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Southeast Alaska: Standing Tall in Bartlett Cove: Eagle and Raven Totem Raising - The serene shores of Glacier Bay have become even more meaningful with the raising of two spectacular Tlingit totem poles in Bartlett Cove. In a heartwarming day of friendship and collaboration, the Hoonah Indian Association (HIA), and the National Park Service (NPS) joined together in the spirit of Woosh ji.een and raised the 20-foot, 2,000 pound red cedar totems into place on May 23rd. Elaborate carvings on the Eagle and Raven poles were designed by Hoonah Indian Association to represent the various clans associated with Hoonah and Glacier Bay homeland.

The day began early as tribal members boarded Allen Marine catamarans in Juneau and Hoonah. Upon arriving in the waters of Glacier Bay, both vessels were met by Eagle and Raven clan members in two dugout canoes. Traditional welcomes and messages of friendship set a perfect tone for the day; a day where the clans and the park “held each other up,” in support and respect.

Drumming, singing, and colorful regalia were on full display in a procession from the dock to the tribal house. For the final distance, each totem was hand carried by tribal members, partners and National Park Service staff. Tlingit voices and song mingled with the sounds of loons, thrushes, and children playing along the shore as an honored speaker from each clan represented on the pole described the significance of their crest. Reverence for ancestors and for today’s youth were recurring messages heard throughout the day.

"The joyful celebration of the raising of the Raven and Eagle pole felt more like a gathering of friends and family than a government and tribal event,” noted Glacier Bay Superintendent Philip Hooge. For safety and efficiency, Hoonah Indian Association chose to raise these poles onto their bases using mechanical equipment. Even so, it was a major challenge. The audience collectively held their breath as each heavy pole was slowly lifted and gingerly maneuvered by straps and skilled hands.  

When the Eagle totem was secured in place, and rain began to fall, the welcoming warmth of Xunaa Shuká Hít was appreciated by all. Hoonah City School students were an integral part of the celebration. Students ranging in age from 5 to 18 sang songs written by high school students on a previous visit to Glacier Bay and an elaborately adorned drum, made by student Vanessa Williams, was presented to the National Park Service as a gift for the Tribal House. Speeches, dancing, and celebration brought the day’s events to a close. Drumming and song filled Bartlett Cove as catamarans prepared their return. Both vessels slowly cruised past the shoreline to provide one last look. It was clear that as a physical manifestation of pride in culture, strengthening connections to homeland, and the success of collaboration, the Eagle and Raven poles now stand tall for all to see.  - More...
Tuesday PM - June 13, 2017

These findings represent the first assessment of the consequences of changing drift rates for polar bears; one of several previously unexplored effects of sea ice loss.

“Increased sea ice drift rates likely exacerbate the physiological stress due to reduced foraging opportunity already experienced by many polar bears in the warming Arctic,” said Dr. George Durner, research ecologist with the USGS and lead author of the report, “adding yet another ‘straw to the camel’s back.’”

The results were derived from radio-tracking data of collared adult female polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas coupled with sea ice drift data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center. The data, comprising of over 77,000 bear locations and matching ice drift values, were collected during two periods with different sea ice characteristics, 1987-1998 and 1999-2013. “These were very intensive analyses requiring advanced computational capabilities,” said Dr. Shannon Albeke a spatial ecologist with the Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center. “It was probably the most complicated analysis of my career.”

“This study demonstrates the unparalleled value of long-term uninterrupted data collection,” said Dr. Merav Ben-David from the Department of Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming. “Without access to the ice data from NSIDC, and the interagency and international cooperation, we could not have conducted this project.” - More...
Tuesday PM - June 13, 2017

This information may have important implications when responding to other oil spills, when conducting damage assessment studies after spills and when considering the environmental risks associated with extracting and shipping oil.

“Because wildlife species in the spill area vary so much in terms of what they eat, habitats that they use, and their ability to rebound after a drop in numbers, researchers saw huge differences in how long it took for populations to recover,” said Dan Esler, a Research Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and lead author of a recently released paper on the subject. “Some species were barely affected, others such as bald eagles, rebounded quickly, and other species took much longer to recover, such as sea otters.”

In addition to differences in the time required for full recovery, USGS and collaborators from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon State University, and the North Gulf Oceanic Society identified ecological factors that affected the degree of injury: - More...
Tuesday PM - June 13, 2017

COLUMNS - COMMENTARY

TOM PURCELL: Ensuring High School Grads are Equipped for Citizenship - "I may have to do WHAT to receive my high school diploma?"

"Pass a U.S. citizenship exam. The Civics Education Initiative is hoping state legislatures will require high school students in all 50 states to pass the exam in order to graduate. Some states, such as Arizona, have already passed such a law."

"But my high school made me take American history courses, and I got straight A’s."

"Great for you, but many studies show that many Americans are pathetically ignorant of basic facts about their government and its unique history." "If it becomes a requirement for high school graduation, how will this citizenship test work?"

"You’ll have to pass a test on 100 basic facts of U. S. history and civics taken from the United States Citizenship Civics Test - the test all immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship must pass. You’ll have to answer at least 60 percent of the questions correctly to pass."

"Can you help me prepare for these questions, sir?"

"Sure, young fellow. What is the Declaration of Independence?"

"It is an amazing document, sir. Thomas Jefferson wrote to King George III, telling him to stuff it. The Declaration said that all men are created equal, that the power of government comes from the people, that people can change the government if they don’t like it, and that individuals have unalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"OK, why were the colonists so upset with the Brits that they declared independence?"

"Well, sir, this was because of the Stamp Act, the high taxes imposed on every piece of paper they used. This ‘taxation without representation’ infuriated the colonists and motivated their desire for independence."

"Fascinating. I didn’t know that, either, young fellow. OK, what was the Constitutional Convention?" - More...
Tuesday PM - June 13, 2017