Copper River Record June 14, 2018
Mikaela Dalton WISE is wasting no time in starting summer adventures! We spent the first beautiful week of June with our brand new Outdoor and Wilderness Leadership Skills program (OWLS) backpacking for four days in the Wrangell – St Elias National Park and Preserve, learning valuable skills about leadership and traveling in the backcountry. Even with the sporadic rain and hail storms blowing through, our team couldn’t be distracted from the many lessons and activities we had planned for them. Everything from knot tying, to risk management, to creating a healthy meal plan was covered and practiced in just four days. Need to find your way with a map and compass? Ask an OWL! Don’t remember all seven principles to Leave No Trace and responsible backcountry travel ethics? They have the answers at the tips of their fingers, just ask them! While the focus of the OWLS program is certainly about gaining skills, we also fit in plenty of fun! We went on a beautiful day hike singing Disney classics, spent countless hours solving riddles, played fun games, and everyone showed off their dancing skills learning the boot dance! Anyone who’s ever gone on a backcountry trip knows that when the weather turns sour, knowing how to have fun and entertain your group can be the best skill you have, and these kids got it! With part one of the OWLS program complete, our students now move on to the Independent Learning portion of the program. Students will job shadow professionals in fields they are interested in around the Copper River Basin, they will lead their own mini-expeditions, and they will be assistants on WISE programs taking on responsibility as leaders. After continued practice and mastery of their skills, they will plan and lead their Final Expedition to receive their final grade and .5 credit for the program in August. We are so excited to continue the rest of the summer with this impressive cohort and see what they do next!
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Copper River Record April 27, 2018
Mikaela Dalton Sourdough Campground was full of excited and rambunctious junior high students this past week! Led by the National Park Service at Wrangell – St Elias with the Bureau of Land Management’s Glennallen office and Campbell Creek Science Center, the Copper River Native Association, the Copper River School District, and WISE, we were joined by groups from Kenny Lake and Glennallen to camp out for lots of adventures! There was no shortage of fun activities to keep kids busy and active. CRNA and NPS brought plenty of cross country skis to explore the ¾ mile loop around the campground when the snow was good. When the afternoon sun turned the snow to slush, we traded in our skis for snowshoes! Everyone got to try on snowshoes of different sizes, lengths, and shapes and learn about the different conditions different snowshoes are good for. There is no such thing as one perfect snowshoe! The highlight of the snowshoeing was our creative portion. We gave kids a scenario of being out on a snow machine adventure but their machine breaks down far from home or other people during a deeply snowy winter, much like this one. If they’re post holing past their thighs, how are they going to get out? Giving them just a few techniques and tools, we challenged them to create their own emergency snowshoes using spruce boughs, willow, twine, even learning how to rip an old t-shirt into long strips to tie pieces together. We ended with a competition using one person to step on each snowshoe to see how it held up. The one that sunk the least was our winner! It was so much fun to see the kids get creative and excited about using their resources and figuring out the best way to get strength, floatation, and durability out of their homemade pair. We were proud of all of them! Wednesday was our crossover day with Kenny Lake leaving and Glennallen coming in, but they overlapped for a couple hours. Just enough time to start a new Chosen Frozen tradition! Two of our staff brought out old dog mushing sleds and some rope, and we broke the kids into two teams with kids from each school and decided to have a kid-pulled sled race! After an extensive 10-minute mushing commands lesson, each team got one practice run of the campground loop, and then it was time to race! Coats, jackets, and sweaters were being shed left and right as we prepared our teams to run. We staggered our starts and raced for the best time, in the end crowning our champions of the newly named “iKidarod!” It was a fun and silly adventure for everyone, including the helicopter that flew over as we were racing and circled back to wave at us! On top of all that, we also went ice fishing on Dick and Paxson Lake where there was even more snowshoeing and skiing, we threw atlatls, and learned how to skin ptarmigan and gut salmon. Each night we ended around a warm fire (maybe with some s’mores) sharing fun stories and adventures as the sun set behind us. Everyone left with smiles on their faces and stories to tell, definitely more tired than when they arrived! Thank you so much to all the incredible people who helped us make this happen, especially to Russell Scribner the new Education Specialist at NPS. We can’t wait to do it again next year! Copper River Record April 12, 2018
By Robin Mayo Like many outdoor pursuits, Ice Fishing can be a little intimidating for a novice. The lingo seems a teensy bit silly, with pop-ups, jigging poles, and shanties. To those who think of fishing as a lazy summer pursuit, the weather can be daunting. And of course, there is the fact that a very thick layer of ice, possibly topped with a blanket of snow, is between you and the fish. If you are curious about ice fishing but not quite sure how to get started, we hope you will come join us this Saturday for the 8th Annual WISE/BLM Family Ice Fishing Day. There will be lots of holes already drilled, gear and bait ready to go, and fishing enthusiasts to share their knowledge. We will also have a camera and viewers to catch a glimpse of the mysterious world under the ice. The BLM crew is planning a special surprise, the nature of which we won’t disclose here in case it doesn’t work as planned. The event will be on Saturday, April 7th, from 10am to 3pm at Silver Lake, near mile 11 of the McCarthy Road. As of this writing, DOT was working on grading the road, but expect mud, ice, and possibly falling rocks along the bluff. Parking is along the McCarthy Road, then you will need to be prepared to walk down to the lake. A small sled is useful to help haul your gear and tired kids. There is quite a bit of snow and overflow water on the lake, so waterproof boots and ice cleats are recommended. You will also want to bring chairs, warm clothing, sunscreen, and sunglasses. Although the April feels warm, ice fishing is less active, and that wind can be chilly. As well having fishing gear to loan and bait, we will have chili, soup, cocoa, and coffee. There will be a fire pit on the ice for roasting hot dogs and s’mores. There is no admission charge, but donations are encouraged to help pay for food, bait, and equipment. Volunteers are also welcome, if you’d like to help out please call the WISE office at (907) 822-3575. At 3 pm, we will have prizes for youth, including cool schwag donated by local business TuffKids Outdoors, and some shiny new ice fishing combos ready to go. After fishing with us, you can plan to continue the outing in Chitina, where Uncle Tom’s Tavern will have a fishing derby, prizes, and a pig roast in the evening. Alaska Department of Fish and Game stocked Silver Lake last summer with thousands of 2” to 3” Rainbow Trout, and we’ve been hearing reports of some great fishing this spring. One fish was rumored to be 30 inches and 8 pounds, but perhaps that was just a fish tale. No matter how you measure it, ice fishing is a whole lot of fun, and something like a miracle when a bright shiny fish takes your bait and emerges into the sunlight. Copper River Record March 29, 2018
Mikaela Dalton The WISE Lecture Series of 2018 has continued on strong with Fire Ecologist Jennifer Barnes! On February 15th a large crowd gathered at Prince William Sound College in Glennallen for a night learning about fire science and studies Barnes has done right in our back yard in her talk entitled, “Once Burned...Twice Burned: Fire in Wrangell - St Elias.” Captivating her audience, Barnes explained what an average fire return interval is in Alaska, meaning the amount of time between two fires, and what growth look likes after a fire. Typical growth after a wildfire starts with small plants such as fireweed, followed by shrubs, then birch and aspen groves, then birch and aspen with intermittent spruce trees, and then the area will be dominated by spruce, likely to burn again soon. By looking at the composition of trees and plants in an area, you can guess about how long it’s been since there was a fire there. Usually it takes between 60-150 years for an area to burn again after a fire. But, since 2004, there has been an increase in areas being burned a second time shortly after a first fire. Barnes has been studying the effects of twice-burned areas all over Alaska, including here in Wrangell - St Elias National Park and Preserve. In Wrangell - St Elias, Barnes discussed an area that burned first in the 2009 and then again only seven years later in 2016. One major difference Barnes noticed was that after the second fire, green plants and shrubs grew back much more quickly than they did after the first fire there. Researchers are not sure of why this is yet, and are planning more studies. The once burned areas had lots of willow and aspen established, which is great for our moose! One of the biggest concerns Barnes discussed from the increase in twice-burned areas is that it means that fire managers might have to reconsider tactics they use to fight and control wildfires. Directing a fire towards an area that was recently burned has often been a strategy to stop fires, but now that burnt areas are burning again more quickly, this is becoming more questionable. We certainly look forward to hearing more from Barnes and what her research means for fire safety and control in the future! A big thank you to National Park Service for helping us organize this lecture and to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company for supporting the WISE Lecture Series for six years now! Thank you to everyone who made it out and we look forward to seeing you at the next lecture! Copper River Record March 1, 2018
Mikaela Dalton WISE would like to thank all our participants in the Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count this past December! On December 16th we had a dedicated and passionate group spread throughout the Kenny Lake Count Circle via skis, snowshoes, cars, on foot, and counting from feeders at home. In total, our crew covered over 25 miles and spotted 240 birds in Kenny Lake. Seventeen species were spotted in all, including Great Grey Owls, American Dippers, Hairy Woodpeckers, and a couple moose even joined the fun! (They were not counted as birds). We gathered that evening at the Kenny Lake Library for some warm beverages and food and to share stories or exciting birds spotted. This was the first time WISE has organized and hosted the Christmas Bird Count, so a big thank you to Ruth McHenry for all her help and advice on running it this year. We look forward to it again next year! Copper River Record February 15, 2018 By Robin Mayo If you don’t immediately get the reference in the title to this article, you should head to your nearest public library, or ask a young friend to summarize Laura Joffe Numeroff’s classic childrens book, “If You Give a Moose a Muffin.” In a nutshell, a boy offers baked goods to a visiting ungulate, touching off a hilarious, messy, and highly ridiculous chain of events. It is the first thing many of us thought of as the following story unfolded: For over a week during the recent cold spell, a little bull moose, probably last year’s calf, bedded down under the eaves at the WISE office on the Old Edgerton Highway. We figure the bare ground covered with leaves first drew him there, then he discovered it was a little warmer. The wall forms a little alcove, like a reverse bay window, so there is a large patch of shelter that catches the late morning sun. He didn’t seem at all concerned with the people and occasional dog just a few feet away, and we enjoyed watching him through the windows. The flip side of this idyllic scene is not so pretty. There was no cow moose to be seen, so the little guy was an orphan, without a Mom to show him what to eat, break trail through the deep snow, and protect him. He was looking skinny, and every hour spent huddled up in his little haven was time he was not spending out foraging for food. With the deep snow and bitter cold, his prospects for surviving the winter are not great. I’m probably not the only person who called Alaska Department of Fish and Game that week with a similar dilemma. I was curious if there was anything we could do to help, and what the options were. They patiently reminded me that feeding wildlife is illegal for a lot of good reasons. Fed animals become habituated and dependent on humans for food, and lose some of their survival skills. They also may become dangerous, many nuisance animals started as fed animals who then become demanding. Finally, the foods we may offer are usually not good for the animals. In winter, the bacteria in a moose’s rumen are tuned for digesting wood and bark. A bellyful of hay will probably not do it any good, and may even kill it. The one thing they said we could do was stomp out some trails away from the house, and towards brushy places where he might find a meal and a route to better habitat. Even if an animal becomes belligerent, it is very rare that they will be euthanized. Most commonly, Fish and Game or the troopers will haze an animal, attempting to scare it away with rubber bullets and cracker shells. The key is avoidance, in most cases if you leave a wild animal alone it will leave you alone, and if you don’t encourage abnormal behavior it will have a better chance of getting back to wild ways. Occasionally, a habituated animal which has decided to hang around humans is harvested with a Potlatch Permit, or in a special Targeted Moose Hunt. We also briefly explored the option of sending our little friend to a zoo or wildlife center, but even a relatively small moose is a big hassle for them to catch and transport, and already has enough wild habits to be unlikely to adapt to confinement. Most of the moose in captivity came in from the wild as very young calves, so they are used to humans and learn early about fences and other trappings of civilization. Heidi Hatcher, a Wildlife Biologist at Glennallen ADF&G, said they expect more winter die-off this winter than has been seen for several years. The bitter cold and abundant snow are hard on the critters, driving them closer to human habitations as they look for food, a reprieve from wading through deep snow, and a haven from predators. At this time of year the moose commonly head for lowlands and rivers, and may learn that wolves are less likely to bother them if they hang out close to humans. It’s hard to watch a wild animal suffer, but in the long run we have to let nature take its course. When the weather warmed our little friend took an interest in eating again and wandered off, so there could be a happy ending to this story. Probably we will never know, but it was a treat to get to watch him for a few days. And yes, I really, really wanted to give him a muffin. In the popular children’s book the muffin leads to demands for raspberry jam, making sock puppets, spilled paint, and many other domestic disasters. In the real world, it is still better not to give a moose a muffin. A young bull moose orphan, likely a yearling, looks very skinny as it huddles near a warm building during this winter's cold snap. Luckily, he was also docile.
Photo: Courtesy of Robin Mayo By Mikaela Dalton
WISE is excited to announce that the Outdoor and Wilderness Leadership Skills program (OWLS) will be ready for its first team of students this summer, 2018! If you are or know a teen in high school who is interested in learning to be a more competent backcountry explorer, learn leadership skills, and discover a variety of outdoor job opportunities right here in the Copper River Valley, then apply to be part of the first ever OWLS cohort of leaders! This program will happen in three stages throughout the summer and earn a .5 credit from the Copper River School District as an Elective Credit. The first part will be the four-day Introductory Expedition hiking in the Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve to enhance their backcountry capabilities and begin learning some technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills for the backcountry. We’ll go over trip planning and time management, back country nutrition, map and compass skills, leadership styles, knot tying, risk management, and so much more. Our second stage is full of Independent Learning. With the help and guidance of WISE, one option for students will be to job shadow professionals in the area to see what a day in the life would be like of a park interpreter, a land surveyor, a wildlife biologist, an environmental scientist, an adventure guide, etc. Students will also be encouraged to come on WISE community programs as assistants to learn more of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into putting on outdoor program and taking care of participants. As part of the Independent Learning section, we also want our students to practice planning an expedition on their own. Even if it is just a day hike or a short trip, they will write out the full itinerary, their food/meal plan, mileage, and all the considerations they need to make ahead of time in preparation for an expedition. These are all things they will learn on the Introductory Expedition and will use on the Final Expedition. The middle section of the program is meant to be flexible so that students can still travel with their families over the summer or have jobs. They will only do the Independent Learning options on dates that work in their schedules, and WISE will help each student plan a successful summer. Finally, the program will end with an expedition planned and lead by the students. Working together and being in communication with each other over the summer, they will plan a 3-4 day expedition, choosing the location, distance, means of transport, food, gear, and make all the necessary preparations together. If there are questions we will help, but for the most part we want them to use each other! This expedition will be their final project where we will look to see how well they utilize the technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills they learned, how well they planned for and prepared the expedition, and how they manage obstacles they encounter. We are excited for this program to create a team of teen leaders in the Copper River Valley who care for and love the place they grew up in and want to learn more about the future opportunities here and gain the skills to get a head start towards those careers. If you have questions about the program or want to apply, email Robin Mayo at robin@wise-edu.org or call the WISE office at 907-822-3575. We can’t wait to take flight! What Happens When a Glacier Meets a Volcano and Why You Don’t Need a PhD to Make Real Science2/1/2018 Copper River Record February 1, 2018 By Robin Mayo On Wednesday, January 17, 27 people gathered at the Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center for a talk by Prof. Andreas Pflitsch on his work in Cave Climatology. The first slide of his presentation showed a subway tunnel, and Prof. Pflitsch explained that he first worked in North American “caves” as a consultant for the city of New York, providing information on the airflow patterns in subway tunnels to help them plan for possible terrorist attacks. Prof. Pflitsch is a professor at Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany, Department of Geography, Climatology of Extreme Environments. He joked that he earns his money in urban caves, such as subways, and spends it in wild caves. His underground resume includes Boulder Caves on Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, barometric driven caves in South Dakota and New Mexico, and ice and glacier caves in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Mauna Loa, Hawaii. What they all have in common are unpredictable, dynamic climates which are extremely challenging to study. Prof. Pflitsch made note of the difference between ice caves, which are rock caves which contain perennial ice, and glacier caves which are in or directly under glaciers. The first place we visited was Frosty Cave, an ice cave near Kennecott Glacier. This relatively small system consists of three rooms, connected to each other and the outdoors by small passages. Data from temperature sensors showed the climate inside the cave fairly stable, mostly below freezing, with seasonal cycles that lag behind the actual seasons. But there were also curious exceptions to the patterns, leading to theories that there may be so-far undiscovered chimneys and passageways affecting the climate inside the caves. For example, a chimney opening to the outdoors may make the system active, drawing in warm air downwards in the springtime and summer, and flushing warm air up and out in the fall and winter. When Prof. Pflitsch lamented that he can visit the cave only once a year and is limited in the instruments he can deploy, an audience member raised his hand, asked for the coordinates, and offered to visit once a week with fresh batteries! Also in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the Fosse Pothole is a 150 foot deep cavern which holds many mysteries. It is not affected by cold snaps as dramatically as Frosty, and the summer temperatures are very stable. “This is Science,” exclaimed Pflitsch, “you can have a PhD but you will never know everything!” The speaker then introduced Brent MacGregor, a caver and co-leader of the Pacific Northwest group Glacier Cave Explorers. While doing research for a book on caves in Oregon, Brent heard rumors of dramatic caves under glaciers on Oregon mountains. It was challenging finding people to explore with him, because in general cavers don’t have high altitude experience, and mountaineers have learned to avoid glaciers as they are hazardous. But he did eventually find what he was looking for in Sandy Glacier on Mt. Hood, Crater Glacier on Mt. St. Helens, and Fumarole Caves in the Ice Cap on Mt. Rainier. In Sandy Glacier, MacGregor and his team explored a network of caves they named Snow Dragon, Pure Imagination, and Frozen Minotaur. At the back of Pure Imagination, they found a glacier cave which defied explanation, as the air temperature was 7C (about 45 degrees F.) They named the cave Hot Imagination. At a Cave Science Conference when many attendees were questioning the accuracy of the figure, Brent met Professor Pflitsch, who had seen enough anomalies in caves to trust the numbers, and wanted to go help find an explanation. With teams of explorers and scientists, the two have made many expeditions in the Pacific Northwest, and we were treated to spectacular photos and some great stories. It took a thermal camera to solve the mystery of Hot Imagination. They discovered multiple warm springs inside the cave, where volcano heated water mixed with glacial meltwater, significantly warming the interior of the cave. With this infusion of warmth, Sandy Glacier is receding, and the caves are quickly disappearing. At the summit of Mt. Rainier, the team explored a complex of caves around the interior rim of the crater, which were also warmed by the volcano. These caves are actually warmest in winter, when snow cover blocks the entrances, and fumaroles with temperatures up to 110F warm the air. Next, Prof. Pflitsch took us to the volcanic crater at the summit of Mt. St. Helens, where the only growing glacier in the lower 48 is located. It is a desolate landscape, with no stable ground, everything new, movement everywhere. Asked about the danger, Prof. Pflitsch noted the dangers we face every day doing things like driving cars. “The only thing that bothered me was wet socks. For the next expedition, new socks every day!” Finally, he gave a quick explanation of his work in the highway tunnel in Keystone Canyon. He first studied the cave when both ends were nearly blocked off, and it was a fascinating (and for a change, easily accessible) study in the steadiness of year-round climate of a closed system. Then the “Damalanche” of 2014 sent water blasting through the cave, and everything changed. Now open at both ends, it is a totally different system where the temperature fluctuates with the days and seasons. On the subject of climate change, he was careful to note that none of his data spans a long enough time to be meaningful for studying long-term trends. He hopes to continue to establish recording programs in caves to start to build a large data set. The entire evening was a celebration of exploration and inquiry, and Prof. Pflitsch encouraged everyone to follow their curiosity: “A scientist is someone who is doing research. You don’t need a PhD to make real science!” Prof. Andreas Pflitsch at Pu'u O'o of Kilauea, Big Island, Hawaii. Photo by Michael Killing-Heinze
Copper River Record January 25, 2018 By Robin Mayo Alaskan kids (and adults) are snowman deprived. Except for a few rare days, our snow is too cold and dry to stick together, so rolling or packing snowballs just doesn’t work. If you’d like to create something with the awesome quantities of white stuff we are now enjoying, why not make a quinzee? A quinzee (Kwin-zee) is a snow cave dug out of a mound of snow. Unlike an igloo, which requires very hard packed snow which can be cut into blocks, a quinzee can be made with almost any snow. In temperatures above 25F they don’t work as well, and run the risk of collapsing. A quick search for the origin of the word gave mixed stories, but it appears to be of Athabaskan origin, and native peoples all over the snow-covered parts of the world have used similar structures for temporary shelter. As well as snow, you will want a dozen or more slender sticks, about a foot long, to help gauge the thickness of the walls and roof. Willow shoots, thin branches, shishkabob skewers, or broomstraws work well. Shovels in a variety of sizes and large metal bowls serve well for the digging. A jacket with a hood is highly recommended to avoid snow down the back of your neck while hollowing inside. Start with a patch of un-trampled snow at least 20’ in diameter. Pile the snow in the center, to make a pile at least 5’ high, and 10’ or more in diameter. Picture the size of cave you want inside, with walls and roof at least a foot thick. Make it big enough for a couple of people to sleep in, because you will want to try it out! I’m often asked if a snow cave can be made in a pile that was made by a snowplow or loader. The answer is yes, but they can be uneven texture and hard to dig. When backcountry camping or in a survival situation, look around for a drift that is hard enough on the surface to hold together, and deep enough to allow a cave underneath. Round the top, and pack the final layer of snow by patting it with the backs of the shovels. Shove the sticks straight in evenly spaced around the roof and walls. When you dig from the inside, you will know how thick the walls are when you find the end of a stick. Now comes the magic aka SCIENCE! Let the pile set for a few hours, or overnight. The disturbed snow will “sinter,” bonding to the snow around it and hardening. Now you can dig in, carefully hollowing out the inside with shovels. Once you are fully inside, it can be awkward to dig in the confined space, so try a small avalanche shovel with telescoping handle, or a large mixing bowl. If you want to sleep in the quinzee, it’s a good idea to leave two bunks about a foot thick, with a trench in between. You can sit on the bunks with your feet in the trench, and cold air will drain out. Be sure to poke several breathing/ventilation holes. You can block the entrance with a snow block or backpack, but be sure to leave cracks for ventilation. Just from body heat, it can get warm enough to melt the inside and start dripping. For safety, don’t let anyone climb on the quinzee, especially if there is someone inside. If we are building one in a public place or with a group, I like to put up some sticks, flagging tape, and signs to remind everyone. If the weather warms above freezing, don’t go in a quinzee as there is a risk of collapse. In a stable winter in the Copper Valley you can enjoy a quinzee in your yard for months before it finally surrenders to spring. At Winter Fun Day in December, the hard work of hollowing out the Quinzee begins. You can see the ends of the sticks which will help gauge the thickness of the walls. Paul Boos Photo
Copper River Record January 18, 2018 By Robin Mayo Part of my job is keeping track of news in the world of philanthropy and nonprofits, so when headlines popped up last week about Amazon founder Jeff Bezos making a multi-million-dollar donation to a scholarship fund, I took notice. Thirty-three million is a lot of green! For this generosity, the donors are getting nationwide attention. This is definitely a major donation, and extra special thanks are in order, right? Well, sort of. It depends on how you look at it. Bezos’ net worth is somewhere around 105 BILLION dollars, so I was curious how his donation stacked up as a percentage of his total fortune. If we consider an average family with a net worth of something around fifty thousand dollars, they only need to donate $16 to their favorite charity to match the proportional generosity of the Bezos family. Although this donation will not earn them headlines, seats at the head table, or naming rights for a building, in terms of significance in the family finances, it is the same. In fact, it may be more significant, because this family is probably operating on a fairly tight budget, and will have to save that $16 somewhere else. Americans donate about one half of one percent of their net worth to charity annually, about $250 for our “average” family with a net worth of fifty thousand. Amongst the very wealthy, the amount varies wildly, with the Gates and Buffets giving over ten percent, but the Walton family, founders of Walmart, averaging only .04 percent of their net worth annually. Statistically, the lower middle class gives more generously than almost anyone. WISE Board of Directors members are asked to make a financial contribution to the organization every year, and they do so generously. We suggest a minimum amount, but also note that the donation should be at a level that is meaningful to the donor. I’d like to put forward that any charitable giving should be measured by this parameter: How meaningful is it? What could you have purchased instead? Will you notice the deficit, and have to make sacrifices to make it possible? WISE’s charitable income does not figure in the millions, but we are very proud and humbled to make about ten percent of our annual budget from individual donations. We have donors who give $500 or more a year, and others who faithfully send a $25 check. If you figure the donation as a percentage of net worth, I suspect our humblest donors may actually be the most generous. And it is not so much the amount of the donation that really matters, it is the intent behind it, the willingness to sacrifice to help others, that keeps this dream alive. Since this article is already full of numbers, here is another to think about. Since our founding in 2002, WISE has earned and spent about 1.1 million dollars. As much as possible is spent locally, on wages, fuel, and supplies. Combined with the other nonprofits in the Copper Basin, it is a significant boost to the economy. As you file for your Permanent Fund Dividend and consider Pick.Click.Give donations, I hope you will consider giving to an organization that resonates with you. Your humble donation may actually be more meaningful than someone else’s multimillion dollar gift. Photo caption: Charitable donations make priceless moments like these possible. Copper River Stewardship Program 2014.
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Who We AreWISEfriends are several writers connected with Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment, a nonprofit organization located in Alaska's Copper River Valley. Most of these articles originally appeared in our local newspaper, the Copper River Record. Archives
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