2024 was a busy year! While we can’t give you the full details of every project we hope this high level look will show off how our 6 local employees spent their time doing restoration and collecting data on our local landscape. If you read no further here’s a take home message : 6 crew members (including 3 members under the age of 21!) on over 12 different types of projects through the summer from a large number of grants and funders.
Terra Verde Partnership for Young Growth Stand Measurement
HNFP Crew had an opportunity to work on the second-growth inventory on Chichagof Island. This project visited stands that had been harvested to look at tree growth rates and the condition of the stand. This work “timber cruising” taught skills in traditional forestry techniques and then allowed the crew to work across the road system measuring stands. The data from this project will help the Tongass National Forest with new data on the stands to think about future management.
This work is was funded through a partnership through Terra Verde through the USFS Challenge Cost Share agreement.
In the image above the crew is training with members of Terra Verde to learn how to measure the trees and do timber cruising.
Stream Temperature
We have been increasing our stream stream temperature network that we established in 2019. In 2024, the crew added 6 more sites and changed how we deploy the sites. We are now deploying sites above and below stream confluences. Doing that will allow us to use our LiDAR stream layer to predict stream temperatures across the whole watershed.
The loggers for this work were funded with Diversity Grant through the USFS and the time to install them were through the EPA IGAP program.
Coho Work
In 2024 the HNFP Crew caught coho in minnow traps across the HNFP Study area. The goal of this is to have data to predict where the salmon are and are-not on the landscape. The hope is it improves on salmon distribution documentation through the Anadromous Waters Catalog.
This work was funded by the Tribal Wildlife Grant under the US Fish and Wildlife Service and supported by the Sealaska Intern Program
AOP Design and Construction
HIA and the US Forest Service have been working together to design new culverts in 17 places across the road system. In 2024, we worked through a contractor to high-accuracy survey data on 8 culverts that needed to be redesigned. We also finished the design on 5 more culverts and worked through a local contractor to build one more crossing. In 2025 the goal is to construction 10 crossings around Hoonah – 5 in Spasski and 5 in Game creek.
This work was funded under with CALr funding through the US Forest Service and a Good Neighbor Agreement.
Trail Clearing and Creation
The crew worked on clearing a portion of the Historic Spasski Trail from the Airport to the bottom of Craig’s Hill. After the trail was cleared they began hauling in gravel and improving the surface of the trail. The goal of this project to make a significant hiking trail near Hoonah that will also connect into the portion of the Spasski Trail extending from Craig’s Hill to Spasski Bay.
Funding for this work was provided by the City of Hoonah by approval of the City Council and will continue in 2025.
Blueberry Work
A survey in 2024 determined that Hoonah residents wanted to see more options for local berry picking. We took that concept and worked with the City of Hoonah to get approval to work on City Lands around the Spasski Historic trail to enhance conditions for blueberries. We do that by pruning back competing shrubs. Come look at work when you can!
This work was funded through Alaska Village Initiatives.
Wildlife Thinning
The HNFP crew has been working near Wukuklook since 2022 to thin a second-growth forest to make the habitat better for deer. The work is very physical, but the results is this : trees are thinned out to get more light to the forest floor and the light produced more food for deer. The trees that are left are able to grow more quickly and as they get bigger hold up more snow increasing the value of the landscape for winter deer habitat. In 2025, crews will start into a new 100 acre unit near Gypsum Creek.
This work is funded through a Good Neighbor Agreement with the US Forest Service.
Deer Cameras
In 2023, HIA Started to deploy game cameras across the Hoonah Road system with the goal of monitoring deer population. In 2024, we collected the images and sent them to the State of Alaska for analysis. We also deployed 10 more cameras to fill in gaps on the landscape. The goal of this project is to have long-term data on deer populations so we can track them for management regulations
This work is funded through a Good Neighbor agreement with the US Forest Service SASSi investments.
Stream Restoration
The HNFP seeks to complete a stream restoration project each year. In 2024 we complete hand-tool restoration that added sites above our 2017 and 2019 restoration reaches. Click the article below for the full write up!
This work was funded in partnership with Huna Totem Corporation with funding from the NRCS.
Tech Team Meeting
The Technical Team and Steering Committee met in April 2024 to discuss funding for the year, projects, and priorities. These yearly, in-person meetings are a key pieces of the HNFP and help us ensure we are meeting community needs and land manager needs.
Funds for this work were provided through the NRCS but also through partnering organizations sponsoring their own travel.
Sampled Deer Pellets for Food Analysis
The HNFP crew found fresh deer scat throughout the year to analyze for what the deer are eating. This partnership with the US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research station will give us a look at what deer are eating in young and old growth forests. Understanding that may help us improve conditions for deer through forest management treatments.
This work was funded under a Joint Venture Agreement with the USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station.
Snow Stations
We have been working on increasing the richness of weather data in Hoonah. These data will help Hoonah make better decisions on a variety of topics include landslide risk, climate change as it relates to fish and berries, and changes to our municipal and hydroelectric water supply which comes from the basin the stations are located in.
This work is funded under a Good Neighbor Agreement under the U.S. Forest Service.
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