 A presentation of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It is difficult to imagine how isolated and immense the national wildlife refuges of Alaska are. You can fly for hours and not see a sign of human presence. Not a road, not a cabin, just green carpets of forests. Huge expanses of wetlands sparkling in the sun. Broad rivers. Snow-capped mountains. And vast tracts of rolling arctic tundra. These marvelous lands are the breeding grounds for millions of the nation's song and shorebirds. The cradle for much of the continent's waterfowl. And home to a dazzling array of seabirds. Wolves. Bears. Caribou. Moose. Wolves. To name just a few magnificent mammals thrive on refuge lands. Each year tens of millions of salmon return to spawn in refuge waters. Waters that are also alive with rainbow trout, arctic grayling, northern pike and more. These lands and waters are a wondrous gift we have given ourselves. Precious places where our natural heritage is being conserved and protected. Let us celebrate the national wildlife refuges of Alaska. Around the turn of the century, sportsmen and others across the nation became concerned about how rapidly America's wildlife was disappearing. Victims of unregulated hunting and loss of habitat. Even egrets were being slaughtered just to decorate women's hats. In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt directed that Pelican Island in Florida be set aside as a federal wildlife preserve to protect egrets and other wading birds from the plume hunters. A few years later, President Roosevelt ordered that land be set aside in Alaska to protect sea mammals and sea birds that were also being over hunted. In 1980, President Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which set aside 104 million acres of federal land as national wildlife refuges, national parks and other areas for conservation. 54 million of those acres went to establish nine new national wildlife refuges in Alaska and added land to six of the seven existing ones. These new refuges became part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, a system of more than 500 refuges spanning the nation, dedicated to conserving and protecting our fish and wildlife and the places they love for everyone to enjoy. While Alaska has only 16 refuges, they represent 85% of the combined national acreage. Let's take a tour of Alaska's national wildlife refuges. We'll begin with a visit to Alaska Maritime. 3,000 islands, ocean spires, and headlands along the coast and scattered across the seas of Alaska make up this unique refuge. Much of the refuge is on the 1,100-mile-long Aleutian chain. Volcanic islands set in a storm-lashed but food-rich sea, perfect for seabirds. Seabirds spend their lives on the open ocean and come ashore only to nest and raise their young. Most of the seabirds in North America, more than 40 million, nest on Alaska Maritime. Each species has its own nesting preference. Puffins and burrows near the tops of cliffs. Mers on ledges. Kitty wakes on the cliff face. And others among the boulders close to the water. One of the most spectacular seabird colonies that can readily be visited is on St. Paul, one of the Pribiloff Islands in the Bering Sea. Scientists visiting the Aleutian Islands for research and management travel on the refuges specially designed and scientifically equipped vessel, the tech law. Refuge biologists monitor seabird nesting activity at ten sites. These surveys are the basis for determining population trends and provide early warning if a species is in trouble. Special efforts are made to help those species whose numbers are in decline. The refuge's greatest success was bringing back the endangered Aleutian Canada goose. This small relative of the common Canada goose was almost wiped out by foxes that fur trappers had released on their nesting islands. Today, there are more than 30,000 geese and they are no longer listed as endangered. Isambeck National Wildlife Refuge is a crucial resting and feeding area for the quarter million birds that migrate through each year. The refuge was established to protect the Pacific Black Brant, a small coastal goose whose entire population stops at the refuge during migration. Here they fatten up on eelgrass before their long flight south. The wetlands of Isambeck, along with Isambeck Lagoon, a state game refuge, have been designated as wetlands of international importance. Birds are only part of what Isambeck offers, caribou, bear, fox, salmon and flowers. And we should not forget the sweeping views. Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge is a land of spectacular beauty, sculpted by volcanic fire, glacial ice and near constant wind. This immense landscape is dominated by large volcanoes, part of the ring of fire that rims the Pacific Ocean. While some volcanoes are dormant, the activity of others continues. Evidence of the natural and turbulent forces that shape the land is everywhere. The scenic and rugged Eugasic Caldera speaks of a colossal eruption in the recent geologic past. While high in the Chaiolavic mountains, the immense ice fields talk of a different force that continues to shape the land. For anglers and hunters, the isolated and rugged Alaska Peninsula refuge offers a daunting but rewarding challenge. Many of the trophy barren ground caribou were taken on Alaska Peninsula. At the narrows between upper and lower Eugasic Lakes, the world's record grayling was caught. Basharoff National Wildlife Refuge is dominated by Basharoff Lake, the second largest lake in Alaska and a nursery for the world's second largest run of sockeye salmon. Basharoff and Eugasic Lakes and their tributaries produce several million salmon each year for the important Bristol Bay fishery. The abundant salmon also fuel one of the world's largest concentrations of brown bears, a population estimated between two and three thousand animals. Gray wolves, whose fur can be black or white or anywhere in between, are common on Basharoff Refuge. On the vast tracks of tundra, caribou can be seen on their restless wanderings. Along the rugged cliffs above Qali Bay, sea birds gather in massive numbers and above it all soars a peregrine falcon. Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 primarily to protect the giant Kodiak brown bear. Some three thousand bears roam this enchanted emerald isle of steep mountains, sparkling rivers and rugged coastline. Kodiak brown bears, among the largest of all bears, can be up to nine feet tall and weigh close to fifteen hundred pounds. Bears and bald eagles as well thrive on Kodiak due to the massive salmon spawning runs. From May to early fall, the bears gather along the streams and gorge themselves. The Refuge's salmon are important not only to the bears, eagles and sport anglers, but also to the state and local economy. Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge has wetlands crucial to waterfowl, bays that harbor marine mammals, coastal cliffs crammed with seabird colonies, as well as fifteen hundred miles of fish-filled rivers that tempt anglers from around the world. Popular are the Kenecta, good news and Togiak rivers that flow through the Togiak wilderness. At Cape Pierce and at other places along the coast, thousands of walrus haul out on the sand to warm up, often under the watchful eye of biologists who track the health of the herd. Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge is an immense treeless wetland, a 26 million acre delta formed by two mighty rivers, the Yukon and the Cuscoquim. Nearly one-third of the refuge is covered with lakes, ponds and streams, mixed with bogs and thickets. Ideal nesting conditions for waterfowl, shorebirds and other species. Every spring, the birds arrive on Yukon Delta by the tens of millions. They've come from almost every state and province in North America, as well as many countries around the Pacific. Yukon Delta is one of the most productive nesting areas in North America, producing millions of birds. The boundaries of the refuge are more than 40 native villages scattered along the rivers and on the coast. The Yupik people have lived here for thousands of years and have always depended on the delta and its abundant natural resources for their subsistence. As the weather warms, the families traditionally go out to their summer fish camps to enjoy the land and collect food for the coming winter. In Noko National Wildlife Refuge is named after the Great River which flows through the refuge. The river and its tributaries attract breeding waterfowl and songbirds, which nest in the basin's extensive wetlands and forests. Moose, drawn to this lush valley, feed on the willows that flourish because of the river's frequent flooding. The refuge also attracts researchers and volunteers who spend the summer in its isolated field camp, conducting biological surveys. Aquatic plants in the lakes are identified and their location noted as part of the refuge's plant mapping and habitat protection program. Water samples from around the refuge are chemically analyzed for the presence of minerals and contaminants from historic and current gold mining activities within the refuge's watershed. Zone 3 is... Plant species are systematically identified within sample plots throughout the refuge. All this data will help establish an information baseline so changes in the environment can be monitored. After all, if you do not know what you have, how can you tell when changes occur? Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge is another of the great interior refuges. Its wetlands formed and nourished by the Nowitna River. The grassy margins of the many ponds and lakes provide nesting spots for ducks and geese. The Nowitna River, a nationally designated wild and scenic river, is ideal for flow trips as it meanders for more than 200 miles through the refuge. Archaeological evidence shows that people have trapped and fished in the interior of Alaska along rivers like the Yukon and Nowitna for more than 10,000 years. Today, the tradition continues. Migrating salmon are smoke-dried and provide food through the long winter months. Kayakuk National Wildlife Refuge lies in a basin surrounded by rolling low mountains and bisected by the Kayakuk River, a tributary of the Yukon which flows down from the Brooks Range. Fire is a major contributor to the diversity of the northern forest ecosystem. Refuge biologists are interested in learning how plants and wildlife colonize burned areas. In this study, yellow-cheeked voles within a sample area are captured and marked. The data collected will help biologists answer questions about the voles' life cycle, population dynamics, and the kind of habitat they prefer. Yellow-cheeked voles, the largest of Alaska's voles, are a colonial species and move into burned areas earlier than other vole species. Because they are an important food source for a wide array of Alaskan mammals and birds, the voles attract wildlife back into an area after a fire. They represent a vital link in the vast boreal forest ecosystem. Straddling the Arctic Circle is Selewik National Wildlife Refuge, named after the river which meanders through its tundra wetlands and bogs. The western Arctic caribou herd, one of the largest in North America, migrates through the refuge twice a year. Moose are often seen in the willow thickets that flourish at the edge of wetlands. For many thousands of years, the Inupiaq people have hunted, fished, and gathered berries along the Selewik River. These traditional activities continue to this day. In mid-summer, the abundant berries ripen and entire families come out for the harvest. Having a firearm handy is only prudent, since bears also love the berries. On Selewik, research is underway to gather baseline data about plants that grow on the refuge. In a study designed to ensure statistical accuracy, transects are measured and at intervals all plants are catalogued. Knowing the diversity and abundance of the refuge's plant life will help create a baseline vegetation map that will be important when making management decisions when fires occur. Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, a mosaic of wetlands, lakes, streams, forests, and bogs, lies in a basin formed by the Kayakuk and Kanuti rivers. At selected locations on Kanuti, the birds are periodically counted and identified in a systematic manner. At several places on the refuge, a 100-meter transect has been carefully laid out. The biologist and an assistant walk the transect, stopping at specific intervals to identify all birds seen or heard within a precise period of time. Because each survey is conducted in exactly the same manner each year, population trends for birds on Kanuti can be accurately monitored. Several wolves belonging to different packs on Kanuti have been fitted with colors that transmit an identifying radio signal. At regular intervals, a biologist follows the signal to find the wolf. The location is recorded so that the wolf's movements can be plotted. Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge is an immense flood plain dominated by the mighty Yukon River and rimmed with rolling hills and mountains. Larger than the state of Vermont, the refuge has almost 40,000 lakes, slews, and ponds which provide habitat for millions of waterfowl and other migratory birds. On the alpine meadows of the White Mountains, grizzly bears feed on the abundant berries while a squirrel fattens up for the winter. Three species of salmon spawn on the refuge after traveling nearly 1,000 miles from the ocean. Salmon are an important subsistence food for the native Alaskans living along the Yukon. Their fish wheels are both ingenious and effective. The Yukon Flats Refuge provides nesting habitat for many of the songbird species that migrate to Alaska's interior each summer. For several years, refuge biologists have been conducting research on songbird populations at Canvasback Lake. Birds are captured with mist nets. Biologists carefully examine each bird. Vital statistics are measured and recorded. After an identifying band is attached, the birds are free again. A rewarding moment for a biologist comes when a bird that had been banded in previous years is recaptured after its long migration to the tropics and back. In fact, birds banded on Yukon Flats have been recovered in 11 foreign countries, 8 Canadian provinces, and 45 of the 50 United States. The birds from Yukon Flats are truly a shared resource. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most remote and undisturbed places in the nation. A vast and scenic land, a wilderness wonderland with barrier islands and lagoons, rolling tundra and braided rivers, glaciers and lofty mountains, boreal forests and wetlands. This combination of habitats supports a great diversity of wildlife, nesting birds from four continents, numerous fish species, and several dozen mammals. Arctic Refuge is also the calving ground for the mighty porcupine caribou herd, which migrates over an extensive area in Canada and Alaska. Arctic Refuge has the largest wilderness area in the National Wildlife Refuge system and is recognized as one of the finest examples of wilderness left on the planet. Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, a land of broad river basins bordered by rugged mountains. The refuge's extensive lakes and marshes support large concentrations of nesting waterfowl and an increasing number of trumpeter swans. The refuge is on a major migratory bird corridor, and a wide variety of songbirds can be found here. For those traveling north on the Alaska Highway by car, Tetlin Refuge is just across the Canada-U.S. border. Tetlin is one of only two of Alaska's National Wildlife Refuges that can be reached by car. There are several scenic overlooks along the highway with interpretive panels and opportunities for photography. For the angler and camper, there are areas close to the Alaska Highway maintained by the refuge. Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, south of Anchorage, is Alaska in miniature. Kenai has wetlands, forests, tundra, alpine slopes, glaciers, rivers and lakes, and many of the wildlife species found across Alaska. Because it's an easy drive from Anchorage, Kenai is the most frequently visited of Alaska's National Wildlife Refuges, offering not only extraordinary vistas, but an opportunity to experience Alaska's natural environment firsthand. The Kenai River is the most popular sport fishing river in Alaska. Anglers come from all over the world to fish for its large and abundant salmon. Kenai has several accessible and popular campgrounds, boat ramps and hiking trails. Most of Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is protected as wilderness. In fact, almost a fourth of the national refuges in Alaska were designated by Congress as wilderness, a promise that the land will remain forever in its natural state, roadless, undeveloped, pristine. Wilderness areas can be visited by foot, boat or airplane, but no trace can be left after a visit. Camping, hiking and river-floating are adventurous ways to experience Alaska's refuges, but you must be well prepared. Take extra care when hiking to avoid confronting bear or moose, especially those with young. You can hunt and fish on all refuge lands in Alaska in accordance with state and federal law, and you must respect private property. There are many native communities within refuge boundaries that have private property. The ancestors of today's Alaska natives arrived from Asia thousands of years ago, and until fairly recently were entirely dependent on the land and waters for their livelihood. Today, many descendants of these same ancient people still rely on the same land, some of which is now on national wildlife refuges to trap, hunt, fish and gather food. These subsistence activities remain a cornerstone of their culture. Alaska's national wildlife refuges also protect the rich legacy of the past. By law, the countless archaeological sites found on refuge lands are protected from disturbance and artifact collection. All 16 national wildlife refuges in Alaska are special, each in its own way, from those where nest-filled rocky ledges are alive with millions of squawking seabirds, to those where caribou roam across the vast tundra, from those that straddle the mighty Alaskan rivers with their millions of wetland acres, to those refuges where doll sheep and grizzly roam. Let us celebrate this gift we have given ourselves, the national wildlife refuges of Alaska, special places that can serve and protect our fish and wildlife heritage for the benefit of people today and generations yet to come.