Press Contacts: Bobbie Jo Skibo, USDA Forest Service
Russian River Interagency Coordinator
907-362-1527, 907-288-7739
Jan Caulfield Project Facilitator
907-523-4610
Russian-Kenai River Collaborative Process Kicks Off in April
Public forums scheduled for Anchorage, Cooper Landing, Soldotna, and Wasilla
Cooper Landing, Alaska—Beginning April 18, the US Forest Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service, in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and other members of the Russian River Interagency Coordination Group (including the Alaska Division of State Parks, the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, and Cook Inlet Region, Inc.) will host a four-day series of public forums to gain information to help develop a more effective action plan for reducing human-bear conflicts in the Kenai-Russian River.
“Past management actions have focused on how anglers handle harvested fish and fish carcasses; proper storage of human food and beverages; area and night-time closures; and public education about ways to avoid attracting bears to areas used by humans,” said Ranger Travis Moseley, Seward District, Chugach National Forest. “During the forums, we look forward to hearing from the public about how past management actions and strategies have worked and how we can improve upon them.”
The Kenai-Russian River area is an intensively used fishing and recreation area, valued by anglers, federally qualified subsistence users, and other visitors for its easy access. High human use between the months of May and September – coupled with abundant fishery resources – has led to periodic conflicts between people and bears who visit the area. In some cases, encounters have resulted in personal injury to visitors and the subsequent death of bears.
In July 2003, an angler was seriously mauled along the Russian River, and in July 2006, a bear injured a camper in the Russian River Campground. Eight bears were killed in defense of life or property in 2008, up from a previous high of four bears in 2003. While there were no bears killed in 2007, 2009 and 2010, it is clear that effective management of human-bear encounters is essential to both public safety and to avoid bear mortality.
“Each year, the agencies that manage the Kenai-Russian River area work with the public to reduce the potential for human-bear conflicts. The goal is to minimize the potential for human injury and to avoid having to kill bears to protect public safety,” said Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Manager Andy Loranger.
Public Forum Schedule and Locations – April 18-21, 2011
Please come to a public forum to share and discuss your experience, thoughts and ideas on how to reduce conflicts between humans and bears in the Russian and Kenai River high use area. To learn more please go to: https://projects.ecr.gov/kenai-russianriver/ . The website will be updated regularly with project benchmarks and further information.
Cooper Landing Monday, April 18, 6-9p.m.
Cooper Landing Community Center, Bean Creek Road
Soldotna Tuesday, April 19, 6-9 p.m.
Gilman River Center, 514 Funny River Road
Wasilla Wednesday, April 20, 6-9 p.m.
Station 61, Central Mat-Su Public Safety Building
101 W. Swanson Avenue, Training Room 1
Anchorage Thursday, April 21, 6-9 p.m.
University of Alaska Anchorage, The Commons
3700 Sharon Gagnon Lane, Room 106
Jan Caulfield is facilitating the collaborative process (see www.jancaulfield.com), assisted by the Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (www.ecr.gov).
Attachment:
KenaiRussian2011PublicMeetingsNR.docx
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