Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan

              Selawik National Wildlife Refuge
Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
June 2011
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mission Statement
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working
with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife,
plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the
American people.
Refuge System Mission Statement
The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to
administer a national network of lands and waters for
the conservation, management, and, where appropriate,
restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their
habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and
future generations of Americans.
—National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
The comprehensive conservation plan details program
planning levels that are substantially greater than current
budget allocations and, as such, is for strategic planning and
program prioritization purposes only. This plan does not
constitute a commitment for staffing increases or funding for
future refuge-specific land acquisitions, construction projects,
or operational and maintenance increases.
On the Cover: Selawik Science-Culture Camp, 2004
Photo from the image library of the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge
United States Department of the Interior
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
National Wildlife Refuge System, Region 7
Division of Conservation Planning and Policy
1011 East Tudor Road, MS 231
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
(907) 786-3357
June 2011
Dear Reader:
This is the Final Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (comprehensive plan) for the
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge. It will guide management of the refuge until 2026. This
comprehensive plan provides a vision, goals, and objectives for management of the refuge.
It addresses the issues raised during public scoping and comments received during public
review of the draft plan. Based on comments received, we revised and adopted Alternative
B (the Preferred Alternative) that we developed in the draft plan.
A summary of the public review, comments on the draft, and our responses are included in
this document in Appendix K. The environmental assessment and draft plan are on file at
our offices in Kotzebue and Anchorage.
Draft compatibility determinations for Selawik refuge were included in the public review
process as part of the draft plan. Our responses to public comments on the draft
compatibility determinations are in Appendix K, and the final signed compatibility
determinations are in Appendix D.
You may obtain a copy of this comprehensive plan, a summary, or a compact disk
containing both at the offices listed below. You may also view the comprehensive plan
online at http://alaska.fws.gov/nwr/planning/plans.htm.
Requests for copies, CD-ROM, or further
information should be directed to:
Requests for further information about
Selawik refuge should be directed to:
Dr. Jeffrey Brooks, Planning Team Leader
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1011 E. Tudor Road, MS-231
Anchorage, AK 99503
907-786-3357
selawik_planning@fws.gov
Lee Anne Ayres, Refuge Manager
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge
P.O. Box 270
Kotzebue, AK 99752
907-442-3799
selawik@fws.gov
http://selawik.fws.gov/
We thank everyone who participated in this revision. Your
comments and contributions helped us create a better
comprehensive plan!
Selawik
The Significance of a Place Name
A Selawik youngster displays a sheefish caught while jigging through
the ice in April on Selawik Lake.
Siilvik is the Iñupiaq name for the village of Selawik, meaning “place of sheefish,” an apt
description for a community situated on a river with one of only two sheefish spawning areas in
the region. Early explorers recorded this name as “Chilivik,” “Sal-a-wik,” and other variations,
applying the term to the river and lake as well as the local settlements. The Iñupiat in the area
call themselves Siilviŋmiut. Until the mid-1800s, the Selawik River was occupied by two
separate but closely allied nations of Siilviŋmiut: the Kiitaaġmiut (“people down below”) in the
western or lower portion of the river and the Siilviim Kaŋianiġmiut (“Selawik headwaters
people”) in the eastern or upriver portion. Sheefish, an important and highly prized subsistence
food, is available nearly year-round in the Selawik area.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the numerous people who helped with this document but were not
listed in Appendix G as official preparers. Many were involved in editing specific sections
or reading and commenting on the entire plan.
We acknowledge Christina Westlake, Barbara Atoruk, and Hannah Loon for their work
with the Iñupiaq language translations that appear in the first chapter. Drs. Kenji
Yoshikawa and Ben Crosby contributed substantially to the discussion of permafrost
found in the fourth chapter. Brittany Sweeney took the lead in designing and editing the
summary of the comprehensive plan.
We thank the Native Villages of Selawik, Noorvik, Buckland, Kiana, Ambler, Shungnak,
Kobuk, and Kotzebue for taking the time to participate in this planning process. We are
grateful to the many individuals who welcomed us into their communities and their homes,
sharing their food, knowledge, and ideas.
The authors of the plan wish to thank the members of the public, agencies, non-governmental
organizations, and local and State governments who attended scoping
meetings or provided comments on drafts of this comprehensive plan. This plan would not
be the same without your insightful perspectives.
Dedication
This plan is dedicated to those who call the Selawik refuge home. Their generosity of time
and spirit, deep connections to the land, and willingness to share knowledge and
experience greatly improved this document and will continue to inspire those responsible
for its implementation.
Table of Contents
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan viii
Table of Contents
Mission Statements ..................................................................................................................................................... i
Title Page .................................................................................................................................................................... ii
Dear Reader ............................................................................................................................................................... iv
Selawik: Significance of a Place Name ..................................................................................................................... vi
Acknowledgements and Dedication ......................................................................................................................... vii
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................................... viii
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1-1
1.1 Purpose and Need for Action ............................................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Planning Context .................................................................................................................................. 1-2
1.2.1 The United States Fish and Wildlife Service ................................................................................ 1-2
1.2.2 The National Wildlife Refuge System ........................................................................................... 1-2
1.3 Legal and Policy Guidance and State Coordination ........................................................................... 1-3
1.3.1 Legal Guidance ................................................................................................................................ 1-4
1.3.2 Policy Guidance ............................................................................................................................... 1-4
1.3.3 Coordination with the State of Alaska ........................................................................................... 1-5
1.4 Refuge Purposes, Vision, and Goals..................................................................................................... 1-5
1.4.1 Refuge Purposes .............................................................................................................................. 1-5
1.4.2 Refuge Vision ................................................................................................................................... 1-6
1.4.3 Refuge Vision Statement in English .............................................................................................. 1-6
1.4.4 Refuge Vision Statement in Iñupiaq .............................................................................................. 1-9
1.4.5 Refuge Goals .................................................................................................................................... 1-9
1.4.6 Goal Statements in English ............................................................................................................. 1-9
1.4.7 Goal Statements in Iñupiaq ........................................................................................................... 1-10
1.5 Refuge Overview ................................................................................................................................. 1-11
1.5.1 Refuge Establishment ................................................................................................................... 1-11
1.5.2 Physical Environment ................................................................................................................... 1-11
1.5.3 Biological Resources ...................................................................................................................... 1-12
1.5.4 Human Presence and Activities .................................................................................................... 1-13
1.6 Special Values ...................................................................................................................................... 1-14
1.6.1 Western Arctic Caribou Herd ....................................................................................................... 1-14
1.6.2 Wetlands and Waterfowl ............................................................................................................... 1-14
1.6.3 Whitefish Spawning ....................................................................................................................... 1-14
1.6.4 Natural Processes .......................................................................................................................... 1-14
1.6.5 Subsistence Way of Life ................................................................................................................ 1-15
1.6.6 Wilderness Values and Designation ............................................................................................. 1-15
1.6.7 Wild River Designation ................................................................................................................. 1-15
1.6.8 Hot Springs .................................................................................................................................... 1-15
1.6.9 Cultural and Historic Resources .................................................................................................. 1-16
1.6.10 Dog Sledding Competition ............................................................................................................ 1-16
1.7 Planning Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 1-16
1.8 The Planning Process .......................................................................................................................... 1-17
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ix Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
1.8.1 Design the Process ......................................................................................................................... 1-18
1.8.2 Initiate Public Involvement and Scoping ..................................................................................... 1-18
1.8.3 Determine Planning Issues ........................................................................................................... 1-20
1.8.4 Develop and Analyze Alternatives ............................................................................................... 1-20
1.8.5 Prepare Draft Plan and Environmental Assessment ................................................................. 1-20
1.8.6 Prepare and Adopt a Final Plan ................................................................................................... 1-20
1.8.7 Implement Plan, Monitor, and Evaluate ..................................................................................... 1-20
1.8.8 Review and Revise the Plan .......................................................................................................... 1-21
1.9 Planning Issues ................................................................................................................................... 1-21
1.9.1 How will the refuge protect fish, wildlife, habitat, subsistence, and the wild character of the
refuge while addressing community needs? ................................................................................ 1-21
1.9.2 How will the refuge address long-term transportation needs in the region and access to refuge
lands? .............................................................................................................................................. 1-22
1.9.3 How will the refuge maintain fish and wildlife populations? ..................................................... 1-23
1.9.4 How will the refuge maintain quality hunting opportunities and experiences within the refuge
boundary? ....................................................................................................................................... 1-24
1.9.5 How will the refuge address local public use needs on the refuge, including trails, shelter
cabins, the Singauruk (Siŋiaġruk) Bridge, and the Hot Springs? ............................................. 1-25
1.9.6 How will the refuge monitor and address the effects of climate change? ................................ 1-27
1.9.7 How will the refuge address water quality and quantity issues? .............................................. 1-28
1.9.8 How will the refuge enhance its relationship with communities, provide more outreach, and
better communicate with the public? ........................................................................................... 1-28
1.10 References ........................................................................................................................................... 1-29
2. Management Direction for Selawik National Wildlife Refuge ........................................................... 2-1
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 2-1
2.1.1 General Principles and Standard Practices ................................................................................... 2-1
2.2 Management Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................... 2-2
2.2.1 Goal 1: Conserve the diversity of fish and wildlife and their habitats on refuge lands, while
allowing ecological processes to shape the environment. ............................................................. 2-2
2.2.2 Goal 2: Maintain the integrity and promote the environmental health of waters and aquatic
habitats within the refuge. .............................................................................................................. 2-7
2.2.3 Goal 3: Provide and promote opportunities for local residents to engage in subsistence
activities on the refuge. .................................................................................................................... 2-9
2.2.4 Goal 4: Provide quality visitor experiences and enjoyment of resources on refuge lands
through compatible recreation activities, including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and
photography, in ways that minimize conflicts among visitor groups and residents. ............... 2-11
2.2.5 Goal 5: Provide outreach and education to foster a sense of stewardship and respect for
wildlife, fish, cultural values, and the environment. ................................................................... 2-13
2.2.6 Goal 6: Preserve and protect the cultural, historical, and archaeological resources of the
refuge. ............................................................................................................................................. 2-16
2.2.7 Goal 7: Develop and maintain credibility and open communication with partners in resource
management and conservation, including Federal and State agencies, educational institutions,
local communities, Native corporations, tribal governments, neighboring landowners,
businesses, and organizations. ...................................................................................................... 2-18
2.2.8 Goal 8: Develop a leadership role in addressing climate change in northwest Alaska. 2-20
2.3 Specific Management Direction ......................................................................................................... 2-22
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan x
2.3.1 Fisheries ......................................................................................................................................... 2-22
2.3.2 Migratory Birds............................................................................................................................. 2-22
2.3.3 Western Arctic Caribou Herd ....................................................................................................... 2-23
2.3.4 Invasive Species ............................................................................................................................. 2-23
2.3.5 Environmental Contaminants ....................................................................................................... 2-23
2.3.6 Subsistence .................................................................................................................................... 2-23
2.3.7 Recreation and Outreach ............................................................................................................... 2-23
2.3.8 Commercial Use of Refuge Lands ................................................................................................ 2-24
2.3.9 Shared Administrative Facility .................................................................................................... 2-29
2.3.10 Motorized Access to Refuge Lands .............................................................................................. 2-29
2.3.11 Local Public Use Needs ................................................................................................................. 2-30
2.3.12 Competitive Events of Community and Historic Importance ................................................... 2-30
2.3.13 Funding and Personnel Requirements ........................................................................................ 2-31
2.4 References ........................................................................................................................................... 2-31
3. Regional Management Policies and Guidelines ..................................................................................... 3-1
3.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 3-1
3.2 Management Categories ....................................................................................................................... 3-1
3.2.1 Intensive Management .................................................................................................................... 3-1
3.2.2 Moderate Management ................................................................................................................... 3-2
3.2.3 Minimal Management ...................................................................................................................... 3-2
3.2.4 Wilderness Management ................................................................................................................. 3-3
3.2.5 Wild River Management ................................................................................................................. 3-4
3.2.6 Special Management Areas ............................................................................................................. 3-7
3.2.6.1 Management of Selected Lands .............................................................................................. 3-8
3.3 Management Policies and Guidelines .................................................................................................. 3-8
3.3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3-8
3.3.2 Management Emergencies ............................................................................................................. 3-8
3.3.3 Land Exchanges and Acquisitions ................................................................................................. 3-8
3.3.4 Land Protection Plans ..................................................................................................................... 3-9
3.3.5 Appropriate Refuge Uses ................................................................................................................ 3-9
3.3.6 Compatibility Determinations ...................................................................................................... 3-11
3.3.7 Mitigation ....................................................................................................................................... 3-12
3.3.8 Coastal Zone Consistency ............................................................................................................. 3-12
3.3.9 Cooperation and Coordination with Others ................................................................................. 3-13
3.3.9.1 Federal, State, and Local Governments ............................................................................... 3-13
3.3.9.2 Tribes and Native American Organizations ......................................................................... 3-14
3.3.9.3 Owners of Refuge Inholdings and Adjacent Lands ............................................................ 3-14
3.3.9.4 Fish and Wildlife Service Jurisdiction over Waters within the Selawik Refuge.............. 3-14
3.3.9.5 Other Constituencies .............................................................................................................. 3-15
3.3.10 Ecosystem Management and Climate Change ........................................................................... 3-15
3.3.10.1 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................... 3-16
3.3.10.2 Water Resources Management ............................................................................................. 3-16
3.3.10.3 Visual Resource Management ............................................................................................... 3-17
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xi Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
3.3.10.4 Cultural, Historical, and Paleontological Resources ........................................................... 3-17
3.3.11 Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management ...................................................................................... 3-18
3.3.11.1 Habitat Management ............................................................................................................. 3-18
3.3.11.2 Fire Management ................................................................................................................... 3-19
3.3.12 Fish and Wildlife Population Management ................................................................................. 3-23
3.3.12.1 Wildlife Inventory and Monitoring Plan .............................................................................. 3-23
3.3.12.2 Scientific Peer Review ............................................................................................................ 3-23
3.3.12.3 Compliance with the Animal Welfare Act ............................................................................ 3-24
3.3.12.4 Marking and Banding ............................................................................................................. 3-24
3.3.12.5 Threatened or Endangered Species ..................................................................................... 3-24
3.3.12.6 Reintroductions ....................................................................................................................... 3-24
3.3.12.7 Fish and Wildlife Control ....................................................................................................... 3-25
3.3.12.8 Management of Non-native, Invasive, and Pest Species .................................................... 3-25
3.3.12.9 Disease Prevention and Control ............................................................................................ 3-26
3.3.12.10 Fishery Restoration ............................................................................................................... 3-26
3.3.12.11 Fishery Enhancement ............................................................................................................ 3-27
3.3.13 Subsistence Management .............................................................................................................. 3-27
3.3.13.1 Access for Subsistence Purposes .......................................................................................... 3-29
3.3.13.2 Section 810 Evaluations ......................................................................................................... 3-29
3.3.14 Public Access and Transportation Management ........................................................................ 3-29
3.3.14.1 Snowmobiles, Motorboats, Airplanes, and Non-motorized Surface Transportation ....... 3-29
3.3.14.2 Off-Road Vehicles ................................................................................................................... 3-29
3.3.14.3 Helicopters .............................................................................................................................. 3-29
3.3.14.4 Access to Inholdings ............................................................................................................... 3-30
3.3.14.5 Temporary Access .................................................................................................................. 3-30
3.3.14.6 Subsistence Access ................................................................................................................. 3-30
3.3.14.7 Transportation and Utility Systems ..................................................................................... 3-30
3.3.14.8 State Transportation Planning .............................................................................................. 3-31
3.3.14.9 RS 2477 Rights-of-Way .......................................................................................................... 3-31
3.3.14.10 17(b) Easements ..................................................................................................................... 3-32
3.3.14.11 Navigation Aids and other Facilities .................................................................................... 3-32
3.3.15 Recreation and Other Public Use ................................................................................................. 3-32
3.3.16 Public Use Facilities ...................................................................................................................... 3-33
3.3.16.1 CabinsW .................................................................................................................................. 3-33
3.3.16.2 Temporary Facilities for the Taking of Fish and Wildlife .................................................. 3-34
3.3.17 Outreach and Education ................................................................................................................ 3-34
3.3.18 Commercial Use Management...................................................................................................... 3-35
3.3.18.1 Commercial Recreation Services .......................................................................................... 3-35
3.3.18.2 Mineral Exploration and Development ................................................................................ 3-35
3.3.18.3 Commercial Fishing and Related Facilities ......................................................................... 3-36
3.3.18.4 Commercial Harvest of Timber and Firewood .................................................................... 3-37
3.3.18.5 Commercial Gathering of Other Resources ......................................................................... 3-37
3.3.18.6 Commercial Filming and Recording Activities .................................................................... 3-37
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan xii
3.3.18.7 Other Commercial Uses ......................................................................................................... 3-37
3.3.19 Environmental Contaminants Identification and Cleanup ........................................................ 3-37
3.3.20 Management of Designated Wilderness ...................................................................................... 3-38
3.3.21 Administration of the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge ........................................................... 3-39
3.3.21.1 Administrative Sites and Visitor Facilities .......................................................................... 3-39
3.3.21.2 Refuge Management Plans .................................................................................................... 3-40
3.3.22 Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program......................................................................... 3-41
3.4 Management Categories Table .......................................................................................................... 3-41
3.4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3-41
3.4.1.1 Definitions for Management Categories Table ................................................................... 3-41
3.5 References ........................................................................................................................................... 3-63
4. Refuge Environments ................................................................................................................................. 4-1
4.1 Geographic Setting ............................................................................................................................... 4-1
4.1.1 Land Status ..................................................................................................................................... 4-1
4.1.1.1 Native Village Corporation Land ............................................................................................ 4-2
4.1.1.2 NANA Regional Corporation Lands ...................................................................................... 4-2
4.1.1.3 Native Allotments ..................................................................................................................... 4-2
4.1.1.4 Other Private Lands ................................................................................................................. 4-2
4.1.1.5 Town Sites ................................................................................................................................ 4-3
4.1.1.6 State of Alaska .......................................................................................................................... 4-3
4.1.1.7 Submerged Lands ..................................................................................................................... 4-3
4.2 Physical Environment ........................................................................................................................... 4-3
4.2.1 Climate ............................................................................................................................................. 4-3
4.2.2 Climate Change ............................................................................................................................... 4-5
4.2.3 Landforms ........................................................................................................................................ 4-6
4.2.4 Geology ............................................................................................................................................. 4-7
4.2.4.1 Surface Geology ......................................................................................................................... 4-7
4.2.4.2 Bedrock Geology ....................................................................................................................... 4-8
4.2.5 Soils and Permafrost ........................................................................................................................ 4-8
4.2.6 Energy Resources .......................................................................................................................... 4-15
4.2.7 Mineral Occurrences ...................................................................................................................... 4-15
4.2.8 Water Resources ........................................................................................................................... 4-16
4.2.9 Wildland Fire ................................................................................................................................. 4-17
4.2.9.1 Fire Occurrence and Frequency ........................................................................................... 4-18
4.2.9.2 Fire Size .................................................................................................................................. 4-19
4.2.9.3 Fire Season .............................................................................................................................. 4-19
4.2.9.4 Impacted Communities .......................................................................................................... 4-19
4.3 Biological Environment ....................................................................................................................... 4-19
4.3.1 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................................... 4-19
4.3.1.1 Habitats .................................................................................................................................. 4-20
4.3.2 Fish and Wildlife........................................................................................................................... 4-36
4.3.2.1 Fish .................................................................................................................................... 4-36
4.3.2.2 Amphibians ............................................................................................................................. 4-43
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xiii Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
4.3.2.3 Birds .................................................................................................................................... 4-43
4.3.2.4 Terrestrial Mammals .............................................................................................................. 4-48
4.3.2.5 Marine Mammals .................................................................................................................... 4-53
4.3.2.6 Sensitive Wildlife .................................................................................................................... 4-53
4.3.3 Concerns Regarding Fish, Wildlife, and Habitats ...................................................................... 4-54
4.3.3.1 Energy and Mineral Development ....................................................................................... 4-54
4.3.3.2 Transportation ........................................................................................................................ 4-54
4.3.3.3 Land Development Adjacent to the Refuge ......................................................................... 4-54
4.3.3.4 Climate Change ....................................................................................................................... 4-54
4.3.3.5 Invasive Species ...................................................................................................................... 4-55
4.4 Human Environment ........................................................................................................................... 4-56
4.4.1 Area History .................................................................................................................................. 4-56
4.4.1.1 Prehistory ............................................................................................................................... 4-56
4.4.1.2 Ethnography ........................................................................................................................... 4-58
4.4.1.3 History .................................................................................................................................... 4-59
4.4.1.4 Historic and Cultural Sites .................................................................................................... 4-60
4.4.1.5 Population Trends and Composition ..................................................................................... 4-62
4.4.1.6 Area Communities .................................................................................................................. 4-65
4.4.1.7 Regional Access ...................................................................................................................... 4-71
4.4.1.8 Regional Economy .................................................................................................................. 4-73
4.4.1.9 Subsistence Way of Life ......................................................................................................... 4-74
4.4.2 Public Use ...................................................................................................................................... 4-81
4.4.2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................. 4-81
4.4.2.2 Local Public Uses ................................................................................................................... 4-82
4.4.2.3 Recreational Hunting ............................................................................................................. 4-83
4.4.2.4 Recreational Fishing .............................................................................................................. 4-86
4.4.2.5 Outreach and Environmental Education Programs ........................................................... 4-87
4.5 Resource Values and Special Designations ....................................................................................... 4-87
4.5.1 Wilderness ..................................................................................................................................... 4-87
4.5.1.1 Undeveloped ............................................................................................................................ 4-87
4.5.1.2 Untrammeled .......................................................................................................................... 4-88
4.5.1.3 Natural .................................................................................................................................... 4-88
4.5.1.4 Opportunities for Solitude ..................................................................................................... 4-88
4.5.1.5 Opportunities for Unconfined Recreation ............................................................................ 4-88
4.5.1.6 Other Special Features .......................................................................................................... 4-88
4.5.2 Wilderness Review Areas .............................................................................................................. 4-89
4.5.2.1 Selawik Wilderness Area ....................................................................................................... 4-89
4.5.2.2 Headwaters of the Selawik River .......................................................................................... 4-90
4.5.2.3 Selawik River Delta and Lowlands ....................................................................................... 4-90
4.5.2.4 Selawik Hills ............................................................................................................................ 4-90
4.5.3 River Values ................................................................................................................................... 4-90
4.5.3.1 Recreation ............................................................................................................................... 4-91
4.5.3.2 Geology ................................................................................................................................... 4-91
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan xiv
4.5.3.3 Fish .................................................................................................................................... 4-91
4.5.3.4 Wildlife .................................................................................................................................... 4-91
4.5.3.5 Cultural ................................................................................................................................... 4-91
4.5.4 River Descriptions ......................................................................................................................... 4-91
4.5.4.1 Upper Selawik River .............................................................................................................. 4-91
4.5.4.2 Lower Selawik River .............................................................................................................. 4-95
4.5.4.3 Kugarak River ......................................................................................................................... 4-96
4.5.4.4 Tagagawik River ..................................................................................................................... 4-96
4.5.4.5 Fish River ............................................................................................................................... 4-96
4.5.4.6 Kobuk River Delta .................................................................................................................. 4-96
4.6 Refuge Infrastructure and Administration ....................................................................................... 4-97
4.6.1 Administrative Facilities ............................................................................................................... 4-97
4.6.2 Staffing ........................................................................................................................................... 4-98
4.7 References ........................................................................................................................................... 4-98
5. Implementation and Monitoring ............................................................................................................... 5-1
5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 5-1
5.2 Current Step-down Plans ...................................................................................................................... 5-1
5.2.1 Fishery Management Plan .............................................................................................................. 5-1
5.2.2 Western Arctic Caribou Herd Cooperative Management Plan .................................................. 5-2
5.2.3 Fire Management Plan .................................................................................................................... 5-2
5.2.4 Cultural Resources Management Plan .......................................................................................... 5-2
5.2.5 Water Resources .............................................................................................................................. 5-3
5.2.6 Inventory and Monitoring Plan ...................................................................................................... 5-3
5.3 Future Step-down Plans ....................................................................................................................... 5-4
5.3.1 Land Protection Plan ....................................................................................................................... 5-4
5.3.2 Wilderness Stewardship Plan ......................................................................................................... 5-4
5.4 Partnership Opportunities .................................................................................................................... 5-5
5.4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5-5
5.4.2 A Focus on Partnering..................................................................................................................... 5-5
5.4.3 Partnerships to Address Key Planning Issues ............................................................................. 5-6
5.4.3.1 Commercial Guides and Transporters.................................................................................... 5-6
5.4.3.2 Shared Community Building ................................................................................................... 5-6
5.4.3.3 Winter Trail Marking ............................................................................................................... 5-7
5.4.3.4 Shelter Cabins ........................................................................................................................... 5-7
5.4.3.5 Singauruk (Siŋiaġruk) Bridge ................................................................................................. 5-7
5.4.3.6 Public Use at the Hot Springs ................................................................................................. 5-7
5.5 Plan Amendment and Revision ............................................................................................................ 5-8
5.6 References ............................................................................................................................................. 5-9
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xv Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Appendices
Appendix A: Legal and Policy Guidance
Appendix B: Coordination with the State of Alaska
Appendix C: Consultation and Coordination
Appendix D: Compatibility Determinations
Appendix E: Inventory and Monitoring Plan Executive Summary
Appendix F: Easements and Rights-of-way
Appendix G: Members of the Planning Team and Preparers of the Plan
Appendix H: Species of the Selawik Refuge
Appendix I: Abbreviations, Acronyms and Glossary
Appendix J: Definitions for Land Cover Classes (ABR, Inc. 2009)
Appendix K: Response to Public Comments
Appendix L: Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact
Figures
Figure 1-1. Location of the Selawik refuge within Alaska. ................................................................................ 1-3
Figure 1-2. Village of Selawik in mid-winter ..................................................................................................... 1-12
Figure 1-3. Habitat of the middle Selawik valley. ............................................................................................. 1-13
Figure 1-4. Blueberries ....................................................................................................................................... 1-15
Figure 1-5. The Kobuk 440 dog sled race. ......................................................................................................... 1-16
Figure 1-6. The planning process ....................................................................................................................... 1-18
Figure 1-7. Paniqsiġvik shelter cabin .................................................................................................................. 1-26
Figure 1-8. The Singauruk (Siŋiaġruk) Bridge on the Noorvik-Selawik trail ................................................. 1-27
Figure 2-1. Moose on Selawik refuge ................................................................................................................... 2-5
Figure 2-2. Winter gillnetting for whitefish ...................................................................................................... 2-10
Figure 2-3. Selawik Science-Culture Camp ....................................................................................................... 2-14
Figure 3-1. Drying fish in Selawik ...................................................................................................................... 3-28
Figure 3-2. Selawik refuge administrative cabin .............................................................................................. 3-40
Figure 4-1. Selawik River during break-up ......................................................................................................... 4-4
Figure 4-2. Upland area of the Waring Mountains ............................................................................................. 4-6
Figure 4-3. Habitat of the lower Selawik valley .................................................................................................. 4-7
Figure 4-4. Selawik Hot Springs ........................................................................................................................ 4-11
Figure 4-5. Ice wedge polygons .......................................................................................................................... 4-12
Figure 4-6. Kobuk River delta ............................................................................................................................ 4-17
Figure 4-7. Fire on Selawik refuge ...................................................................................................................... 4-18
Figure 4-8. Habitat on Kobuk River delta ......................................................................................................... 4-20
Figure 4-9. Forest habitat on the refuge ........................................................................................................... 4-35
Figure 4-10. Winter harvest of sheefish ............................................................................................................. 4-38
Figure 4-11. Great horned owl ............................................................................................................................ 4-47
Figure 4-12. Seasonal range map for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) ...................................... 4-48
Figure 4-13. Caribou on Selawik refuge ............................................................................................................ 4-49
Figure 4-14. Spring moose population estimates for surveys conducted within the Selawik River drainages,
2001-2011.. ...................................................................................................................................... 4-50
Table of Contents
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan xvi
Figure 4-15. Moose harvested by non-local hunters in the Selawik River drainage from 1993–2006
based on State harvest ticket data ................................................................................................ 4-51
Figure 4-16. Wolf on Selawik refuge .................................................................................................................. 4-52
Figure 4-17. Niliq, site of a former settlement and trading post .................................................................... 4-62
Figure 4-18. Community of Noorvik .................................................................................................................. 4-66
Figure 4-19. Community of Selawik ................................................................................................................... 4-69
Figure 4-20. Community of Kotzebue ................................................................................................................ 4-70
Figure 4-21. Selawik boardwalks ........................................................................................................................ 4-72
Figure 4-22. Ice road near Selawik ..................................................................................................................... 4-72
Figure 4-23. Commercial salmon fishing in Kotzebue ...................................................................................... 4-73
Figure 4-24. Seal hunting near Kotzebue .......................................................................................................... 4-80
Figure 4-25. Number of big game transporters and air-taxi operators at Selawik National Wildlife Refuge,
1993–2010 ........................................................................................................................................ 4-82
Figure 4-26. Winter trail on the refuge .............................................................................................................. 4-83
Figure 4-27. Number of transported hunters at Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, 1993-2010 .................. 4-85
Figure 4-28. Number of moose harvested by transported hunters at Selawik National Wildlife Refuge,
1993–2010 ....................................................................................................................................... 4-85
Figure 4-29. Number of caribou harvested by transported hunters at Selawik National Wildlife Refuge,
1993–2010 ....................................................................................................................................... 4-86
Figure 4-30. Sand dune habitat on the refuge ................................................................................................... 4-89
Figure 4-31. Upper Selawik River ...................................................................................................................... 4-92
Figure 4-32. Upper Selawik River retrogressive thaw slump ......................................................................... 4-95
Figure 4-33. Lower Selawik River ...................................................................................................................... 4-95
Figure 4-34. Selawik refuge office in Kotzebue ................................................................................................. 4-97
Tables
Table 3-1. Activities, public uses, commercial activities or uses, and facilities by management category. . 3-43
Table 4-1. Surface land status of the Selawik refuge as of May 24, 2011. ........................................................ 4-1
Table 4-2. Temperature and precipitation data from Selawik River Remote Automated Weather Station
(RAWS) 1991–2008. .......................................................................................................................... 4-4
Table 4-3. Landcover classes and subclasses derived from 1981 Landsat 3 imagery
(Kirk and Markon 1989). ................................................................................................................ 4-27
Table 4-4. Areal extent of vegetation classes within Selawik National Wildlife Refuge
(Jorgenson et al. 2009). .................................................................................................................. 4-28
Table 4-5. Areal extent of ecotype classes within Selawik National Wildlife Refuge
(Jorgenson et al. 2009). .................................................................................................................. 4-29
Table 4-6. Comparison of vegetation class totals between two landcover mapping efforts
on the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge. ................................................................................. 4-30
Table 4-7. Iñupiaq place names for select features and sites on Selawik Refuge. .......................................... 4-61
Table 4-8. Population of communities in the Selawik refuge area, 1960–2010. ............................................... 4-65
Table 4-9. Rivers described for Selawik refuge. ................................................................................................ 4-91
Table of Contents
xvii Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Inserts
Map 1-1. Land Status and Game Management Unit .......................................................................................... 1-7
Map 2-1. Guide Use Area .................................................................................................................................... 2-25
Map 2-2. Area Not Authorized for Commercial Transporters and Guides .................................................... 2-27
Map 3-1. Land Management Categories .............................................................................................................. 3-5
Map 3-2. Fire Management Zones...................................................................................................................... 3-21
Map 4-1. Surface Geology ..................................................................................................................................... 4-9
Map 4-2. Soil Landscapes ................................................................................................................................... 4-13
Map 4-3. Oil and Gas Basins ............................................................................................................................... 4-21
Map 4-4. Watersheds .......................................................................................................................................... 4-23
Map 4-5. Vegetative Fuel Types and Past Fire Events ................................................................................... 4-25
Map 4-6. Vegetation Structure ............................................................................................................................ 4-31
Map 4-7. Ecotype Classes ................................................................................................................................... 4-33
Map 4-8. Estimated Density of Waterfowl ........................................................................................................ 4-45
Map 4-9. Examples of Traditional Place Names ............................................................................................... 4-63
Map 4-10. River Values and Sheefish Spawning Area ....................................................................................... 4-93
Map F-1. Land Status and ANCSA (17b) Easements ........................................................................................ F-5
Map F-2. Land Status and State Claimed RS 2477 ............................................................................................ F-7
Chapter 1: Introduction
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-1
1. Introduction
The Selawik National Wildlife Refuge encompasses approximately 3.2 million acres (12,950
km2) in northwestern Alaska. When land conveyances under the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act of 1971 are complete, approximately 2.5 million acres are expected to remain
under the administration of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service).
This document is a revision of the 1987 Comprehensive Conservation Plan (comprehensive
plan) for the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge (refuge; Selawik refuge). This revision is now
the final comprehensive plan for the refuge and replaces the management direction described
in the original Comprehensive Conservation Plan/Environmental Impact
Statement/Wilderness Review/Wild River Plan (USFWS 1987a) and Record of Decision
(USFWS 1987b).
This chapter provides background information about the framework used by the Service to
develop the final comprehensive plan. Section 1.1 describes the purpose and need. Section 1.2
outlines the context of refuge planning. Section 1.3 summarizes the laws that direct refuge
planning and management. Section 1.4 presents the purpose, vision, and goals of the refuge.
Section 1.5 gives a brief overview of the refuge’s history, ecology, and people. Section 1.6
summarizes the special values of the refuge. Sections 1.7 and 1.8 describe the steps that the
Service was required to complete before the comprehensive plan could be published. Section
1.9 summarizes the major issues and concerns identified by the public and the planning team.
1.1 Purpose and Need for Action
Section 304(g) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA), as
amended, directs the Secretary of the Interior to prepare and, from time to time, revise a
comprehensive plan for each refuge in Alaska.
The purpose was to revise, update, and replace the management direction found in the original
comprehensive plan, adopted in 1987. This comprehensive plan provides broad policy
guidance and establishes both long- and short-term goals and objectives for managing the
Selawik refuge for the next 15 years. This comprehensive plan identifies which activities and
uses are compatible with the purposes of the Selawik refuge and the mission of the National
Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System). The Service considers this comprehensive plan to
be a dynamic and living document subject to periodic reviews and possible updates if needed.
This comprehensive plan follows guidance found in ANILCA and other Federal laws—
primarily the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (Refuge System
Administration Act), as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of
1997 (Refuge System Improvement Act); and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended. The comprehensive plan allows the Service to:
 Update management direction related to national and regional policies and guidelines
that are used to implement the Federal laws that govern refuge management.
 Incorporate new knowledge and scientific information into refuge management.
 Evaluate current refuge management direction based on changing public demand for
use of the refuge and its resources, including public recreation and visitor management.
Chapter 1: Introduction
1-2 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
The comprehensive plan includes an updated description of the refuge environment, including
ecological and social aspects such as land ownership, physical and biological resources, cultural and
historic features, communities in the refuge area, and human activities and uses on refuge lands.
The comprehensive plan was designed to:
 Ensure that the purposes of the refuge and the mission of the Refuge System are fulfilled.
 Ensure that national policy is incorporated into management of the refuge.
 Ensure that interested parties have an opportunity to participate in the development
of management direction.
 Identify, describe, and protect the resources and special values of the Selawik refuge.
 Provide a systematic process for making and documenting resource management
decisions.
 Establish broad management direction for refuge programs and activities.
 Provide continuity in refuge management.
 Provide a basis for budget requests.
 Provide a basis for monitoring and evaluating accomplishments.
1.2 Planning Context
The Selawik refuge is part of a national system of refuges. The Service manages individual
refuges in a manner that reflects both the priorities of the Refuge System and the purposes
for which the refuges were established. This comprehensive plan adheres to the individual
purposes of the Selawik refuge while contributing to national-level goals and objectives.
1.2.1 The United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and
enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats. In addition to the Refuge System, the
Service also operates national fish hatcheries, fishery resource offices, and ecological services
field stations. The Service enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered
Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries,
conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with
their conservation efforts. It oversees the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program that
distributes substantial revenue to State fish and wildlife agencies from excise taxes on the sale
of fishing and hunting equipment.
The mission of the Service is:
Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people
(Service Manual 602 FW 1.6).
1.2.2 The National Wildlife Refuge System
The Refuge System comprises approximately 96 million acres of Federal lands, encompassing
more than 552 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special
management areas. Refuge System lands are located in all 50 states and the territories of the
United States. The conservation mission of the Refuge System enables Americans to participate
Chapter 1: Introduction
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-3
in compatible recreation activities such as fishing and hunting and to better appreciate the value
of fish and wildlife conservation through education and other visitor services.
Alaska contains 16 national wildlife refuges (Figure 1-1). These refuge lands contain a wide
range of habitats with varied terrain, including mountains, glaciers, tundra, grasslands,
wetlands, lakes, woodlands, and rivers. Together, the 16 refuges comprise 76.8 million acres and
constitute about 80 percent of the Refuge System.
The mission of the Refuge System is:
To administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation,
management, and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant
resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and
future generations of Americans (Refuge System Administration Act, as amended).
Figure 1-1. Location of the Selawik refuge within Alaska.
1.3 Legal and Policy Guidance and State Coordination
Management of the Selawik refuge is dictated, in large part, by the legislation that created it
and by the refuge purposes and goals described in the comprehensive plan. Refuge
management is also guided by other laws, regulations, and policies, as well as by agreements
with the State of Alaska. This section identifies the laws and the policy guidance that were
integral for developing this comprehensive plan.
Chapter 1: Introduction
1-4 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
1.3.1 Legal Guidance
Operation and management of refuges throughout the Refuge System are influenced by a
wide variety of laws, treaties, and executive orders. Among the most important are the
Refuge System Administration Act, as amended by the Refuge System Improvement Act;
the Refuge Recreation Act; the Endangered Species Act; and the Wilderness Act. These
acts are described briefly in Appendix A, along with other laws that affect management of
the Selawik refuge.
For national wildlife refuges in Alaska, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971
(ANCSA) and ANILCA, as amended, provide management direction that is highly influential.
In 1980, ANILCA established the refuge, set forth its purposes, defined provisions for
planning and management, and authorized studies and programs related to wildlife and other
resources, subsistence, recreation, and economic activities. ANILCA also provided specific
direction for managing designated wilderness areas and for protecting and continuing
subsistence uses on Federal public lands in Alaska.
The designated Selawik Wilderness Area includes about 240,000 acres of the Waring
Mountains and extends from the headwaters of the Fish River on the west to the upper
reaches of the Kugarak River on the east. The 1987 Record of Decision document did not
include a proposal to Congress for further wilderness designations at Selawik refuge (USFWS
1987b). This comprehensive plan identifies and describes wilderness values for the Selawik
refuge as required by Section 304(g) of ANILCA and provides management direction for
protection and stewardship of wilderness values. The Service conducted no further wilderness
reviews, and no additional lands were recommended for wilderness designation.
The upper segment of the Selawik River is a designated Wild river under the Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. The Service conducted no further river reviews, and no additional
rivers were recommended for designation. This comprehensive plan describes river values
and provides better direction for how the Selawik refuge can be managed to protect those
values in perpetuity.
The intent of the Service is to provide improved direction for how the Selawik refuge as a whole
can be better managed to protect and conserve its wildland characteristics and the unique values
associated with remote and undeveloped refuges in Alaska.
1.3.2 Policy Guidance
Policy documents provide critical direction and guidance for planning and managing national
wildlife refuges. These documents include:
 The Service manual.
 Director’s orders.
 National policies.
 Handbooks.
 Director’s memoranda.
 Regional directives.
Several of these documents direct that an ecosystem approach be used in refuge management.
Managers must consider the health of the entire ecosystem when managing the Selawik refuge.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-5
This requires coordination with the State of Alaska and our other partners both within and outside
the conservation profession. Appendix A provides a brief description of ecosystem management
and several of the national and regional management plans, programs, and legal documents that
were reviewed during the planning process. Other key policies and programs were used such as
the compatibility policy, the biological integrity policy, the Strategic Habitat Conservation
framework, the Landscape Conservation Cooperative framework, the Service’s strategic plan for
responding to accelerating climate change, and the strategic plan for inventories and monitoring
on national wildlife refuges (Appendix A).
1.3.3 Coordination with the State of Alaska
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has the primary responsibility for
managing resident fish and wildlife populations in Alaska. On refuge lands, the Service and
ADF&G share a concern for all fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, and both
agencies engage in extensive fish and wildlife conservation, management, and protection
programs, including research. In 1982, the Service and ADF&G signed a Master
Memorandum of Understanding (Appendix B) that defines the cooperative management roles
of each agency and outlines a framework for cooperation. The Service and ADF&G
recommitted to this formal agreement in 2006.
The State is divided into 26 game management units (GMUs), most of which are further
divided into subunits. The State developed management objectives for populations of wildlife
within each GMU. Most of the Selawik refuge is situated within GMU 23 (Map 1-1).
The State of Alaska establishes fishing, hunting, and trapping regulations for each GMU at
the direction of the Alaska Boards of Fisheries and Game; these regulations apply to Federal
public lands unless superseded by Federal subsistence regulations (50 CFR 100.10(d)(4);
Appendix A, Section A.1.2.4). If there was a clear and legitimate need for the Service to
regulate general hunting or fishing on refuge lands, it would be done through a public
rulemaking process or through closures or restrictions under 50 CFR 36.42.
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and its various divisions are key
management partners with all refuges in Alaska. The DNR manages all land, water, and
surface and subsurface resources owned by the State except for fish and game. The Division
of Mining, Land, and Water manages the State’s water and land interests within the refuge.
Issues related to State interests will most likely expand during the life of the comprehensive
plan, especially with regard to water rights, navigable waters, ownership of submerged lands,
and rights-of-way over refuge lands.
This comprehensive plan was developed in consultation with ADF&G and DNR. The Service
routinely consulted with ADF&G and DNR personnel during the planning process. One
representative each from ADF&G and DNR participated as members of the core planning
team and had a formal opportunity to participate in all meetings of the core planning team.
This comprehensive plan is consistent with State of Alaska management plans and objectives
for fish and wildlife.
1.4 Refuge Purposes, Vision, and Goals
1.4.1 Refuge Purposes
Section 101(b) of ANILCA identifies purposes for conservation system units in Alaska:
Chapter 1: Introduction
1-6 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
“It is the intent of Congress in this Act to preserve unrivaled scenic and geological values
associated with natural landscapes; to provide for the maintenance of sound populations of,
and habitat for, wildlife species of inestimable value to the citizens of Alaska and the Nation,
including those species dependent on vast relatively undeveloped areas; to preserve in their
natural state extensive unaltered arctic tundra, boreal forest, and coastal rainforest
ecosystems; to protect the resources related to subsistence needs; to protect and preserve
historic and archeological sites, rivers, and lands, and to preserve wilderness resource values
and related recreational opportunities, including but not limited to hiking, canoeing, fishing,
and sport hunting, within large arctic and subarctic wild lands and on free-flowing rivers; and
to maintain opportunities for scientific research and undisturbed ecosystems.”
Section 302(7) (B) of ANILCA states that the purposes of Selawik refuge include:
(i) to conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats in their natural diversity
including, but not limited to, the Western Arctic caribou herd (including participation in
coordinated ecological studies and management of these caribou), waterfowl, shorebirds
and other migratory birds, and salmon and sheefish;
(ii) to fulfill the international treaty obligations of the United States with respect to
fish and wildlife and their habitats;
(iii) to provide, in a manner consistent with the purposes set forth in subparagraphs (i)
and (ii), the opportunity for continued subsistence uses by local residents; and
(iv) to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable and in a manner consistent with the
purposes set forth in paragraph (i), water quality and necessary water quantity within
the refuge.
The purposes of the congressionally designated Selawik Wilderness Area are to secure an
enduring resource of wilderness, protect and preserve the wilderness character of the area as
part of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS), and administer the area for the
use and enjoyment of the American people in a way that will leave it unimpaired for future use
and enjoyment as designated wilderness.
1.4.2 Refuge Vision
Service policy (Service Manual 602 FW 3.4G) directs each refuge to develop a vision statement
during its comprehensive planning process. A refuge vision is a concise statement of what the
refuge should be, or what we hope it will become, and it is primarily based on the mission of
the Refuge System, the purposes of the Selawik refuge, and other mandates (Service Manual
602 FW 1.6Z). We included the Iñupiaq version to honor the Alaska Native peoples of the
region and to provide an opportunity for the refuge vision to be read aloud in the local
communities both now and in the future.
1.4.3 Refuge Vision Statement in English
As a trusted resource steward and community partner, the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge
will enhance and protect the quality of life found in northwest Alaska by sustaining the
ecological integrity of the Selawik River drainage and Kobuk River delta. Fish and wildlife
will continue to thrive in this remarkable environment, as will subsistence, cultural, and
Chapter 1: Introduction
1-8 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Back of Map 1-1.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-9
recreational uses of these resources. With vision and resourcefulness, the refuge will
proactively monitor the uncertainties associated with climate change. The refuge will foster
productive relationships with local communities and governments, Alaska Native peoples,
visitors, scientists, neighboring landowners, and others to promote resource health, respond to
community and educational needs, and perpetuate an enduring natural legacy for future
generations of Americans.
1.4.4 Refuge Vision Statement in Iñupiaq
Siilvium Nunaŋani Niġrutit Annaumaaġviat
Tallimaŋat Aglaat
Qiñiqquuraaġlugu sivunniutaat
Tunŋavigipluta tamatkuniŋa qaunaksraptitnik suli piqatigipluta Siilvium niġrutinun annaksimaaġvian
nakuqsilaaġlugu suli qaunagilugu igliqtillugu suaqłuilaakun taavruma Siilvium kuuŋan salumaluni
taunuŋa paaŋanun suli Kuuvaum paaŋani.
Qaliutlu aŋŋutitlu iñuusrugaaġutiŋ, iñugiaksilutiŋlu innayaqtut salumaruami iñuuviŋmikni, suli
taamna aŋuniałiq, irrusriq suli aliasrunġisaałiq piviqaġuni. Taatna qiñiqquuraaġlugu suli
savaagiyusrilugu, taimma tamanna nuna ittaunġiġuta qaunagigisigikput sila atlaŋułhani. Taamna nuna
nautchigisiruq ilagiillautaġuta nunaaqqiurani suli nunaaqqiuram aŋalataiñi, tamaaniġmiunik.
Tamaakŋaqtanik, tamaunnaaqataqtuanik, ilisimarit, qanimi nunaligaat, suli atlat nakuuniaqtitchiruat
tamatkuniŋa, piŋŋaaruat sumun tikitpan nunaaqqiq unniiñ ilisautrilutiŋ sumik atuġnakkaptitnik, suli
igliqtitchilutiŋ itchumiñaqtuamik piññaktaaksraŋatnik kiñuviaġiich nunaqativut.
1.4.5 Refuge Goals
Refuge goals are based on the purposes of the Selawik refuge and the refuge’s vision
statement. These goals contribute to the mission of the Refuge System and reflect legal
responsibilities of the Service. Collectively, the mission statements, refuge purposes, vision,
and goals lay the foundation on which the management direction in this comprehensive plan
was developed and evaluated.
1.4.6 Goal Statements in English
Goal 1: Fish, Wildlife, and Habitat
Conserve the diversity of fish and wildlife and their habitats on refuge lands, while allowing
natural ecological processes to shape the environment.
Goal 2: Water Quality and Quantity
Maintain the integrity and promote the environmental health of waters and aquatic habitats
within the refuge.
Goal 3: Subsistence
Provide and promote opportunities for rural residents to engage in subsistence activities on
the refuge.
Chapter 1: Introduction
1-10 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Goal 4: Visitor Experience
Provide quality visitor experiences and enjoyment of refuge resources through compatible
recreation activities, including hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and photography, in ways
that minimize conflicts among visitor groups and residents.
Goal 5: Outreach and Education
Provide outreach and education to foster a sense of stewardship and respect for fish, wildlife,
cultural values, and the environment.
Goal 6: Cultural Resources
Preserve and protect the cultural, historical, and archeological resources of the refuge.
Goal 7: Partnerships
Develop and maintain credibility and open communication with partners in resource
management and conservation, including Federal and State agencies, local communities,
Native corporations, tribal governments, neighboring landowners, and businesses and
organizations.
Goal 8: Climate Change
Develop a leadership role in addressing climate change in northwest Alaska.
1.4.7 Goal Statements in Iñupiaq
TIKISAKSRAT
Sivulliq tikisaksraq
Iñugiaktinniaġlugich atlakaaġiich qaluich suli niġrutit suli irvigisruukkaŋich tamanna
annaksimmaviatni nunami, manna kimmutigilugu iłuatluguni ittuksraq avativut suli Nunavut.
TUVLIQ
Napallugu suli pitchuksaaġutigilugu puyiasinniałiksraŋa tamanna imiq kuugum suli qalliviich ittuat
annagviŋmi tarani.
PINAYUAT
Piviksriġlugich suli pitchuksaaġlugich tarani iñuuniaqtuat aŋuniaġutiŋ katitchiñiaqtuksrat tarani
annagviŋmi.
SISAMANAT
Piviqaqtillugich avakŋ aggiqsuat suliaqataaġutiŋ piññaŋniaqtuamik qiñiġiaqtauluni aŋuniaġutiŋ,
qaluŋniaġutiŋ qiñiqtuaġutiŋ, agliutruġutiŋ, nakuqsilugu iluqiatñi iglaatlu tamaaniġmiutlu.
TALLIMANAT
Piviqaqtillugich, pitchuksaaġlugich ilitchuktuat ilisautilugich taluġnałhatigun makua niġrutit suli
iñuuniałiqput maani nunaptitni suli avatiptitni.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-11
ITCHAKSRAT
Taatna ittillugu tugluaqsimaaġlugu iñuuniałiŋat qaŋavak taimakŋa tarani iñuuniaqtuat annagviŋmi.
TALLIMAT MALGUK
Tugluaqsimaaġlugu suli napallugu ilumutun uqałiksraqput katiluta uqaaqsiyupta tamarrumuuna
nunakun Qaunaksriqatiuptitnun taavakŋa ittuaniñ, naaqaa maliġutaksraptitni savaktuat, unnii
iñupiaqatiuptitnik. Naaqaa makua Qaukłiuraġikkavut nunaaqqiuraptitni. Suli tamatkua sunik
tasramma napapchiañiaqtuat.
TALLIMAT PINASRUT
Sivunniuġuta qanuġli iñuuniaqsałiksraptitnik uvva silavut atlaŋuqman maani iñuuniaġviptitni.
1.5 Refuge Overview
1.5.1 Refuge Establishment
In 1971, Congress enacted ANCSA, which conveyed to Native village corporations and Native
groups several hundred thousand acres of the 3.2 million acres within the future exterior
boundary of the Selawik refuge. On December 2, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed
ANILCA. Section 302 of ANILCA established the Selawik refuge as part of the Refuge
System. Section 702 (12) of ANILCA established the Selawik Wilderness Area as part of the
National Wilderness Preservation System, and Section 602 (41) established the Selawik Wild
River under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
1.5.2 Physical Environment
Selawik refuge straddles the Arctic Circle east of Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska. The
refuge boundary begins approximately 21 miles east of Kotzebue and extends 150 miles to the
east, with the eastern boundary about 360 miles northwest of Fairbanks. The refuge extends 72
miles from north to south at its widest point. It is bordered in part on the north by the Kobuk
Valley National Park and on the southeast by the Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge.
The majority of the refuge lies within a large basin, the Kobuk-Selawik Lowland,
characterized by broad river floodplains and approximately 24,000 lakes. Major drainages of
the lowlands are the Selawik and Kobuk rivers. These drain into Selawik Lake and Hotham
Inlet (locally know as Kobuk Lake), respectively. Streams within the refuge are mainly
sluggish and meandering, having moderately low gradients and numerous side sloughs. The
lowlands are mostly underlain by permafrost.
Highland areas of the refuge include the Waring Mountains in the north and their southwest
extension, the Hockley Hills. The flat summits of the Selawik Hills are located to the south.
The east side of the refuge includes part of the Sheklukshuk Range (locally referred to as
Rabbit Mountain), the Kiliovilik Range, and the Purcell Mountains.
The region generally has a maritime climate during the ice-free periods of the year (late May
to early October) and long cold periods during the winter months (Figure 1-2). Temperature
variations can reach annual extremes of near 90 ºF to -60 ºF. Annual precipitation averages
between 15 and 20 inches in the lowlands and up to 30 inches in some of the higher elevations.
Approximately half of the precipitation occurs in the months of July and August. Strong,
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1-12 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
persistent prevailing winds blow from the northeast in winter and from the west in summer.
Resources on refuge lands and the Alaska Native communities in and near the Selawik refuge
are vulnerable to accelerating climate change.
Figure 1-2. Along the Arctic Circle, the season of snow and ice lasts far longer than the open water season. Long shadows
and pastel colors bathe the land on this mid-January afternoon in the village of Selawik.
1.5.3 Biological Resources
Extensive tundra wetlands containing grass and sedge meadows dominate the refuge
landscape, while boreal spruce forests, alder, and willow thickets trace stream and river
drainages (Figure 1-3). The area is in a transition zone where the northernmost boreal forest
gives way to open arctic tundra. Alpine tundra occurs at higher elevations.
The wildlife of the Selawik refuge includes an array of resident and migratory mammals,
waterfowl, songbirds, shorebirds, and fish. Large mammals found on the refuge include
moose, which began using the refuge in the 1940s, and occasionally muskoxen. Both black and
grizzly bears are present due to the occurrence of both forest and tundra habitats. The
Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) migrates through the refuge on its way between
calving and wintering grounds. In mild winters, small bands of caribou remain on the refuge
to forage in the lichen-covered foothills. Wolves, arctic and red fox, lynx, wolverine, beaver,
muskrat, marten, and snowshoe hares are year-round residents. A host of small mammals
occurs on the refuge such as red-backed voles, tundra voles, and Arctic shrews.
Multitudes of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds breed and stage on the thousands of lakes
and ponds within the refuge. During the short summers, large numbers of white-fronted
geese and tundra swans arrive to breed or to rest during their migratory journeys. Sandhill
cranes, northern pintails, greater scaup, black scoters, and Pacific loons are among other bird
species using the wetlands. For thousands of shorebirds, these wetlands are among the last
stopping areas during their migration to breeding locations in the high Arctic. Common
species include American golden plovers, semi-palmated and western sandpipers, red-necked
phalaropes, and whimbrels. Songbirds such as the yellow wagtail, yellow warbler, white-crowned
sparrow, and Lapland longspur nest in tussocks or in forest and willow thickets.
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-13
Figure 1-3. Boreal forest and shrubs line the streams and rivers, while tundra dominates in the
remainder of the landscape in the middle Selawik valley.
Fisheries on the refuge are diverse due to the presence of rivers, lakes, sloughs, and adjacent
wetlands. The Selawik and Kobuk River drainages support large populations of resident and
anadromous fish. The refuge provides spawning grounds for northern pike, Arctic grayling,
burbot (locally known as mud shark), and various types of whitefish, including sheefish, also
called inconnu.
1.5.4 Human Presence and Activities
The lands within the Selawik refuge have been the hunting and fishing grounds of the Iñupiat
for thousands of years. Because of its remoteness (350 miles from the nearest road), the
refuge is primarily used by people from the communities near or within the refuge boundary.
Most residents of these communities are of Iñupiaq descent. The villages of Selawik and
Noorvik are within the refuge’s external boundary. The larger city of Kotzebue (population
approximately 3,500) and the villages of Ambler, Buckland, Shungnak, Kiana, and Kobuk are
all within 30 miles of the refuge.
Historically, sheefish, other whitefish, salmon, Arctic grayling, northern pike, caribou, seals,
small game, and abundant migratory birds were the major subsistence resources used by area
residents. The names of both the Selawik River and the refuge originated from the Iñupiaq
word “siilvik,” which means “place of sheefish.” The sheefish, or inconnu, is an important and
highly desired food resource. The subsistence way of life and other Alaska Native traditions
continue today, and most of the people in the local communities depend on the natural
resources of the area for their livelihoods. The Iñupiat have adapted and updated some of
their methods of harvest and backcountry travel over time.
Access to the refuge is possible only by boat, float- or ski-equipped airplane, snowmachine, or
dog team. Snowmachine trails provide vital links between communities in winter and are
usually passable to travelers through the end of April. Three shelter cabins exist along the
trails on the refuge and receive some maintenance from area residents. An administrative
cabin, maintained by refuge staff, is located on the refuge.
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1-14 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
The amount of public use of the refuge from outside the local communities is difficult to estimate
with certainty because there are no controlled entry points where visitors are counted. There
are no public recreation facilities located on the refuge. Non-local visitors mainly engage in
hunting caribou, moose, and bear or fishing for sheefish. Visitors to the refuge can find
information to use when planning their trips at the refuge headquarters in Kotzebue.
1.6 Special Values
Section 304(g) of ANILCA directs the Service to identify and describe “special values of the
refuge, as well as any other archaeological, cultural, ecological, geological, historical,
paleontological, scenic, or wilderness values of the refuge.” The following special values have
been identified for the Selawik refuge.
1.6.1 Western Arctic Caribou Herd
The WACH is the largest caribou herd in Alaska, numbering 348,000 animals in 2009. Caribou
from the herd are seasonally abundant on the refuge during the spring and fall migration.
Caribou are a highly desirable subsistence resource for local residents and account for the
majority of mammals harvested on refuge lands.
1.6.2 Wetlands and Waterfowl
Selawik refuge contains a diversity of outstanding staging and nesting habitats for migratory
waterfowl. The Selawik and Kobuk River deltas, located on the eastern shores of Selawik
Lake and Kobuk Lake, respectively, provide a complex array of freshwater and brackish
lakes, estuaries, tidal flats, riparian areas, and wet meadows. On refuge lowlands, the
approximately 21,000 lakes create a large, tundra lake complex, the most extensive system of
this type within the Alaskan refuges.
1.6.3 Whitefish Spawning
Several species of whitefish are abundant in the northwest Arctic region of Alaska. The upper
Selawik and Fish rivers, in the refuge, have been identified as spawning locations for sheefish
and other whitefish species, which are an important local food resource (Brown 2005;
Georgette and Shiedt 2005).
1.6.4 Natural Processes
Flooding and wildland fire are the two main ecosystem drivers in the refuge and both provide
resource benefits. Flooding occurs regularly on the refuge during spring break-up. It brings
vital nutrients to the soil and allows water exchange with lakes and sloughs not otherwise
connected to rivers. The cyclical occurrence of fire continually shapes the landscape by
releasing nutrients into the ecosystem. Due to size and remoteness and to maintain the fire
cycle, wildland fires on the refuge are often allowed to burn unimpeded. Geological, glacial,
flooding, and fire processes have combined through time to produce a diverse and productive
landscape. Climate is also a substantial driver of ecosystem processes in the Selawik refuge
(Woodward and Beever 2011).
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-15
1.6.5 Subsistence Way of Life
The subsistence way of life affects local kinship, group cohesion, and personal and community
identities. Subsistence harvests of resources on refuge lands provide local residents with
social, economic, and political sustenance. Many local people specifically depend on fish,
wildlife, and plants found on the refuge for their nutritional and cultural sustenance and
livelihood (Figure 1-4).
Figure 1-4. Blueberries, abundant on the refuge in most years, are one of the many resources harvested for
subsistence by local residents.
1.6.6 Wilderness Values and Designation
The Selawik Wilderness Area, similar to most of the refuge, is remote and undeveloped,
offering the occasional outside visitor outstanding opportunities for solitude and a primitive,
backcountry recreation experience. The Selawik Wilderness Area was designated under
ANILCA and the Wilderness Act and encompasses approximately 240,000 acres within the
Waring Mountains, which are underlain primarily by sedimentary rock, allowing for unique
plant communities. The Selawik Wilderness Area includes a group of rolling, vegetated sand
dunes that were formed by the last glacial recession, part of a larger system that once
included the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes to the north. This is one of the most topographically
interesting and scenic parts of the refuge, with spruce forests, alpine habitats, and foothills
rising in elevation to about 1,700 feet.
1.6.7 Wild River Designation
The upper 168-mile segment of the Selawik River was recognized for its outstandingly
remarkable scenic, geologic, wildlife, fishery, cultural, and recreational values and for its water
quality (Bureau of Outdoor Recreation 1976). Approximately 117,000 acres are managed as a
Wild River corridor under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (USFWS 1987a).
1.6.8 Hot Springs
The refuge contains hot springs in a small tributary at the headwaters of the Selawik River.
The creek remains open in this area during some of the coldest months of the year due to the
thermal springs that rise from deep in the earth. Historically, both the coastal Iñupiat and the
interior Athabascans used the Selawik hot springs for medicinal purposes and as an important
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1-16 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
gathering and healing place. The hot springs are visited today by many local residents as an
enjoyable winter destination.
1.6.9 Cultural and Historic Resources
The Selawik area is one of the most archaeologically significant areas in the region, with ties to
the Bering Land Bridge. Several hundred historical and traditional sites have been identified in
the northwest Arctic region, and it is likely that many more exist. Known archaeological sites
span 10,000 years of human history in the region. A large proportion of the sites identified on
the refuge have been listed on the Alaska Heritage Resource Survey (USFWS 1987a).
1.6.10 Dog Sledding Competition
Established in the 1970s, the Kobuk 440 is an annual mid-distance out and back dog sled race,
with the start and finish in Kotzebue (Figure 1-5). The 440-mile route passes through the
villages of Noorvik, Kiana, Ambler, Shungnak, and Kobuk before doubling back; the trail
makes a detour through Selawik on either the outbound or inbound leg, depending on the
year. It attracts Alaska’s top mushers and is a popular event in the communities within and
nearby the refuge. Approximately 80 miles of this historic race occur on refuge lands under
special use permit.
Figure 1-5. Mushers and bystanders get ready for the start of the Kobuk 440 dog sled race on the ice in front of
Kotzebue. Photo by Tina Moran.
1.7 Planning Requirements
Section 304(g) of ANILCA directs that comprehensive plans be developed for each refuge.
The following must be identified and described prior to developing a plan for any refuge:
 The populations and habitats of the fish and wildlife living on the refuge.
 Significant problems that may adversely affect these habitats and populations of fish
and wildlife.
 The special values of the refuge, including archeological, cultural, social, ecological,
geological, historical, paleontological, scenic, or wilderness values.
 Areas within the refuge suitable for use as administrative sites or visitor facilities, or
for visitor services, as provided for in ANILCA sections 1305 and 1306.
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-17
 Current and potential future requirements for access to the refuge, as provided for in
ANILCA Title XI.
The Service uses the comprehensive plan to categorize and designate areas within refuges
according to their respective resource values and compatible uses. For each area of a refuge,
the Service is directed to specify which conservation programs it intends to implement. The
Service uses the comprehensive plan to describe and propose opportunities for refuge visitors
to hunt, fish, and otherwise enjoy and learn about wildlife and other resources, including
scientific research. The Service specifies the uses and activities within each area that are
compatible with refuge purposes.
The Service is required to ensure that adequate opportunities exist for interagency
coordination and public participation during the planning process. Any interested and
affected parties, such as State agencies, Native corporations, and local and national residents
that may be affected by planning decisions, must be provided meaningful opportunities to
communicate their views and opinions. Prior to approving this comprehensive plan, the
Service published a notice of its availability in the Federal Register. Copies of the
comprehensive plan were made available on the Internet and in regional offices of the Service
throughout the United States. The Service wrote a summary of the major issues and
management proposals contained in the comprehensive plan and mailed it to the public for
review and comment.
1.8 The Planning Process
This section describes the process used to develop this comprehensive plan. The Service
followed the planning requirements specified in Section 304(g) of ANILCA; the Refuge
System Administration Act, as amended; the Service’s planning policy (602 FW 1 and 3); the
National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347); and the Council on Environmental
Quality’s Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1500–1508). The Service used an eight-step planning
process to revise the comprehensive plan for the Selawik refuge (Figure 1-6).
1. Design the planning process (preplanning).
2. Initiate public involvement and scoping.
3. Determine significant issues.
4. Develop and analyze alternatives.
5. Prepare a draft comprehensive plan and NEPA document.
6. Prepare and adopt a final comprehensive plan.
7. Implement, monitor, and evaluate the final plan.
8. Review and revise the final plan as necessary.
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1-18 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Figure 1-6. The planning process.
1.8.1 Design the Process
In spring 2008, the Service began reviewing the 1987 Selawik comprehensive plan to
determine if it should be revised, or if the Service should prepare a new comprehensive plan.
The Service found that on-the-ground management actions were predominantly meeting
refuge purposes and objectives. New management direction in the Refuge System
Improvement Act, other regulations and policies, and changes such as the Federal subsistence
program within Alaska refuges needed to be included in the comprehensive plan. The Service
decided that a revision of the Selawik comprehensive plan was necessary.
The Service identified relevant laws, regulations, policies, and other direction that would have
to be considered during revision of the comprehensive plan. These were discussed earlier in
this chapter; additional details can be found in Appendix A. The Service formed a diverse
planning team (Appendix G) to review the available data on the biophysical and human
environments of the Selawik refuge, conduct a public participation process, and identify areas
in which additional work was needed.
1.8.2 Initiate Public Involvement and Scoping
The Service informed the national and local publics that the refuge was beginning the
revision and asked them to help identify major planning issues. Formal public scoping
began with publication of a Notice of Intent to revise the Selawik comprehensive plan and
prepare an Environmental Assessment in the Federal Register on October 1, 2008 (Vol. 73,
No. 191, pg. 57143).
In fall 2008, a planning newsletter was mailed to approximately 3,200 individuals, agencies,
and organizations. The newsletter announced that the Service was revising the
comprehensive plan and seeking public input. The newsletter described issues identified by
the planning team and provided an opportunity for the public to identify other issues that
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-19
should be addressed. This information and opportunity to participate was also made available
through the Internet. Over 70 written comments were received.
To gather additional input from the public, members of the planning team held an open house
meeting in Kotzebue, attended by 18 community members. Visits were made to Buckland,
Kiana, Noorvik, Selawik, and Shungnak, where team members attended city and tribal council
meetings to inform residents of the planning process and to hear them speak about the issues.
Nearly 50 village elders and community leaders were interviewed in person during these visits.
The planning team asked for written comments about why people value the Selawik refuge.
People’s values were categorized into four interrelated topics: (1) subsistence; (2) aesthetics,
natural habitat, and wildness; (3) fish and wildlife; and (4) research and education.
Subsistence. People identified subsistence and the importance of the Selawik refuge as a
place for pursuing a subsistence way of life as a value. Such comments included:
“[I value] subsistence users continuing their way of life through fishing, hunting,
camping, berry picking, firewood collecting, etc.”
“[I value] the animals and plants we harvest for food, the solitude of camping with my
family preparing for the winter.”
“I value the whole refuge because it is great country that everyone should visit. It’s a
good subsistence area.”
Aesthetics, Natural Habitats, and Wildness. People described certain characteristics of the
place associated with the wild, undeveloped setting of the refuge landscape (i.e., inherent
qualities of protected areas in Alaska and elsewhere).
“[I value] opportunities for solitude and wilderness.”
“[I value] the wildlife, wildness, and untrammeled beauty.”
“[I value] that habitat is managed for the natural ecosystem that exists.”
“[T]he value of Alaska’s unspoiled lands is unmatched anywhere in America, and
therein lies its value. I am … old and probably won’t get back to Alaska, but I do
greatly enjoy receiving the Wildlife Refuge newsletters and summaries of the different
conservation plans.”
Fish and Wildlife. People identified the nonhuman residents of the refuge as a value.
“[I value] the wildlife and game.”
“[I value a] home for birds, animals, and fish.”
“[I value] the habitat provided for tundra swans and other wildlife that deserve to live
free from human intrusion and consumption.”
Research and Education. What people can learn from and about the place is a value.
“[I value] partnership with locals on research, including youth.”
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1-20 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
“I value the constant studies being done in the refuge, which benefits everyone,
particularly the local residents.”
“[I value] the activities within our village that are associated [with the refuge] …
opportunities for youth and adults. It’s very interesting, and it keeps some cultural
activities moving forward with preservation.”
1.8.3 Determine Planning Issues
The planning team reviewed and summarized the comments and the issues raised by members
of the public, refuge staff, and other Service divisions. Their analysis determined the most
important issues to be addressed in the comprehensive plan. These issues were within the
management purview of the refuge and presented multiple options regarding what could be
done to address them. Section 1.9 in this chapter describes the planning issues and gives more
detail on the process used to determine these issues.
1.8.4 Develop and Analyze Alternatives
In April 2009, the planning team met in Kotzebue for two days of discussion to develop a set of
draft alternatives, or management proposals, to address the issues. In November 2009, the
planning team finalized three alternatives that were presented to the regional director of the
Service and to the public for comment as part of the public review draft.
1.8.5 Prepare Draft Plan and Environmental Assessment
The Service produced a draft for public review, which described the alternatives (including no
action) for managing the Selawik refuge during the next 15 years. To comply with NEPA, the
Service prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) that was published as part of the draft
comprehensive plan. The EA described an analysis of the potential effects of implementing
each alternative and described how the Service selected the preferred alternative. The public
review draft also described management direction that would stay the same no matter which
alternative was implemented. The draft was announced in the Federal Register on October
21, 2010 (Vol. 75, No. 203, pg. 65026), mailed to over 3,000 interested individuals or
organizations, and posted on the Internet. Refuge staff visited communities within and near
the Selawik refuge to listen to people’s comments. The Service provided a 145-day public
review and comment period (Federal Register Vol. 76, No. 17, pg. 4719). Approximately 40
comments were received.
1.8.6 Prepare and Adopt a Final Plan
The planning team reviewed and summarized all public comments on the draft comprehensive
plan, modified the document as needed, and developed this final comprehensive plan. A
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed by the regional director in May 2011. A
Notice of Availability of the final comprehensive plan was published in September 2011 in the
Federal Register, and the full document, summary, and FONSI were posted to the Internet
and distributed.
1.8.7 Implement Plan, Monitor, and Evaluate
The Service and the refuge staff will work with partners to implement the final comprehensive
plan (Chapter 5). A critical component of implementing this management direction is
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-21
monitoring. Monitoring is defined as measuring and assessing resource and social conditions
to make sure that progress is being made toward meeting refuge purposes, goals, and
objectives. Monitoring should be used to determine if the methods used to implement the
comprehensive plan are effective in meeting management objectives for the Selawik refuge.
The refuge applies an adaptive management approach in which information and experience
learned from monitoring are used to evaluate and modify both methods of implementation and
objectives as needed.
1.8.8 Review and Revise the Plan
The Selawik refuge staff will periodically review the comprehensive plan to assess the need for
changes (Chapter 5). The Service will revise it when new information becomes available, when
ecological conditions change, or when an important need becomes evident. If major changes
are proposed, public meetings may be held and a NEPA process initiated if required.
Consultation with appropriate State agencies, Native governments, and other organizations
would occur during any future revisions. Full review and revision of the comprehensive plan
will occur approximately every 15 years. The refuge staff will continue to inform and involve
the public throughout implementation and monitoring by reporting its activities at community
meetings and by mailing updates and newsletters.
1.9 Planning Issues
The planning team identified eight major planning issues. Several methods were used during
scoping to identify issues: a public open house, comment card mailing (i.e., two-page worksheet,
return postage paid), visits to local communities, interviews with village elders and other
knowledgeable citizens, and internal discussions by the planning team and refuge staff. The
issues are problems, concerns, opportunities, or unsettled matters that could be addressed in a
variety of ways. The Service objectively considered a wide range of approaches to address each
issue. The goals, objectives, and management direction described in the final comprehensive
plan provide the refuge manager with appropriate guidance for addressing the issues.
The planning team identified a broad range of topics underlying potential issues. This bulk of
information was refined and clarified during working meetings. Concise statements were
written by a subcommittee to summarize the key issues.
1.9.1 How will the refuge protect fish, wildlife, habitat, subsistence, and the wild
character of the refuge while addressing community needs?
When asked what they valued most about the refuge, people overwhelmingly mentioned either
subsistence or the refuge’s wild beauty, abundance of wildlife, and natural habitat. Many
people mentioned both subsistence and these other qualities. Considerable public interest
exists from many sectors of the public to maintain the refuge in its current state, which
includes unspoiled habitats, opportunities for subsistence activities, and experiences of
solitude and remoteness in a wild, natural setting. Many people did not favor increased
visitation to the refuge. Others commented on the need for local community and economic
development, including tourism, timber harvest, gravel mining, utilities, and energy options.
The high cost of living and lack of infrastructure in communities within and adjacent to the
refuge elevate the importance of this question. Opinions differed on community development
issues among both local and national publics.
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1-22 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
“It is a beautiful habitat and I subsistence [hunt and fish] frequently in the area.
Just keep it the way it is.”
Representative comments include:
“[The refuge] supports our livelihood—hunting caribou and moose, trapping, fishing,
and picking berries. … Preservation of how we use the land is of utmost importance.”
“Keep it wild.”
“We like its remote location and natural, safe environment for all the animals and
fish and also its abundance of wildlife.”
“… [I]t is imperative that the refuge continues to be an undisturbed and quiet retreat
for both species and people alike.”
“[Keep] it the way it is but [make] way for future work for roads and whatever is
planned for our lands.”
“I wouldn’t encourage ecotourism—at least that’s my view.”
“We don’t want to see more visitors on the refuge. We like it how it is.”
“Resource development issues should be addressed in the plan. For instance, does the
refuge have information on natural gas seeps in the area?”
“How we used to get logs for house, cache, or lumber is not the same anymore. The
regulations on harvesting live timber have completely ignored our way of harvesting
them. Now it requires a lot of work and gas to get a few logs, too far back from the
river and too few from one place.”
“Develop tourism with locals building, managing, and guiding tourists.”
“Is it possible to lay fiber-optic cable across the Refuge to improve the region’s
broadband capability?”
1.9.2 How will the refuge address long-term transportation needs in the region and
access to refuge lands?
None of the communities in the Northwest Arctic Borough are linked by road, and no roads
connect this region to the rest of Alaska. Public discussion of road development in the region
has resurfaced recently in response to skyrocketing fuel costs and economic hardships in
outlying villages. Selawik, Noorvik, and Kiana are villages centrally located in the region and
within or adjacent to the refuge that would likely to be among the early targets for road
development, should it occur. Opinions on roads are divided. The refuge needs to explore
options for addressing future road development and its many ancillary effects.
During scoping, refuge staff and a non-governmental organization identified various forms of
motorized transportation such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and helicopters as a concern.
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-23
None of these forms of motorized transportation appear to be key issues at this time but have
potential to become issues in the future.
“I’d like to see a road from Kiana to Selawik, especially now that I’m getting old.”
Representative comments include:
“What about roads between the villages? We need roads between the villages to reduce
the cost of fuel.”
“I wouldn’t go for it, for roads connecting villages. There’s no point in connecting
Noorvik, Kiana, and Selawik. What purpose would we use these roads for?”
“For safety, roads would be good between the villages. Early and late in the winter
people still try to travel when the conditions are dangerous. We’ve fought roads for so
long, but maybe it would be good.”
“Regarding helicopters, we strongly support prohibitions on recreational helicopter
access in all refuges in Alaska including Selawik.”
“[We] strongly urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restrict jet ski use on
Selawik refuge and believe jet skis should not be allowed on Alaskan refuges.”
1.9.3 How will the refuge maintain fish and wildlife populations?
Considerable support for maintaining fish, wildlife, and their habitats was expressed in the
comments. Several people mentioned wildlife as what they valued most about the refuge,
while others listed wildlife management as an important future issue facing the refuge. Other
comments addressed changes in the caribou migration, the need for additional research on fish
and wildlife, and protection of sheefish. The most frequently mentioned wildlife concern was
management of the beaver population. Many people in Selawik believed the local beaver
population was too high, and some wanted the refuge to take a more active role in managing
this animal. With the State of Alaska and other partners, the refuge will explore ways to
address this concern.
“Wildlife understandings [are important to me]—about how the local animals live,
[how to] help predict game declines, and research why.”
Representative comments include:
“Caribou migration routes keep changing.”
“[I’m] concerned about the possibility of overharvesting sheefish.”
“Will there be wildlife left for our grandchildren?”
“We have too many beaver. They are blocking creeks and polluting water. We have
too many. We’ve been complaining to young hunters that they need to harvest them.”
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1-24 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
“Control the beaver population. The beaver is affecting the Selawik River fish and
spawning areas, damming the lakes and rivers, and polluting the water….”
“We’re getting more and more beaver. It’s hard to say what Fish and Wildlife Service
should do about beaver. It would be good to clear out those close to the village—that’s
the only source of water around here and we need to keep it clean.”
1.9.4 How will the refuge maintain quality hunting opportunities and experiences
within the refuge boundary?
The conflict between non-local hunters and subsistence hunters is a serious and longstanding
concern in the northwest Arctic region. This conflict is a complicated problem, involving social
and cultural values and other components related to hunter access, hunting opportunity, and
the timing and routes of migrating caribou. With the exception of one particularly troublesome
year, the conflict tends to be less intense on Selawik refuge lands than in other more heavily
hunted parts of the region. Nonetheless, it remains a serious concern to the Service, local
residents, and subsistence hunters who use refuge lands.
State and Federal agencies have attempted to address this complex issue for years with mixed
results. Past management actions in one part of the region frequently displaced the conflict to
another part of the region. A multi-stakeholder group, the GMU 23 Working Group (Working
Group), formed in 2008 to address the issue on a region-wide basis in a deliberate and
coordinated way aided by a facilitator. The Working Group held its fifth official meeting in
May 2010, completing the initial phase of its work and meeting its original objectives. At the
end of the final meeting, group consensus was to continue informally meeting once a year to
maintain communication (GMU 23 Working Group 2010). Because the Selawik refuge was a
participant in phase one, the Service supported funding a second phase of the Working Group
for a period of one to four years. The second phase was funded by the partners, and the
Working Group met in May 2011. The new role and objective of the Working Group is to
closely review and provide suggestions on agency management plans in the region.
During public scoping, many people expressed concern about the numbers of non-local
hunters, lack of limits on transporters, and impacts of big game hunting guides on subsistence
hunters. One person requested a prohibition on hunting on the refuge, another person
expressed concern that non-local hunters were being unreasonably restricted in their hunting
on the refuge, and some expressed interest in a muskoxen hunt on the refuge.
“Too many fly-in hunters”
Representative comments include:
“There should be a limit on the number of clients a transporter can take.”
“Transporter issues should be addressed. The agencies should look at transporter
concession areas, like the big game guides have. Give them a concession area that
they have motivation to treat well. The guides seem to do a good job; it’s the
transporters who create problems.”
“Aircraft interfere with the caribou migration and turn them back. Caribou are very
touchy—the first herd migrating is very touchy.”
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Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-25
“Hunting guides are the biggest issue. It only takes one operator to ruin the whole
[caribou] migration by moving them away from local hunters. Residents are
restricted to areas they can access by boat, so if a guide messes it up, it’s really bad for
the whole community.”
“The double standard of allowing unlimited harvest of wildlife by Native hunters
while excluding non-Native hunters through limited permits and denied access has
made the area of little value to most Americans.”
“We appreciate the Refuge’s active participation in the Game Management Unit
(GMU) 23 Working Group and ongoing efforts to resolve user conflicts through this
interagency cooperative process.”
“I would like to be able to hunt lone bull musk ox in the Selawik River basin—
excellent meat and a useful skin.”
1.9.5 How will the refuge address local public use needs on the refuge, including
trails, shelter cabins, the Singauruk (Siŋiaġruk) Bridge, and the Hot Springs?
Several established winter trails cross the refuge that link Selawik to Buckland, Noorvik,
Kiana, Ambler, and Shungnak. With no roads in the area, these trails serve as the ��highways”
of the region, providing critical transportation routes for subsistence activities and inter-village
travel. Many are heavily travelled from fall freeze-up to spring break-up. Maintaining
the trail markers and the emergency shelter cabins (Figure 1-7) along these routes is an
annual demand involving numerous individuals and communities and coordination by the
Northwest Arctic Borough. Many comments were received during the scoping process on the
marking of existing trails and the maintenance of shelter cabins on the refuge. Other
comments suggested possibilities for additional marked trails and shelter cabins.
Several comments expressed concern about the design or location of the Singauruk (Siŋiaġruk)
Bridge, which spans a major stream on the Noorvik to Selawik winter trail (Figure 1-8).
Designed for snowmachine use, the bridge was built by the Selawik refuge and Northwest
Arctic Borough to traverse an area with chronic overflow and open water. For several
reasons, the bridge is not as useful as had been hoped, largely because the approaches are too
narrow and too steep.
The Hot Springs, located at the far eastern edge of the refuge, is an important public use area
for local residents. Several comments expressed the need for cabin improvements at the Hot
Springs, better trail marking, and an improved trash disposal system.
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1-26 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Figure 1-7. Shelter cabins, such as this one at Paniqsiġvik, contribute to public safety by providing winter
travelers with emergency protection from stormy or cold weather.
“Have GPS coordinates for the winter trails and have those available on a website so
residents can download a map and important coordinates.”
Representative comments include:
“I have concerns about the conditions of the shelter cabins. I want users of the cabins
to be more respectful of cabin conditions (e.g., how they leave the cabin when finished
there). Cabins are important resources for winter travelers.”
“I’d recommend permanent markers for the trails. Just putting little pieces of spruce
or willow isn’t enough.”
“A trail south of Selawik to winter hunting area might be a good idea.”
“The [Siŋiaġruk] bridge has too much arc. It’s hard to get up with a loaded sled, and
[the sled load] pushes you down on the other side. [It] needs to be about 150 feet
further downstream.”
“We could use more stakes on the Hot Springs trail. Sometimes it gets real stormy on
the tundra and people get lost.”
“The cabins at Hot Springs are getting old and rotten. It would be good to fix them up.”
“Need a good incinerator at the Hot Springs so bears and other animals won’t get
into it.”
Chapter 1: Introduction
Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan 1-27
Figure 1-8. The Singauruk (Siŋiaġruk) Bridge along the Noorvik-Selawik winter trail spans a major stream
that often has overflow or open water.
1.9.6 How will the refuge monitor and address the effects of climate change?
Climate change was frequently mentioned in the scoping comments as one of the most important
issues facing the refuge in the future. Both the local and national publics seem to be well aware
of the change occurring in the Arctic and its implications for humans and wildlife alike. As one
of only a few refuges north of the Arctic Circle, the Selawik refuge is situated to experience the
direct impact of these changes. Though uncertain, predicted changes for the refuge include
warmer temperatures, especially in winter; a longer growing season; thawing permafrost;
drying wetlands; increased precipitation but drier conditions due to warmer temperatures; and a
possible increase in fire frequency and intensity. Public scoping comments on climate change
were a mix of personal observations of environmental change, requests for continued monitoring
of changes, and interest in information exchange and outreach.
“Climate change has been observed. Less snow has really reduced hunting due to poor
traveling conditions these last couple of years. Birds seem to be coming later and
leaving more suddenly.”
Representative comments include:
“Things are a lot different now. We don’t have the cold weather we used to. We don’t
have the storms. When I was a boy going to school, we used to have deep, deep drifts.
We used to have cold spells for two to t