DOINews: BLM Introduces Military Families to Alaskan Wildlife, Recreation Opportunities

Bottles of scat, baggies of fur, and a bundle of moose browse enticed children of all ages to learn more about Alaskan animals at the first-ever Winter Resource Fair held recently on Joint Base Elmendorf and Richardson in Anchorage.

A boy correctly matches a rubber animal track with the picture of a beaver. Photo by Dayle Sherba, BLM.

The BLM Campbell Creek Science Center hosted a booth about Alaskan animals. The event was developed by Base's Family Advocacy Program to help military families, especially those who are new to Alaska, discover local resources for family enrichment. More than 200 people, mostly families with children, explored booths in the foyer, hallway, and stage of the Base's theater. The booths highlighted healthcare providers, family services, and other recreational facilities.

At the Science Center's hands-on table, children were able to touch the fur of moose, brown bear, and other Alaskan animals and ask questions about how they adapt to survive the cold climate. Kids and adults alike were quizzed on their tracking abilities through a game that involved matching tracks to pictures of animals. Many were able to guess common Alaskan animal tracks, such as moose, but struggled with less familiar animals, such as the wolverine and sea otter.

Children learn the difference between black bear tracks and brown bear tracks. Photo by Dayle Sherba, BLM.

After seeing the size differences between the black bear and brown bear tracks, many families had questions about bear safety. Science Center staff used this opportunity to share important bear-safety information, including carrying bear spray, sticking together as a group, and making noise while walking in the woods. In addition to being intrigued by the bear tracks, children were also thrilled to see moose scat and browse. Many of the children delighted in telling Science Center staff about times they saw moose in their backyard.

A girl examines squirrel browse (vegetation the squirrels eat). Photo by Dayle Sherba, BLM.

Everyone who stopped by the booth was invited to attend monthly lectures at the Science Center as well as the Iditarod Ceremonial Start in March. They were also encouraged to visit the 730-acre BLM Campbell Tract and pursue some of the many recreational opportunities on the 12 miles of public trails there. All families were able to walk away with a BLM-Alaska recreation map, a Campbell Tract trail map, and a new sense of excitement for the Alaskan outdoors.

By: Katherine Trudeau, education intern, Student Conservation Association
Jan. 26, 2015

Related Link:

BLM-Campbell Creek Science Center