Posts Tagged With: University of Alaska

Creamer’s Field Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks AK

Fairbanks, Alaska Friday August 23

We must be getting old. A full day of travel has us tired out by dinner time. The day was good, we enjoyed it quite a bit, we are just bushed. Maybe we got out of travel shape and will find our bounce during the next few days.

Sandhill Cranes at Creamer’s Field Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks AK

The day began at the state-owned Creamer’s Field Wildlife Refuge. Just two miles from downtown Fairbanks, the refuge is the site of a former dairy farm which always had hosted migratory birds even when it was an operating dairy. When it closed up shop in the 1960s, the community stepped in, bought the property, and converted it into the refuge. This weekend, the predominant birds were Sandhill Cranes and Canada Geese. Both were resting and feeding in preparation for continuing their journey southward. We walked around the property, enjoying the walking, the observing, and the listening. A very nice way to start off our day. (We also met and talked to a woman who had been born in International Falls MN.)

Blooming flowers at the Botanical Gardens of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks

Down the road a mile or two sits the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. The Museum of the North is located on the campus and it was our primary destination. A minor sidelight had appeared in our planning, the Botanical Garden run by the University. The Garden seemed worth a look-see, being just a few minutes from the Museum. What a pleasant surprise! Although not large in acreage, flowers were blooming delightfully.

dahlias at the Botanical Garden, University of Alaska

Several types of research were highlighted. For instance, Alaska is in a unique position for growing peonies. Alaskan peonies bloom in late summer, after all others around the world. They grow fast and large. The climate discourages insects and moose don’t like the taste. The U of A has worked with growers throughout the state and peonies are now an export market for Alaska.

Museum of the North

Finally it was time for our primary target for the day. The Museum of the North is housed in a dramatic building with a focus on Alaskan art and anthropology. The first floor galleries have a primary exhibit area that highlights each region of the state. In each region, history, culture and natural history are combined. We found it fascinating, informative, and overwhelming. On display were a Woolly Mammoth tusk and skull we can discuss when we are back at the Bell Museum.

I found the section about the Japanese invasion and conquest of two Alaskan islands in the Aleutians fascinating. The military build-up in Alaska can be traced partially to this successful Japanese invasion and follow-up re-taking by the U.S. Even less known is the impact on the islanders who lived in the Aleutians. Towns were bombed; villages on many islands evacuated with some villages permanently barred from being re-settled after the war; homes were looted by soldiers from both sides and from civilians; and no effort made by the U.S. to re-establish the communities. We did vastly more for Western Europe than we did our own citizens.

Behind the scenes at Museum of the North, University of Alaska Fairbanks

To break up the experience, we took in a 30 minute video presentation about the aurora borealis. If we are not likely to see it, we might as well learn a little more about the phenomena. After the video we took an hour long tour that showed us the inner workings of the museum. The guide, from the mammal department, started with the freezers used to kill any pests that might be on any incoming specimens. The new specimens go in the deep freeze, 40 degrees below zero for three days.

The Museum and University have over 1,000,000 specimens and we passed row upon row of rolling file cabinets that house items in boxes, on shelves, and in locked cabinets. Chris got to hold a grizzly skull. We watched a person preparing a bird specimen for storage and two people working on digitizing records of insects. Several people discussed their work and answered our questions patiently. It was time well spent and very informative.

Arctic Research Institute

After the tour, we hustled over to the Arctic research center to look at some displays about climate change. This University plays a pivotal role in research about climate change, given its location and faculty expertise. It even has its own rocket range for sending up rockets for weather observation. You may have read about the massive budget cuts proposed by the Governor of Alaska which would decimate the research efforts. Hopefully that won’t happen. If faculty are cut, the research knowledge and expertise may take a long time to get re-established, if ever.

We returned to the Museum and visited the rest of the galleries. A complete visit would take longer or several visits but we spent the day at the Museum and left knowledgeable and hungering for more. The Museum of the North comes highly recommended by us.

Chris and Ed safely getting close to bears

Ed and Chris. Fairbanks AK. August 24 6 AM