Delta hosts farm tour

The Delta Farm Bureau will host its annual farm tour Tuesday, July 14. Participants will visit a variety of farms and their families and learn first-hand about farming while enjoying the beauty of Delta’s farms.

The first stop will be at the historic Mead Farm on Clearwater Road. Local historians Irene Mead and Judy Ferguson will talk about the farm’s early years as well as the rodeos once held there. The book, Blue Hills, Alaska’s Promised Land, will be available for sale during lunch. The Mead Farm is currently owned by Doug and Cathie McCollum.

The next stop will be at Dennis and Cleo Green’s to learn about reindeer. The Greens own several farms and have a diverse and interesting variety of farming enterprises .

Lunch will be at the Clearwater Lodge on the bank of the Clearwater River. Yak burgers will be the featured menu item. The yaks are grown locally on Dick Karr’s farm and processed at Delta Meat & Sausage, a USDA inspected facility. Along with yak burgers, the lodge will serve potato salad, baked beans, and a sundae bar featuring Northern Lights ice cream. Lunch is included in the tour price.

After lunch, the tour continues with a visit to the Northern Lights dairy farm, owned by Don and Lois Lintleman, to see the milk processing plant and dairy barn.

The tour ends with a visit to Windy Valley Hay Producers on Hanson Road. The farm was originally built in the 1970s by Austin and Edith Walker and is now operated by their son, Robert, the Delta-Salcha Soil and Water Conservation Service’s “Outstanding Co-operator of the Year” in 2008 for his environmentally sound farming practices.

The registration fee is $40. The bus leaves promptly at 9 a.m. at the Jarvis Office Building at Mile 1420.5 Alaska Highway. Plan to arrive at least fifteen minutes early. The tour will end at 4:30 p.m. and return to the Jarvis Office Building. All day parking is available there. Tour participants must pre-pay before July 10. Payment may be made using PayPal at the Alaska Farm Bureau website. On the left side is the link “FB Payments”. If you are not signed up with PayPal, it will take you through the signup process. Or, you may send a check with the names of those attending to the Delta Farm Bureau, P.O. Box 760, Delta Junction, AK 99737. Call 895-4752 if you have any questions.

A Future of Complexity: the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment

UA Geography Professor Lawson Brigham (pictured at right) covered everything from retreating sea ice to tourism in a June 24 lecture at UAF. Presenting the results of the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment, Brigham explained the major focus of the study was arctic marine safety and environmental protection. Among the other considerations were marine geography, climate change, whaling, and governance.

The AMSA, a major project of the Arctic Council under the Protection of Marine Environment working group, was commissioned in 2004 and concluded this spring.

“It’s not a question of whether maritime industry is coming to the Arctic,” he said. “The global maritime industry has already come.” Adding that this subject is “all about geography,” Brigham went on to cover mining, oil and gas exploration, fishing, and even tourism as they relate to the Arctic. ”There were 200 cruise ships on the west coast of Greenland in one year,” he said.

Natural resource development is the primary driver of ship traffic in the Arctic, Brigham said, yet the global tourism industry via summer cruise ships also deserves attention. Natural resources include zinc, copper, nickel, tin, and fresh water. Climate change as revealed in sea ice retreat is another factor worthy of consideration. According to the AMSA report release of oil into the arctic marine environment is the most significant threat from arctic shipping.

The 200-page, multifaceted, interdisciplinary report was approved by the eight arctic states. The committee reached out to many of the stakeholders involved that are based outside of the arctic region.

The report includes scenarios as far into the future as 2050. “The word that applies is complexity,” Brigham said. The seventeen recommendations highlight marine safety, protecting people and the environment, and infrastructure. The entire report is available at the Alaska Center of Climate Assessment and Policy website.

Brigham, former associate director of the Alaska Office of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, is a widely recognized expert in arctic maritime shipping and related policy. He recently joined the University of Alaska Geography Program as a visiting distinguished professor. Brigham will work closely with UA Geography Program Director Mike Sfraga on arctic policy initiatives, including the further development of the UArctic Center for Circumpolar Arctic Policy. Dr. Brigham will conduct research on the impact of a changing arctic ice pack on arctic marine shipping, transportation, resources development, and policy. He will work with researchers in the Scenarios Network for Alaska Planning, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, and the International Arctic Research Center.

The ACCAP-hosted teleconference is part of an ongoing series. The next one, scheduled for Aug. 11 at 10 a.m., will be presented by SNAP coordinator Nancy Fresco and UA Geography Education and Outreach Coordinator Katie Kennedy. To join the teleconference, contact Brook Gamble in advance.

Addendum June 29, 2009
Further reading:
•"The Environmental Risks of Arctic Shipping," June 29, 2009, Green Inc. (a New York Times blog), by Stefan Milkowski
•"Former icebreaker captain calls for better Arctic regulations," June 29, 2009, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, by Christopher Eshleman

Geography professor speaks on marine policy

The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy will host a statewide webinar on the 2009 final report of the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment Wednesday, June 24 at 10 a.m. During the webinar, UAF geography professor Lawson Brigham will present an overview of the report and be available to answer questions. Brigham was chairman of the assessment, which was prepared through the Arctic Council. For more information, call 907-474-7812. For registration and dial-in instructions, visit ACCAP's website.

In response to unprecedented changes occurring in the circumpolar arctic, in 2004 the Arctic Council called for the Council’s Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment working group to conduct a comprehensive assessment of arctic marine shipping. The Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment 2009 Final Report represents the results of this four-year study. Findings and recommendations were negotiated and approved by the Ministers of the Arctic States on April 29, 2009 and take into consideration arctic marine geography, changes in sea ice and climate, history of marine transport, governance of Arctic marine shipping, current marine use in the Arctic, Arctic marine infrastructure, human and environmental considerations and impacts, and Arctic marine shipping futures scenarios to 2020.

Further viewing:
"Outcomes of the Arctic Council's Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment," (PDF) Dr. Lawson Brigham, June 24, 2009

OneTree project begins in Fairbanks

OneTree Coordinator Jan Dawe examines a birch tree in a Fairbanks area forest

A new community outreach and research project, OneTree, will launch in July. The UAF Forest Products Program is coordinating this collaborative project that explores art and science through a connection to a single birch tree.

OneTree is based on a project by the same name which got its start in 1998, when a single large oak was felled in the National Trust estate of Tatton Park in Cheshire, England. The OneTree project aims to show the unique value of woodlands by demonstrating the volume and quality of work that can be made from one tree. By focusing on a common goal—full utilization of a single tree—OneTree will unleash the breadth of creativity in its participants.

OneTree will travel each year to a different community in Alaska. This summer’s prototype is being developed in Fairbanks in cooperation with Week in the Woods, a family camp offered July 6-10 in the Tanana Valley State Forest.

Elders, students, wood turners, birch bark artists, biologists, loggers, millers, and community members interested in working in new ways with trees and each other are all invited to participate. Possibilities include making tar, weaving a birch bark basket, riving green wood, or documenting a tree for different types of studies. The activities will be happening this summer, all from one tree.

On July 6, OneTree and Week in the Woods participants will choose and harvest a birch tree near the campsite. After harvest, the tree will be divided into portions for three different groups, including Week in the Woods campers, OneTree artisans, and teachers who would like to pick up and store material for later use in the classroom.

“The sky’s the limit on what happens and it depends on who steps forward to participate,” said OneTree coordinator Jan Dawe, an adjunct forestry professor at UAF’s School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences. “Whether you’re intrigued by the biology of birch trees or wonder how climate shift may be affecting the forest, whether you want to follow an inspiration to paint or write a poem while sitting under a tree or around the campfire, whether you make museum-quality pieces or are just getting started on woodworking or birch bark projects, OneTree wants you.”

Regardless of age or experience in the woods, everyone is invited to become part of OneTree. Teachers are especially encouraged to join. If you’d like to do so by participating in Week in the Woods, register here. If you’d like to join OneTree, but not as a registrant in Week in the Woods, please e-mail Jan Dawe or call 388-1772.

The UAF Forest Products Program is run by Assistant Professor Valerie Barber at the Palmer Research and Extension Center.

Memorial service set for Marilyn Drew

Longtime Fairbanks resident Marilyn June Drew (pictured at left), 79, passed away at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital on June 9.

Mrs. Drew was born June 1, 1930, in Eliasville, Texas. She had a career as a flight attendant for Braniff Airlines in Dallas and later for the Flying Tigers on their overseas trips. She flew until 1956 when she met and married Jim Drew. That year they moved to Lincoln, Neb., where her three children were born. In 1976, the Drew family moved to Fairbanks, where Dr. Drew became the newly appointed dean of the School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management. Soon after moving to Fairbanks, Mrs. Drew began selling real estate. Every spring Jim and Marilyn would fly to the Lower 48, visiting relatives and friends along the way.

Mrs. Drew volunteered with Meals on Wheels for the Senior Center and assisted with Helping Hoofs, a horseback riding program for people with special needs. She was a member of the Fairbanks Republican Women’s Club and the Top of the World Garden Club. Mrs. Drew was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-two years, Dr. James V. Drew, and her eldest brother, William Ray Smith. She is survived by her daughters, Lisa and Kelly, her son, Michael, and her granddaughter, Amy Covey, all of Fairbanks.

A memorial gathering celebrating the life of Marilyn Drew will be held from 2 to 5 p.m., Sunday, June 28, at 4725 Villanova Drive, Jim and Marilyn’s house on the lake. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Drew Amphitheater, c/o the Georgeson Botanical Garden. Please mail donations to the Drew Amphitheater, 4820 Villanova Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99709.

“Marilyn and Jim Drew were tremendous supporters of the botanical garden,” SNRAS Dean Carol Lewis said. “We always appreciated Marilyn’s support of the school and the experiment station. The Drew Amphitheater at the Georgeson Botanical Garden will be a lasting tribute to Marilyn and Jim.”

Lettuce gets a close look in Alaska and Washington

Haly Ingle, WSU graduate student, plants Cracoviensis leaf lettuce in research plots at the Fairbanks Experiment Farm

A parallel study of nitrate levels is simultaneously being conducted in Fairbanks and Pullman, Wash., this summer. Washington State University graduate student Haly Ingle is at UAF for seven weeks closely examining the effects of the midnight sun and other factors on lettuce and spinach.

Ingle is working with UAF Professor Meriam Karlsson, studying how light intensity and duration affect nitrate levels in leaf tissue of different lettuce varieties. The high latitude Fairbanks site complements a sister site in Pullman where the same varieties are being grown. During several twenty-four hour periods, Ingle will measure nitrate every two hours.

Ingle grew up in Waitsburg, Wash., and earned bachelor of science degrees in agricultural communications and organic agriculture from WSU in 2008. She is studying toward a master’s degree in soil science, and will use the research she is doing in Alaska for her thesis.

Ingle is particularly interested in the comparisons between Fairbanks’ twenty-four hour daylight growing days and Pullman’s diurnal rhythms. “The nitrate content of the plants should fluctuate more in Pullman,” she predicted. In Fairbanks, there should be no fluctuations. Most prior research in this arena has been conducted in greenhouses, and Ingle is intrigued by the “unique growing conditions in Alaska.”

During the times that she takes measurement every two hours she will take her samples to the lab and grind them, then send them to Pullman to be processed. Nitrate research is important because nitrogen is the more critical element for plant growth. And nitrates can play either good and bad roles in human health. The European Commission has limited nitrate content for growers, just as the EPA has limits on the amount of nitrates in drinking water. “It’s not like it’s going to kill you but it’s something to keep an eye on,” Ingle said.

She prepared the soil in her plots at the Fairbanks Experiment Farm by adding fish meal. Ingle has been impressed with her temporary home. “It’s beautiful here,” she said. “It’s a little more remote than I’m used to and the daylight takes some getting used to.”

Though she did not grow up on a farm, Ingle has long been attracted to growing things, perhaps because her father was raised on a farm and his stories got her interested. “I’ve always had a passion for agriculture,” she said. “It’s something that fits with me.” Camping, horseback riding, and boating are her hobbies. Her long-term goals are to pursue a PhD and work with the Cooperative Extension Service.

Dr. Karlsson is pleased to have Ingle here and looks forward to a SNRAS student doing research in Washington. This project is made possible by the Franklin Distinguished Graduate Fellow, an endowment established by Glen Franklin. Franklin grew up in Washington and worked for the Alaska Division of Agriculture. He donates funds to WSU for agronomic research that solves problems common to Washington and Alaska.

Ingle’s advisor, Rich Koenig, WSU Department of Crop and Soil Sciences chair and SNRAS graduate, will visit Fairbanks in July. His research and extension program have focused on applied soil fertility issues in cereal-based cropping systems in eastern Washington. Koenig started the nitrate research with a previous graduate student who wrote four peer-reviewed research articles before completing her degree. Dr. Koenig said he is looking forward to a continued collaboration with Dr. Karlsson, examining agricultural issues common to both states.

Where in the world are SNRAS students this summer?

Chanda Meek in the field summer 2008

Here’s a quick update on what SNRAS students and recent graduates are doing this summer. Students who would like to let others know about their summer activities are welcome to comment below.

Chanda Meek, SNRAS’s first doctoral candidate for the new PhD in Natural Resources and Sustainability, has focused on her doctoral defense this summer. On Monday, June 22 at 1 p.m. in the Butrovich Building, Room 109, she will present “Comparing Co-management Regimes for Marine Mammals in Alaska: Three Aspects of Institutional Performance.”

Recent master’s graduate Lorene Lynn is working as a soil scientist for HDR Alaska, an architecture, engineering, and environmental services consulting firm in Anchorage and Palmer. Lynn learned how to write a “request for proposal” for a DOT project and designed a research project investigating hydric soil indicators in volcanic ash soils. She has also written the specifications for a landfill cap and closure. “The learning curve has been high and the work stimulating,” Lynn said. “I have been able to put my soils education to good use.”

NRM major Hannah Harrison is employed with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Sand Point and Port Moller on the Alaska Peninsula. She is a Tech III working for the Western Alaska Salmon Survey Inventory Project taking DNA samples and scale samples from sockeye and chum.

Geography major Matthew Balazs is working for the Institute of Arctic Biology as a GIS technician. He is involved with a project that is examining the changes in lake areas throughout ten of the national wildlife refuges in Alaska. His job is to process and interpret data from aerial photos and satellite images using GIS software to find changes in the lakes’ area. He is planning to go to Svalbard, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean north of mainland Europe, about midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, later in the summer for a class in arctic terrestrial quaternary stratigraphy.

Recent graduate Larsen Hess is working for the Alaska Division of Forestry this summer and then will move to Japan where he will teach English.

Senior Ellen Hatch is working at the Georgeson Botanical Garden and delving into her senior thesis, a project studying and mapping growing degree days in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Graduate student Yosuke Okada works with Professor Meriam Karlsson in her controlled environment agriculture laboratory (CEAL). Okada’s area of focus is tomatoes. In early June Okada was a participant in the Hot Springs 100-kilometer wilderness race from Chena Hot Springs to Circle Hot Springs.

High Latitude Agriculture student James Ward is in his second summer working for Dr. Karlsson in her fields, high tunnels, and CEAL. He assists with plant experiments, plant propagation, germination, transplanting, and data collection. “I have gained a good understanding of experimentation methods,” he said.

NRM student Jace Bures is managing the greenhouse at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge. He is in charge of all the plant care and landscaping at the hotel and adjacent restaurant. He has six FFA students working for him in the collaborative project.

Addendum (June 23, 2009):
2009 geography graduate Alice Orlich (pictured at right) is continuing with her position as student research assistant with sea ice physicist Dr. Jennifer Hutchings at the International Arctic Research Center. Her summer months will be occupied with analyzing field data, assisting with website coordination for arctic sea ice research, and preparing for another science cruise into the arctic. The annual ship trip into the Beaufort Sea has been scheduled later in the year to catch the freeze-up that occurs in early fall. The benefits are two-fold, as researchers will be able to observe conditions of the ice pack after a full melt season, the time of lowest extent, and Orlich will enjoy her first full summer in Fairbanks in fifteen years.