Moose Range Situation
Of Industry-Wildlife
Studied by Biologist
The present industry-wildlife
situation, on the Kenai National
Moose Range is of importance to
Alaskans and the nation, writes
Jerry Hout of College, Alaska, in
the April issue of the Alaska Con
servation Society News Bulletin.
The article is entitled “Oil and
Moose on the Kenai.”
Hout spent considerable time
in the area as a fishery biologist
and this past summer worked on
a graduate thesis problem on the
Moose Range.
“Since the discovery of oil on
the Kenai National Moose Range
in 1957, nearly half, or 788,480 of
the 1,730,000 acres in the Range,
have been made available for oil
and gas leasing,” writes Hout.
“This area constitutes the major
portion of the oil-bearing geolog
ic formation on the Range, as de
termined by the U. S. Geological
Survey.
“As a result of the discovery of
oil on the Moose Range, the Bur
eau of Sport Fisheries and Wild
life has been faced with the prob
lem of managing this land both
as a wildlife range and as an in
dustrial area.
“In 1941 this Range was estab
lished for the primary purpose of
maintaining and managing the
habitat of the Kenai moose. Addi
tional responsibilities included the
management of other forms of
animal life on the area such as
the Dali sheep, mountain goat,
black and brown bear, furbearers,
game birds, a nesting population
of the rare trumpeter swan, plus
several species of trout and some
of the largest salmon runs in the
Cook Inlet area..The salmon make
a major contribution to the total
Cook Inlet catch, which has an
annual value in excess of 3.5 mil
lion dollars.
“The regulations conceived and
presently enforced on the Kenai
National Moose Range are design
ed to give maximum protection to
the habitat and various wildlife
forms, and at the present time, do
not hamper industrial develop
ment. The oil industry has ex
pressed satisfaction with these
regulations (State Chamber of
Commerce meeting, Ketchikan,
October 1961).
“The regulations require any
permittee, prior to approval of a
permit, to furnish a $50,000 bond
to the U. S. Government to insure
faithful performance of require
ments set forth in the permit.
The permittees are held liable for
all damages in excess of this bond.
The use of explosives is prohib
ited in fish spawning- or rearing
areas, bird nesting areas, lamb
ing areas and areas of wildlife
concentration or during periods of
intense wildlife activity.
“All seismic work is restricted
to a period from Dec. 1 to March
31, unless the ground is sufficient
ly frozen prior to or after these
dates to support vehicles without
leaving lasting tracks. The clean
up of seismic lines and the filling
of drill holes has to proceed as the
line is run. The seismic trail is re
stricted to a maximum width of
15 feet. In building these trails, no
removal of top soil or unneces
sary removal of birch, willow
or other browse plants is permit
ted. Seismic trails when com
pleted are to be blocked and post
ed closed to motorized vehicles
to allow for revegetation and re
turn to a natural state.
“Access roads are open to pub
lic use except at such times as it
would work a hardship on the
road, as during breakup, or when
the road is heavily used by indus
try.
“Reclaiming of abandoned sites
is being accomplished by having
the permittee fertilize and plant
Area Group Goes
On Local Tour
SOLDOTNA,— A group of area
residents drove to Portgage last
Monday, left their cars in the
parking area near the Alaska
Railroad station and took the
train through the mountains and
several tunnels to the former
Army-occupied seaport of Whit
tier.
Included in the party visiting
this scenic spot were Jack Farns
worth and three children; E. A.
Gellhaus; Mike Clegg and a visit
ing friend; Mrs. Ted Grainge and
four children, all of Soldotna, and
Mrs. Grainge’s mother, Mrs. Mary
Arnoss of near Washington, D.C.,
who is spending the summer in
Alaska, also Mrs. John Hulien and
three children, of Kenai.
The Portage to Whittier trip is
gaining in popularity as an inex
pensive and easily reached at
the area to various grass species.
In addition, a program is now un
derway to fertilize and plant birch
along some of the access roads.
“Since the beginning of oil de
velopment on the Kenai National
Moose Range, an ever-increasing
amount of time has been spent by
the Moose Range staff in seeing
that the regulations have been ob
served. For the most part, these
regulations have been complied
with.
“However, it cannot be over
looked that the presence of man
and his machines has increased
the threat of such adverse effects
as burning, scarring and denuding
the Range, pollution and siltation
of streams and the overall distur
bance to wildlife,” according to
the biologist.
“I feel,” concludes Hout, “that
this area has as its greatest po
tential its recreational and sal
mon producing aspects. Even with
the present controls and strict en
forcement, it is questionable if,
in the long run, the risk of en
dangering this unique wildlife
area is worth the economic gains
to be realized in the near future.”
NOW IN NEBRASKA
COROE — Phyllis Hines re
cently flew out to spend the sum
mer with relatives at Oxford,
Neb.
Alaska, with 12,030 recreation
boats, reported 54 boating acci
dents in 1962, the Coast Guard
showed in a recent summary.
These involved 56 boats, 25
deaths, three non-fatal injuries
and $100,400 in property damage.
traction for both Alaskans and
tourists. It is included on the
regular schedule of the railroad
three days each week with the
train leaving Portage at 11 a.m.
and returning to Portage at 4:30
p.m.
I
LOTS SOLD
Back in October, at a meeting
of the Kasilof Boosters Club,
Wayne Fellers gave a report on
his visit to the Land Office in
Anchorage in behalf of the Ka
silof Townsite lot sale.
Efforts were not too encourag
ing at that time but due to th©
diligent workers on this proposed
issue, the dream finally became a
reality and all the lots have been
sold.
Other encouraging develop
ments in this area is the Kasilof
Subdivision along the Kalifonsky
Beach Road. The groundwork for
this project is being laid at tho
present time.
Classifieds r.re news.
1
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