Compiled Weekly by Peg Tileston

**Mark new items in this issue.

February 8, 2012

Compiled Weekly by Peg Tileston

On behalf of the Alaska Women’s Environmental Network (AWEN), Alaska

Center for the Environment (ACE), and Alaska Conservation Alliance (ACA)

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, TRAINING

The PALMER MUSEUM is excited to share a great lineup of workshops for the community, scheduled to take place in the coming months. The first series is:

February 11 - BASKET WEAVING - TWINED (using techniques of Tlingit,

Haida and Aleut weavers) from 3 to 4:30pm with DORRIE DEAN. Cost $25

members, $30 non-members, materials $15.

February 18 - BASKET WEAVING - COILED (using Yupik techniques) from 3

to 4:30pm with DORRIE DEAN, Cost $25 members, $30 non-members, materials

$15.

February 25 - BASKET WEAVING - PINE NEEDLE (using techniques of traditional southeastern weavers) from 3 to 4:30pm with DORRIE DEAN. Cost $30 members, $35 non-members. Materials: 20. DORRIE DEAN is a cultural anthropologist and long time weaving instructor in basket weaving from various cultures. Each class will provide the student with the necessary materials and basic techniques to complete one basket. Sign up for just one or all three! Ages 13+. Materials will be purchased directly from instructor at the beginning of the class. Space is limited and registration is on a first come, first serve basis so don’t wait. For more information and to download a registration form, visit our website at:

February 13 & 14

JUNEAU - 2012 ALASKA YOUNG FISHERMEN'S SUMMIT: WEAVING A NETWORK OF FUTURE FISHING LEADERS will be held at St. Ann's Parish Hall. In addition to providing crucial training and networking opportunities for fishermen entering the business or wishing to take a leadership role in their industry, we will also take advantage of the Juneau location by introducing participants to the legislative process, and introducing the fish caucus of the legislature to the issues and concerns of Alaska’s emerging fishermen. The conference will address four main topics: The nuts and bolts of managing the financial aspects of a successful fishing business, Methods for participating in the fisheries regulatory and Alaska legislative processes, The role of Alaskan seafood in the world marketplace, and The science and management of our sustainable fisheries. Limited travel scholarships are available. Complete the application form and send to by 5:00 pm on January 20. Contact Sunny Rice at 907-772-3381 with questions. Summit information. Agenda is available at For registration, go to For more information, contact Sunny Rice at or 907-772-3381 or Torie Baker at or 907-424-7542.

February 15 (RESCHEDULED from January 11)

The INSTITUTE of the NORTH ARCTIC POLICY FORUM will be held from 5 to 7pm in the Voth Hall, Performing Arts Center featuring a compelling panel DISCUSSION of the HISTORY, CURRENT ISSUES, and FUTURE PLANS of NORAD (NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND) in ALASKA. followed by a Q&A from the floor. Join us on Wednesday, January 11 when, from 5:00 to 7:00pm, the APF will host panel presentations and discussion, followed by Q&A from the floor. Immediately afterward guests will be invited to a reception, from 7:00 to 8:00pm, where they will have the opportunity to connect with one another and with the featured speakers in an informal setting. Moderated by Consul PETER TAYLOR (Canada), the program will feature: JOSEPH JOCKEL, author of No Boundaries Upstairs: Canada, the US, and the Origins of the North American Air Defence, 1945-1958 (tentative); COLONEL DANIEL CONSTABLE, Deputy Commander Alaska Region NORAD HQ (confirmed); TREY FULLER, JBER (invited); and CAPTAIN JOEL JUNGEMANN, U.S. Navy, (invited). Cost: $20. To register, go to

February 17 & 18

SOLDOTNA - FIRE IN ALASKA! course will be held at Skyview High School. The exciting, interdisciplinary Fire in Alaska K-12 curriculum is designed to engage and inspire students to learn about all aspects of fire, including fire ecology, fire behavior, and how to live safely in the wildland-urban interface. This intensive workshop includes content, lesson modeling, interactive activities and laboratory simulations. Participants gain their own copies of the curriculum, which is being used all over Alaska. Fire in Alaska workshops are sponsored by the Alaska Division of Forestry and are available for continuing education credit through Kenai Peninsula College Cost is $20 for materials, plus a credit fee of $94. To sign up please contact Lilly Goodman-Allwright at .

February 21 - 23

HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN for ANCHORAGE’S FOUR ORIGINAL NEIGHBORHOODS PUBLIC WORKSHOPS and MEETINGS. will be held on the following dates and locations:

February 21 - DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COUNCIL AREA PUBLIC WORKSHOP

(Businesses and Residents) from 4:30 to 6pm in the Anchorage City Hall,

Room 155, Free parking is available behind City Hall.

February 21 - SOUTH ADDITION COMMUNITY COUNCIL AREA PUBLIC WORKSHOP from 6:30 to 8pm in the Denali Elementary School, Multi-Purpose Room, 952 Cordova Street. Free parking is available in the school parking lot.

February 22 - NATIVE CULTURAL OUTREACH MEETING from 1 to 3:30pm.at the

Alaska Native Heritage Center, Athabascan Ceremonial House, 8800 Heritage Drive. Please call 907.330.8000 for information or directions. Free parking is available in the Alaska Native Heritage Center parking lot.

February 22 - GOVERNMENT HILL COMMUNITY COUNCIL AREA PUBLIC WORKSHOP from 6:30 to 8pm at the Government Hill Elementary School, 525 Bluff Drive. Free parking is available in the school parking lot.

February 23 -HPP TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING f rom 4:30 to 6pm

in the Fairview Community Recreation Center Meeting Room, 1121 East 10th Avenue. Free parking is available in the Center parking lot.

February 23 - FAIRVIEW COMMUNITY COUNCIL AREA PUBLIC WORKSHOP from 6:30 to 8 pm in the Fairview Community Recreation Center, Multi-Purpose Room, 1121 East 10th Avenue. Free parking is available in the Recreation

Center parking lot.

You are invited to attend workshops and meetings to review and provide new comments on the draft goals and opportunities developed from over 750 comments received from neighborhoods, Native Cultural groups, agencies and interested parties during public meetings held in October 2011, for the Historic Preservation Plan for Anchorage’s four original neighborhoods (HPP). ALL WORKSHOPS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! For more information, contact: Kristine Bunnell, HPP Project Manager, at 907.343.7993 or .

February 23 -26

PALMER - PLANTING BUSINESS SUCCESS: 2012 BUSINESS PLANNING CONFERENCE will be held at the Palmer Train Depot. The conference will give you tools for farming in Alaska , whether you are just starting your farming venture or looking to retire. This conference will cover, step-by-step: • Developing goals, • Business planning for profit, • Putting the plan on paper, • Transfer planning, • Effective decision making, • Retirement planning, • Succession Planning, and • Estate Planning. COST- $35.00 per attendee. After the conference, Alaska Farmland Trust will continue to follow up with you and continue the development of your business or succession plan. This conference is limited to 70 participants, so register early! Contact project director John Collins at 907-745-3336 or 907-715-7497 for more information. or mail registration information to 248 E Dahlia Ave, Palmer, AK 99654.

February 27 & 28

HOMER - PLANNING FOR MEANINGFUL EVALUATION will be held from 9am to 5pm at the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Want to increase your program or project accountability and impact? This 2-day Coastal Services Center class will actively engage participants in creating a comprehensive evaluation plan. This is a follow-up class to ‘Program Design & Evaluation’, however, those who have created & used logic models are also encouraged to participate in this class. For more information or to reserve your seat, contact Megan Murphy at or 907-226-4659. RSVP by February 13 to reserve your seat.

February 29 & March 1

HOMER - FACILITATION & COLLABORATION TRAINING will be held from 9am to 5pm at the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Want to increase your ability to design and conduct public forum meetings in a manner that ensures a cooperative & participatory outcome? This 2-day Coastal Services Center class will increase participants’ ability to design, conduct, and control public or targeted meetings. Participants will learn techniques to reduce conflict, enhance cooperation, and achieve meeting objectives in a timely manner. For more information or to reserve your seat, contact Megan Murphy at or 907- 226-4659). RSVP by February 13 to reserve your seat.

March 5-7

JUNEAU - AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION - ALASKA CHAPTER ANNUAL CONFERENCE with the theme ALASKA’S WATERS: CHALLENGES and OPPORTUNITIES. Deadline for abstract submission is Feb. 1. Abstract submissions that cover topics of Alaska's water resource policy, research, and management related to: Energy and drinking water, Fish and wildlife habitats, Infrastructure, Basic hydrologic understanding,.Other studies pertinent to Alaska's water resources are welcome. For more information, contact or go to

March 8

HOMER - COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP: MAKING YOUR SCIENCE MATTER will be held from 1 to 5pm at the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center Auditorium will be led by NANCY BARON, author of “Escape from the Ivory Tower: A Guide to Making Your Science Matter”, is designed to help you become a more effective and comfortable communicator. Local news reporters and LA Times writer, Ken Weiss, will provide their perspectives on how you can be more clear and concise when talking to the press, public, and policymakers. The Message Box – a simple yet powerful tool for identifying and streamlining your message – will be presented and put to work during this 4-hr workshop. For more information or to reserve your seat, contact Megan Murphy ( or 226-4659). RSVP by March 1st to reserve your seat. This workshop is part of the 2012 Kachemak Bay Community Science Conference and will be followed by an evening Nancy Baron presentation, “Agents of Change: True Tales from Those Who Dared”

March 8 - 10

HOMER -KACHEMAK BAY COMMUNITY SCIENCE CONFERENCE will be held at the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. The conference will provide an opportunity for researchers to present their findings to each other and to the Kachemak Bay communities who depend upon the diversity of the region’s resources. There are TWO WORKSHOPS in conjunction with the conference that focus on enhancing science communication within our communities. The MARCH 8 WORKSHOP, instructed by NANCY BARON (COMPASS), targets scientists, media outlets, and decision-makers and the MARCH 9 workshop, instructed by MARILYN SIGMAN (COSEE), targets scientists and teachers. Conference Sessions include: Observing the Kachemak Bay Ecosystem (results of long-term monitoring programs, recent directed research, and/or inter-related dynamics of the bay ecology and Kachemak Bay communities), Managing the Kachemak Bay Ecosystem (evidence of trends (and/or the various magnitudes of change within the system) and policy transitions by agencies in the region), and Sustaining the Kachemak Bay Ecosystem (social implications to environmental change are invited and research related to the social-ecological system dynamics of climate science, coastal and watershed issues, and public health). For more information, contact or call 907) 235-6667 or Fax (907) 235-6668.

**March 9 & 10

ALASKA BOTANICAL GARDEN'S ANNUAL MEETING & SPRING GARDEN CONFERENCE theme is EXTEND THE SEASON, EXPAND YOUR MIND. Keynote speaker is organic gardening and season extension expert ELIOT COLEMAN, along with another fantastic array of Alaskan gardening and botany experts, including VERNA PRATT, TIM MEYERS, JULIE RILEY, MARILYN BARKER, MEL MONSEN, and more. Many of the sessions will focus on growing vegetables, fruit, herbs, and successful food production. Registration rates and particulars are posted on our website: (there are discounts for early registration rates before 3/1). Besides online registration, folks can register via phone (907-770-3691) or fax (907-770-0555), or scanned & emailed to .

**March 10 & 11

ANCHORAGE - DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA TRAINING will be held at the IBEW Hall, 3333 Denali Street. Campaign experts from across the country will get you ready for the upcoming election cycle when elected officials and great new candidates need your support. This training will be great for candidates, campaign managers, and volunteers. To get more information and to for more information and to register go to

**May 17 - 20

KENAI - RAFTING TRIP REGISTRATION OPEN! The KENAI BIRDING FESTIVAL is full of activities designed for birders of all levels, including young and beginning birders. In addition to local birding experts, BILLTHOMPSON, III, world renowned birder, author and Bird Watcher's Digest Editor, will provide workshops and outings as well as rafting trips, films, art shows and more. This 3-day event showcases the beautiful state parks, fantastic wildlife refuge and pristine beaches that draw thousands of birds to the Kenai Peninsula each year. Free and fee activities. For more information including a detailed schedule, visit

WEBINARS, WEBCASTS & TELECONFERENCES

February 10 (TWEETER CHAT)

BLM-Alaska to hold Twitter #tweetchat on 2012 Iditarod to discuss the 2012 Iditarod National Historic Trail and its centennial. Musher DAN SEAVEY and BLM Iditarod National Historic Trail Coordinator KEVIN KEELER,BLM Alaska, will host the #tweetchat from 9 to 11am Alaska Time. Tag with #iditarodnht2012. The 2012 Iditarod marks the 40th running of Iditarod on the centennial trail. The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance is sponsoring a “Centennial Musher,” Dan Seavey, to highlight the history of the trail, the importance of the communities along the trail throughout the trail’s history, and the importance of stewardship. Dan Seavey has been a steward of the Iditarod Trail for many decades. Dan mushed in the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1973, started the Seward Iditarod Trail Blazers over 35 years ago, was a member of the Department of Interior’s Iditarod Trail Advisory Committee, a board member of the Iditarod Trail Committee, Inc., and a board member and past president of the Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance. Kevin Keeler is BLM’s “trail-ologist” for the National Historic Trail. During the #tweetchat, Seavey and Keeler will answer questions about the Iditarod Trail and dog mushing on BLM-Alaska land. Members of the public are invited to follow the #tweetchat on with the hashtag #iditarodnht2012. Questions can be submitted to the BLM in advance by email at or via direct message on Twitter.com/BLMAlaska.Tolearn more about the Iditarod and dog mushing, go to

February 13 (WEBINAR)

ALASKA AND THE NATIONAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT: THE ALASKA TECHNICAL REPORT will be held from 10-11am with CARL MARKON, US Geological Survey; and SARAH TRAINOR, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy. The National Climate Assessment (NCA) provides a current report of climate change impacts and vulnerability, evaluates the effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation activities, identifies knowledge gaps, and helps the federal government prioritize climate science investments. It provides the science that can be used by communities around our Nation to create a more sustainable and environmentally-sound plan for our future. Alaska will contribute one of eight Regional Assessment to be included in the 2013 NCA. The purpose of the presentation is to present a draft of the 2013 Alaska Technical Report, and seek public feedback. To hear the audio presentation during a webinar: 1) With a regular telephone dial: 1- 877-594-8353; 2) When prompted, enter the Participant passcode: 83847342. Please mute your phone during the presentation and don’t put them on hold. To view the presentation during a webinar: 1) Point your web browser to: 2) Enter Participant Code 83847342. 3) Enter the rest of the requested information (The name and organization you enter will be seen by other participants, but your contact information will remain confidential), 4) Click the blue "log-in" button.

February 15 (TELECONFERENCE SEMINAR)

COAL'S ASSAULT ON HUMAN HEALTH will be held from 9 to 10am as part of the Alaska Collaborative on Health and the Environment teleconference seminar series. At every stage – from mining, transportation, storage, combustion, and disposal of post-combustion wastes – coal development threatens human health. Pollutants from coal damage all major organ systems in the human body. Coal combustion releases mercury, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health. Guest Presenter ALAN H. LOCKWOOD, MD will discuss the growing body of medical evidence linking coal development to human health risks. Dr. Lockwood is principal author of the Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) report "Coal's Assault on Human Health" which takes a new look at the devastating impacts of coal on the human body. For more information, or to join this FREE call and receive the dial-up instructions, please RSVP to ACAT at or call (907) 222-7714.

**February 23 (TELECONFERENCE)

SPECIAL DENALI SUBSISTENCE MEETING will be held at 1pm by the Denali National Park Subsistence Resource Commission (SRC) to develop SRC comments on the Environmental Assessment (EA) on SUBSISTENCE COLLECTIONS AND USES OF SHED OR DISCARDED ANIMAL PARTS and PLANTS from NPS AREAS IN ALASKA. This document evaluates alternatives for managing subsistence collecting of shed or discarded animal parts and plants to make handicrafts for personal or family uses, for barter, or to sell. The meeting is open to the public and opportunities for public testimony will be provided. Teleconferencing into the meeting can be arranged by calling the National Park Service (NPS) at 907-683-9544 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Written comments may also be submitted to Amy Craver by February 22 for presentation at the meeting. The EA is posted at For more information, contact Amy Craver, Cultural Resources and Subsistence Manager, at 907-683-9544 or email .