Forest Service offers educational programs on wildlife and the environment

Photo Courtesy of US Forest Service US Forest Service Interpreter explains the mobile natural history display.

By Carolyn Seramur
Special to the Turnagain Times

The Seward Ranger District of the Chugach National Forest has education and interpretation programs. Two interpretive rangers work with the Vantastic Program providing mobile environmental education/interpretation displays, event visits, and Saturday evening campfire programs.
Programs provide valuable wildlife viewing and interpretation to thousands of Kenai Peninsula residents, travelers and visitors. Mid-day Thursday through Monday, the Vantastic Interpreters are located at areas like Tern Lake (at intersection of Seward/Sterling Highways) and the Sheep Viewing pull-off in Cooper Landing (at Milepost 45.6 Sterling Highway).
Many people want to see wild animals of Alaska up close. Interpreters assist them with their spotting scopes, tactics of wildlife viewing success, and display of skulls, hides, antlers and horns. Tern Lake is known as an excellent wildlife-viewing destination. Some animals have shown themselves already this summer, including swans, loons, terns, mountain goats, moose, black bear, bald eagles, magpie and swallows. Other unique sightings include green winged teal, golden eagle, muskrats, trumpeter swan, and a loon chick hatched about June 18. Viewing wildlife is all about timing, location and luck.
The Vantastic Program will be at the Hope Wagon Wheel Run during the third weekend of July, with wildlife education displays. Near the end of August, we’ll provide youth education programs during Chugach Days.
Evening campfire programs will take place throughout the summer on Saturdays from 7:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., alternating between Trail River and Quartz Creek Campgrounds. Programs will continue through Aug. 9. The next campfire program will be July 5 at Quartz Creek Campground and will focus on Little Invertebrate Flyers. After that, July 12 is Lichenology, July 19 is Outdoor Fun for the Long Haul, July 26 is Hooting Silent Flyers, Aug. 2 is Get to know Brown and Black, and Aug. 9 is Little Invertebrate Flyers once more.
Campfire programs are at Quartz Creek on the first and third Saturdays of each month and Trail River on the second and fourth. Quartz Creek Campground is off the Sterling Highway at Milepost 44.9, near Sunrise in Cooper Landing. Participants should meet at the interpretive pavilion. Trail River Campground is off the Seward Highway at Milepost 24.2 south of Moose Pass. Participants there should meet at the alternate campground host site on the way to the day use area.
If any of these programs or events interests you, please feel free to stop by and track us down. We’re here to help provide environmental education and interpretation for all to enjoy their national forest. For more information on any or all of these programs, please contact Carolyn or Ben at (907) 288-7717 or the District Office in Seward at (907) 224-3374.

Carolyn Seramur works for the Forest Service and this summer is stationed in Moose Pass, working for the Seward Ranger District