Creating a Visitor Portal to Becharof National Wildlife Refuge

Our Visitor Center project in King Salmon, Alaska is designed to be an ecotourism gateway to the many amazing areas on the Alaska Peninsula, with Becharof National Wildlife Refuge a keystone in this vast landscape. Dominated by three prominent features, the Ugashik-Peulik volcano, Becharof Lake, and the ocean coastline of Shelikof Strait, the 1,200,000 million-acre refuge supports outstanding biodiversity on the land, in the water, and through the air. 

The Stunning Fauna of Becharof

With one of the largest concentrations of brown bears in Alaska, along with moose and migrations of caribou that arrive to winter upon Becharof, there is never a lack of large mammals inhabiting this wilderness. Wolf packs, two species of fox, wolverine, river otter, and beaver round out the list of larger land animals to be found across the landscape. The density of these populations and the overall remoteness of the landscape make this one of the most pristine wilderness areas to be found in America, indeed in the world.

Among the Largest Salmon Populations in the World

Becharof Lake is enormous.  Extending 35 miles by 15 miles it is the second biggest lake in Alaska and the largest in the National Wildlife Refuge System.  Becharof Lake provides the area fishery with more than six million adult salmon per year. The 300,000-acre lake serves as a nursery for the world's second-largest run of sockeye salmon.  

Along with the incredible beauty of Lake Becharof, along the ocean shoreline of Shelikof Strait to the south, sea otters, walruses, harbor seals, sea lions, and whales all abound in significant numbers. 

Birds Fill the Air

Seabirds, eagles, and peregrine falcons nest upon the refuge's coastal cliffs, and migratory waterfowl use the wetlands and coastal estuaries, both as nesting grounds and a migratory route to and from their nest sites in the arctic. The Naknek River basin is one of the important wildlife habitats of the park. The river provides habitat for ducks, geese, and swans. The area is closely monitored by scientists, with waterfowl being registered up to four times a week.

Commonly observed species include common merganser, common goldeneye, tundra swan, greater white-fronted goose, mallard, northern pintail, American and Eurasian wigeon, American green-winged teal, Canada goose, greater scaup, northern shoveler, red-breasted merganser, black scoter, and long-tailed duck.

During winter, populations of common goldeneye, bald eagle, willow ptarmigan, glaucous-winged gull, Canada jay, black-billed magpie, common raven, chickadee, northern shrike, and common redpoll are amongst the birds that can be viewed in the park.

Recognizing the Threats to Biodiversity

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill holds a notorious spot in history as an environmental disaster and its impact on this region provides a stark reminder of the ever-present manmade threats to wildlife even in the remotest regions of the planet.   Along with the transportation needs of the energy sector, the mining industry also places continual transportation pressure on these remote landscapes which could impact the populations of wildlife in as yet unseen ways.  The recent Alaskan seabird die-off points to the ever-present threats to thriving biodiversity in this region and points to the need for conservationists to continue research that will allow appropriate research to better understand how to protect these vast landscapes.

Richard Reeve is WildLandscapes Chief Operating Officer (COO) who has been a non-profit executive in conservation, education, and arts organizations for over 25 years, excelling in the design of innovative strategic plans and fostering a spirit of cooperation that translates into donor, client, partner and community support.