woodward. With some support provided by the park's sled dog teams, he and Frank Soos skied to the East Fork Cabin at Mile 43 on the park road, and back. You can read more about the trip, and view an image of the painting he donated to park, in his blog at: http://keslerwoodward.typepad.com/painting_in_the_north/2010/11/denali-park-in-winter.html.Woodward was instrumental in the development of the park's AIR program, and continues to serve on the AIR selection committee.

Each artist-in-residence will each donate a work inspired by their time in Denali to the park's collection.Pieces created by artists-in-residence from previous years will be on display in the Denali Visitor Center, Eielson Visitor Center, and the Murie Science and Learning Center during the 2014 visitor season. As of this week, some of the pieces will be on public display in a gallery at the Anchorage Public Lands Information Center on Fourth Street. In September other pieces will be on display at the Fairbanks Public Lands Information Center located in the Morris Thompson Visitors Center. An online gallery of artist-in-residence artwork is available at http://www.nps.gov/dena/historyculture/arts-program.htm.

Since 2002 the Artist-in-Residence program at Denali National Park and Preserve has hosted more than 45 artists and writers, and two invited composers.Four visual artists and two writers will participate in this summer's program.

Artists interested in applying for the 2015 season are encouraged to visit www.nps.gov/dena/historyculture/arts-program.htm for information and to apply. The call for applications will be open from May 1 - September 30, 2014.

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Alaska Outdoor News and Events - July 9, 2013

Denali - Mountains - Alaska (Photo credit: blmiers2)

Denali National Park News

On July 20th, anthropologist Jane Bryant  will presnt a program on the 1932 Lindley-Liek Expedition of Denali.  This is part of the Centennial Series.  For additional information visit http://goo.gl/ScCp5.

BLM News

The North Slope Science Initiative seeks 6 new members for its advisory board.  Panel members can come from a range of scientific disciplines.  Nominations must be made by July 26th.  To find out how to nominate, go to http://www.northslope.org/.

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Visitor Facilities and Services at Denali National Park Opening for Summer Season

DENALI PARK, Alaska: Lengthening days, milder overnight temperatures, sightings of migrant bird species, and the arrival of summer employees are all signs that the seasonal facilities and services that enhance the park experience for Denali National Park and Preserve visitors will open soon.

The Denali Bookstore, operated by park partner Alaska Geographic, has kicked off the season, as it opened on Monday, May 6. Most facilities will open the following week on Wednesday, May 15, including the Wilderness Access Center, Morino Grill, Backcountry Information Center, and the Denali Visitor Center, the park's main visitor center. This environmentally sustainable facility features stunning exhibits on Denali's natural history and cultural heritage, screenings of the award winning, high definition feature film, "Heartbeats of Denali", and friendly rangers who answer questions and help visitors plan how to spend their time in the park. It is open daily from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm.

The season's first interpretive offering, the daily 2:00 pm sled dog demonstration, commences on May 15. Free buses to the park kennels depart from the Denali Visitor Center shuttle stop at 1:20 p.m. Campground programs will be offered on a limited basis beginning Saturday, May 18, and the 10:00 am sled dog demonstration begins on Monday, May 20. The full range of interpretive programs will be available in June.

Denali Natural History Tours start on Tuesday, May 14, and the shoulder season Tundra Wilderness Tour (TWT) to the Teklanika Rest Area will be available May 14 - 19. The regular TWT begins on May 20.

The park road is open for travel by private vehicles to the Teklanika River Rest Area (Mile 30) through Sunday, May 19. Weather and road conditions permitting, on Monday, May 20 the park's shuttle bus system starts providing visitor access beyond the Savage River (Mile 15) as far west as the Toklat River (Mile 53). Buses will begin running to the Eielson Visitor Center (Mile 66) on Saturday, June 1. The entire 92-mile length of the park road will open for buses on Saturday, June 8.

The first fifteen miles of the park road will remain open for travel by private vehicles throughout the summer season. This year's road-related construction projects, which include the replacement of the Rock Creek Bridge near park headquarters, are expected to cause only minor (up to five minutes) traffic delays and lane closures.

Camping is free at the Riley Creek Campground until fee collection begins on May 15. Water and sewer services may be available by that date, depending on weather conditions. The Savage River Campground will open on Sunday, May 19 and the Sanctuary River, Teklanika River, and Igloo Creek Campgrounds all open on Monday, May 20. The Wonder Lake Campground opens on Saturday, June 8.

Denali National Park and Preserve collects an entrance fee year-round. The entrance fee of $10 per person (for visitors age 16 and older) is good for seven days. Visitors can pay the entrance fee at the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) through May 14, and at the Denali Visitor Center (DVC) beginning May 15. The majority of the money collected remains in the park to be used for projects to improve visitor services and facilities. Interagency Federal Recreation Passes such as the Annual, Senior, and Access Pass, and the Denali Annual Pass are also valid for entry into the park and can be purchased at the MSLC or DVC.

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Application Period for Denali National Park 2014 Artists-in-Residence Program Open

DENALI PARK, Alaska: Denali National Park and Preserve is seeking applications from visual artists and writers for the 2014 Artist-in-Residence Program. This program provides the opportunity for established artists and writers to use an historic roadside cabin as a base to explore the park and seek inspiration from it. Many of the works created by previous artists-in-residence are displayed in the Denali Visitor Center and the Eielson Visitor Center. "These interpretations of the park's landscape, wildlife, and cultural history provide a superlative means to connect our visitors to the beauty and complexity of this great national treasure," said Superintendent Don Striker.

Selected artists reside in the East Fork cabin, located at Mile 43 on the park road, for a ten day period between June and mid-September. In return for their residency, each artist donates a piece of artwork or written piece inspired by their time in the park to the park's collection. Artists also offer a public presentation for visitors at the end of their residency.

A link to the online application and more information about the program is available athttp://www.nps.gov/dena/historyculture/arts-program.htm.Applications for the 2014 season must be submitted by September 30, 2013.Notification letters will be sent out by December 15, 2013.

The Artist-in-Residence program is a national program. Artists have played a significant role in raising public awareness of the natural wonders preserved within the National Park System and the need for their protection since the creation of Yellowstone, the first national park. This is the 13^th year of Denali's program.

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Denali Road to open to Mile 12 on March 31, 2013

Down the valley towards Denali on this beautiful day, with the (one) park road wending its way.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A sure sign of spring in Denali National Park and Preserve is the opening of the park road beyond park headquarters. Park visitors will be able to drive as far as the Mountain Vista Trailhead, a rest area east of the Savage River Campground, beginning at noon on Sunday, March 31, weather permitting. Early spring offers enjoyable conditions for visiting the park, as there is good snow coverage for mushing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, coupled with milder temperatures and long days. Mount McKinley, or Denali, is visible from the park road at approximately Mile 10 when it is not shrouded in clouds. Vault toilets at the Mountain Vista Trailhead are open for use.

Picnic tables and other rest area amenities may still be under snow. Other facilities west of park headquarters, including the Savage River Campground, remain closed until later this spring. Visitors should expect to encounter snow and ice on shaded sections of the park road until overnight temperatures remain above freezing. Motorists are also advised to be alert for National Park Service personnel steaming culverts along the side of the road, and for heavy equipment being used in the road opening operations.

Weather conditions can change rapidly at this time of the year, and the road may open and close several times. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead for updated road and weather information. The National Park Service expects to open the road to the Savage River (Mile 15) in early April.

For those interested in following the progress of the Denali road crew as they plow westward along the 92 mile park road to Kantishna, updates and a photo gallery are posted on the park website.

The Riley Creek Campground at Mile 0.2 is open, and camping is free until May 15. A vault toilet is provided in the loop that remains open year-round, and campers can obtain water at the Murie Science and Learning Center. Water and sewer services will not be available until mid to late May. The Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) at Mile 1.3 is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm for visitor information and backcountry permits. Denali National Park and Preserve collects an entrance fee year-round. The entrance fee of $10 per person (for visitors age 16 and older) is good for seven days. The majority of the money collected remains in the park to be used for projects to improve visitor services and facilities. Interagency Federal Recreation Passes such as the Annual, Senior, and Access Pass, and the Denali Annual Pass are also valid for entry into the park and can be purchased at the MSLC.

Alaskas National Parks Invite Public Comment on Each Parks Compendium Through February 15 2013

Wrangell-St. Elias Headquarters Visitor Center

The compendium is a compilation of all designations, closures and restrictions imposed under the discretionary authority within the regulations covering national parks. The compendium is a regulatory tool to help manage Alaska's national park areas for the public's enjoyment, use and protection.

This year, several NPS areas in Alaska are proposing restrictions to taking wildlife in national preserves. These proposals are based on recent changes in State of Alaska regulations pertaining to the take of wolves, coyotes, and bears in some game management units, including certain national preserves. Other proposed changes include the closure of an old trail in Wrangell-St. Elias where a newly constructed trail reaches the same destination, and human waste disposal practices in Glacier Bay.

The NPS is proposing to prohibit the take of wolves and coyotes between May 1 and August 9 in the following national preserves:Denali, Gates of the Arctic, Katmai, Aniakchak, Alagnak Wild River, Lake Clark, Wrangell-St. Elias, and Yukon-Charley Rivers. In some or all areas within these preserves, the State of Alaska now allows wolves and coyotes (including pups) to be taken in late spring and summer when the animals are denning and raising vulnerable offspring. The proposed shortening of the wolf and coyote season will protect animals at the den and during the period when their pelts have little economic or trophy value. It will also protect a subsistence opportunity for taking that wolf or coyote later in the year when their coats are prime in order to sell the pelt for cash.The proposed shorter season is also more consistent with federal subsistence regulations.

The proposed compendiums for Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias and Yukon-Charley Rivers include a prohibition on the taking of brown bears at a bait station. Bait stations typically consist of things such as grease or dog food set in a location that will attract the desired animal where it can then be taken. The public safety concerns posed by food-conditioned bears are widely recognized. These bears are more likely to be a danger to humans, and it is incongruent with best management practices and public educational messaging found in national park areas on the issue of food and bears.

The NPS also proposes to renew a temporary prohibition on using artificial light to take blackbears at dens and taking black bear sows with cubs at dens in Denali and Gates of the Arctic National Preserves.

Consistent with sound management principles and conservation of wildlife, practices that disturb animals when they are in a vulnerable state - in dens, when reproducing, or very young - are usually avoided.Accordingly, these practices have generally been prohibited under federal subsistence and state harvest regulations.Additionally, management practices that seek to increase harvest of predators in order to boost populations of prey species are not consistent with the management of National Park Services areas which are to retain naturally dynamic wildlife populations.

Public involvement in the compendium process began in early December when the National Park Service held the first of seven public hearings to hear input as these restrictions were being drafted. After this round of public comment on the compendium provisions ends on February 15, the NPS will consider revisions and expects to publish the final compendiums in April 2013.

Each park's proposed 2013 compendium is available at:http://www.nps.gov/akso/management/compendiums.cfm. A written copy may be requested directly from the park or the National Park Service, 240 W. 5^th Avenue, Anchorage, AK99501, Attn:Compendium.

Comments will be accepted by mail or e-mail between January 15 and February 15, 2013. Comments are welcome at any time in addition to this timeframe, but comments received after February 15 will be considered in future compendium revisions.

Avalanche Recovery Efforts Suspended on Mt. McKinley

TALKEETNA, Alaska: A two-day ground search of the debris path from a fatal avalanche on Mt. McKinley has been suspended after clues were found confirming the likely location of four deceased climbers. Mr. Yoshiaki Kato, Ms. Masako Suda, Ms. Michiko Suzuki, and Mr. Tamao Suzuki of the Miyagi Workers Alpine Federation (MWAF) expedition are presumed to have died in the avalanche, while one team member, Mr. Hitoshi Ogi, survived the event with a minor hand injury.

The fatal avalanche happened at approximately 11,800-feet on the West Buttress, and was originally believed to have occurred early morning June 14. However NPS rangers have since confirmed with both Ogi and multiple teams on the mountain that the slide occurred during the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 13. Ogi first reported the event to NPS rangers when he arrived at the Kahiltna Basecamp the afternoon of June 14.

An aerial hasty search took place on June 14 followed by an initial four-member NPS ground search the following day. On Saturday, June 16, an expanded 10-person ground crew consisting of NPS rangers, volunteer patrol members, a dog handler, and a trained search and rescue dog probed and further investigated the debris zone. During the search, NPS mountaineering ranger Tucker Chenoweth descended into the same crevasse that the survivor Hitoshi Ogi had fallen into during the avalanche. While probing through the debris roughly 30 meters below the glacier surface, Chenoweth found a broken rope end that matched the MWAF team's rope. He began to dig further, but encountered heavily compacted ice and snow debris. Due to the danger of ice fall within the crevasse, it was decided to permanently suspend the recovery efforts.

There have six climbing fatalities on Mt. McKinley this season. Since 1932, a total of 120 climbers have perished on the mountain, 12 due to avalanches. This week's four avalanche fatalities were the first to occur on the popular West Buttress route.

Mountaineer Dies in Ski Descent of Mount McKinley

TALKEETNA, Alaska: A 36-year-old Finnish mountaineer died from injuries incurred in a fall while descending Mt. McKinley the afternoon of Wednesday, May 23. Ilkka Uusitalo of Oulu, Finland was skiing down the 40- to 45-degree slope known as the 'Orient Express' with two teammates when he fell from an elevation of 17,800 feet and was unable to self-arrest. Uusitalo tumbled through snow, ice, and rocks, coming to a stop in a crevasse at 15,850 feet.

While one of his teammates continued down to the NPS ranger camp at 14,200 feet for rescue assistance, Uusitalo's other teammate rappelled into the crevasse with the help of a nearby team. They determined that Uusitalo was likely deceased.

An NPS response team arrived on scene approximately one hour later, and Ranger Tucker Chenoweth was lowered 60 feet into the crevasse by his team of 3 volunteer rangers. After confirming that Uusitalo was deceased, the NPS patrol members hauled both Chenoweth and the victim out to the glacier surface. Soon after, Uusitalo's body was evacuated via a long line operation by the park's A-Star B3 helicopter to the Kahiltna Basecamp, then on to Talkeetna.

This accident is the second fatal fall on Mt. McKinley this climbing season. Since 1972, 16 fatalities have occurred during descents of the Orient Express.

Denali National Park Seeking Artists and Writers for 2013 Artists-in-Residence Program

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Denali National Park and Preserve is seeking applications from visual artists and writers for the 2013 Artist-in-Residence Program. This program provides the opportunity for established artists and writers to use an historic roadside cabin as a base to explore the park and seek inspiration from it. Many of the works created by previous artists-in-residence are displayed in the Denali Visitor Center and the Eielson Visitor Center. "These interpretations of the park's landscape, wildlife, and cultural history, as portrayed through the skills of professional artists and writers, provide a superlative means to connect our visitors to the beauty and complexity of this great national treasure," said Superintendent Paul Anderson.

A link to the online application and more information about the program is available here. Applications for the 2013 season must be submitted by September 30, 2012. Notification letters will be sent out by December 15, 2012.

Selected artists reside in the East Fork cabin, located at Mile 43 on the park road, for a ten day period between June and mid-September. In return for their residency, each artist donates a piece of artwork or written piece inspired by their time in the park to the park's collection. Artists also offer a public presentation for visitors at the end of their residency.

The Artist-in-Residence program is a national program. Artists have played a significant role in raising public awareness of the natural wonders preserved within the National Park System and the need for their protection since the creation of Yellowstone, the first national park. This is the 12th year of Denali's program.

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11th Overflights Advisory Council Meeting

Image via Wikipedia

The eleventh meeting of the Denali National Park Aircraft Overflights Advisory Council is taking place on Monday, February 27 and Tuesday, February 28, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm at the Marriott Residence Inn Midtown, located on 1025 E. 35th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska.

On February 27th, the public is invited to participate with council members in a work session to map out air traffic patterns over Denali National Park. The council will hold a more formal meeting with presentations from members and agency staff the following day.

The Denali National Park Aircraft Overflights Advisory Council advises the Superintendent, through the Secretary of the Interior, on mitigation efforts that should be made to reduce the impacts from aircraft overflights at Denali National Park and Preserve. The group is developing voluntary measures for assuring the safety of passengers, pilots, and mountaineers and for achieving desired future resource conditions at Denali that were outlined in the 2006 Backcountry Management Plan. Council membership contains broad representation of interested stakeholders and has a balance of local, state, and national interests.

Information on the Advisory Council can be found athttp://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/currentprojects.htm.

Information on Denali's 2006 Backcountry Management Plan is located athttp://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/gmp.htm.

For additional information on the meeting, please contact Miriam Valentine at 907- 733-9102 or via email.

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Applications Open for 2012-2013 Researcher-in-Residence Program

Image via Wikipedia

DENALI PARK, Alaska: The National Park Service and the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) are seeking applicants for two accomplished scientists to conduct research in Denali National Park and Preserve. Each Researcher-in-Residence will spend a month or more in the park, conducting self-directed fieldwork and sharing their expertise with park staff and visitors.

The Researcher-in-Residence program facilitates the sharing of knowledge and resources between academic scientists and Denali resources staff, interpreters, and visitors. The program is designed to provide funding for tenure-track faculty, but may also be appropriate for state and federal agency scientists or private-sector researchers. Up to $10,000 is available per recipient for research, and an additional $8,000 may be available for the subsequent creation of educational outreach products. Fieldwork must take place in 2012, 2013, or over both years.

The application deadline is March 10, 2012. A decision is expected to be made by March 20, or soon thereafter.

Information about the Researcher-in-Residence program, including specifics on how to apply and other information helpful to the application process, may be downloaded fromwww.nps.gov/dena/naturescience/research.htm. For more information, please contact Murie Science and Learning Center coordinator Sierra McLane at 907-683-6436 or sierra_mclane@nps.gov.

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2012 Artists-in-Residence Announced

Image via Wikipedia

Three visual artists and three writers were selected from over 300 applicants to participate in this year's Artist-in-Residence program at Denali National Park and Preserve. Deborah Bouchette, Trine Bumiller, Kim Heacox, Marybeth Holleman, Rika Mouw, and Linda Schandelmeir will each have the opportunity to experience and be inspired by the park during summer 2012. They will stay at the historic East Fork cabin, where they can look out onto the braided channels of the East Fork River, multi-colored rock formations of Polychrome Mountain, and the snow-capped peaks of the Alaska Range.

Deborah Bouchette is a painter from Hillsboro, Oregon. Her drawings and paintings appear abstract, but they incorporate sound, beat, wave, and reverberation as metaphors for experiencing life. During her residence at the park, Deborah plans to create map-like seismographic records to recall the ordered chaos of animal tracks and the flock-and-flight patterns of birds. She also will make an audio journal of the park's unique natural chatter.

Inspired by the environment, Trine Bumiller of Denver, Colorado creates multi-paneled oil paintings of abstracted and recombined images by using layers of transparent glazes. She draws inspiration from the environment, and while in Denali she plans to record the landscape, weather and plant life with sketches, watercolors and photographs to develop into a series of paintings.

Kim Heacox of Gustavus, Alaska is a writer, photographer, musician and conservationist. He is the author of eight books, and numerous articles that have appeared in a wide range of publications. His most recent title, "The Only Kayak", a memoir about finding home in Alaska, was a 2006 PEN SA Literary Award finalist in creative non-fiction. His writing often focuses on the interplay between mankind and the natural world, the power of place and community, and the importance of critical thinking.

Marybeth Holleman from Anchorage, Alaska is the author of The Heart of the Sound and co-editor of Crosscurrents North. Her essays, poems, and articles have appeared in dozens of journals and anthologies and been heard on National Public Radio. She writes, "I like to work at the edges of nature and culture. I'm endlessly inspired by the intricate relationships of the natural world, and seek to illuminate what I find there, to see what hasn't been seen, to awaken wonder."

Rika Mouw, from Homer, Alaska has been a studio artist and jewelry designer for over 30 years. She has recently transitioned from working with metal to almost exclusively using organic materials such as wood, shell, stone, bone or fibers. As a passionate environmental advocate, her work mostly speaks about issues relating to human dependency on, reverence for or disregard of the natural environment. 

Writer Linda Schandelmeier has lived in the Fairbanks, Alaska area for over 40 years. She is the author of Listening Hard Among the Birches, a book of poetry published in 2002. Her poems have appeared in many journals and anthologies, and she received a Rasmuson award to work on her second book, Homestead, about the 160-acre homestead near Anchorage, Alaska, where she was raised. "I write because it compels me to see the world around me more clearly, and because it helps me make sense of both the exterior and interior landscape," she states.

"We are pleased to offer these talented individuals the opportunity to immerse themselves in Denali," said Superintendent Paul Anderson. "The work they will create from their intensive experience in the park will be a source of inspiration to all who view or read their work."

Each artist will offer a public presentation for visitors during their residency. They will also each donate a work inspired by their time in Denali to the park's collection. Pieces created by artists-in-residence from previous years will be on display in the Denali Visitor Center, Eielson Visitor Center, and the Murie Science and Learning Center during the 2012 visitor season. Information about the public presentation schedule as well as an online gallery of artist-in-residence artwork is available atwww.nps.gov/dena/historyculture/artist-in-residence.htm.

The Artist-in-Residence program is a national program that enables established artists to reside in a park while they create park-related art. Artists have played a significant role in raising public awareness of the natural wonders preserved within the National Park System and the need for their protection since the creation of Yellowstone, the first national park.

This is the 11th year of the Artist-in-Residence program at Denali National Park and Preserve. A total of 35 artists, including 21 from Alaska, have participated in previous summers.

Artists interested in applying for the 2013 season are encouraged to visitwww.nps.gov/dena/historyculture/arts-program.htm for information and to apply. The call opens on May 1, 2012.

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Applications Open for 2012 Research Fellowship Programs, Denali National Park and Preserve

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The National Park Service and the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) are seeking applicants for two research fellowships that are available to individuals wishing to conduct research in Denali National Park and Preserve and other arctic and subarctic Alaska national parks. The Discover Denali Research Fellowship is for research in or near Denali, and the Murie Science and Learning Center Fellowship is for research taking place in Denali or other arctic or subarctic Alaska national parks. 

The deadline for both fellowship applications is February 15, 2012 and a decision is expected to be made by March 1, or soon thereafter. The fieldwork of fellowship recipients must be arranged before September 1, 2012.

The Discover Denali and the MSLC Fellowship Programs are designed to assist graduate students, but may be appropriate for college and university faculty, state and federal agency scientists, undergraduate students, and private-sector researchers. Proposals for research that will help managers make decisions about critical resource issues are particularly encouraged. If an applicant wants to be considered for both funding sources, only one application is needed; however, only one fellowship may be received per applicant. More than one fellow is expected to be selected for each program. Any previous fellow may reapply, but is not assured of additional funding.

Applications for 2012 fellowships will be considered for funding requests up to $8000, to be used over one or two years.

An information guide about either of the fellowships, which includes specifics on how to apply and other information helpful to the application process, may be downloaded online. For more information contact Denali's Research Administrator Lucy Tyrrell at 907-683-6352 or via email.

This is the seventh year that the Discover Denali Research Fellowship has been available for Denali researchers. It is the fifth year that the Murie Science and Learning Center research funds will be available to researcher-applicants whose studies help managers in all of the parks that are partners with the MSLC: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Denali National Park and Preserve, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Noatak National Preserve, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, and Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve.

The Discover Denali Fellowships are made possible through proceeds from Discover Denali, an MSLC program developed in partnership between the Denali Education Center and the National Park Service. The Discover Denali program educates Royal Celebrity Tours participants about Denali's natural and human history. The Denali Education Center is an NPS park partner that fosters understanding and appreciation of Denali through informative and inspiring programs.

The Murie Science and Learning Center Research Fellowships are made possible through the partnership between Alaska Geographic and the National Park Service. The Murie Science and Learning Center provides research, discovery, and learning opportunities within arctic and subarctic National Parks to promote appreciation and caring for our natural and cultural heritage. As part of its mission to connect people with their public lands, Alaska Geographic provides staffing and funding toward MSLC operations.

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