Ruth Sensenig

Jacob Martin was interviewed on April 16, 2019 by Leslie McCartney and Katie Cullen at the offices of Bering Land Bridge National Preserve in Nome, Alaska. In this interview, Jacob talks about his observations of changes in the local environment, animal and fish populations, weather patterns, vegetation, and sea ice and comments on how these changes are effecting people and their subsistence lifestyle. He also talks about human adaptation and the development of Nome's Climate Adaptation Plan, and the need to create awareness about environmental change in the north to a broader audience.

This is the continuation of an interview with Jeanette Koelsch on April 18, 2019 by Leslie McCartney and Katie Cullen at her office at the headquarters of Bering Land Bridge National Preserve in Nome, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Jeanette continues to talk about her observations of environmental change in the region and the effect it is having on animal populations and humans who depend upon access to wild resources for their food. She also discusses concerns about environmental disaster, the need for monitoring and response, and future resource management challenges faced by the National Park Service. She empahsizes the need to educate a wider public about environmental change in the north, to better plan for human adaptation, and her role as advocate.

Emily Willis was interviewed on October 4, 2018 by Karen Brewster and Susannah Dowds at Emily's home in Skagway, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Emily talks about her work with herbal and medicinal uses of plants, and environmental changes she has observed while foraging in the woods and working in her backyard garden since moving to Skagway in 2002. She discusses the uses of specific plants, her harvesting and growing techniques, and changes in plants, trees, mushrooms, birds, weather conditions, and the length of the growing season.

Stan Selmer was interviewed on October 5, 2018 by Karen Brewster at his home in Skagway, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Stan talks about the development of and possible impacts of the Goat Lake Hydroelectric Project built in the 1990s as a way to provide more electricity to the community of Skagway, as well as the Dewey Lakes and Kasidaya Creek hydro projects. He also shares his observations of environmental change in Skagway from his childhood to the present, including: weather observations; winter temperatures, snowfall, and icing conditions; flooding and river water levels; cruise ship air pollution; wind; melting glaciers; trees; and warmer summer temperatures and drier conditions.

Carl Mulvihill was interviewed on October 5, 2018 by Karen Brewster at his home in Skagway, Alaska. In this interview, Carl talks about his observations of environmental and community change throughout his lifetime of living in Skagway, Alaska. He discusses changes in seasons, temperatures, and precipitation, changes in bird, fish and wildlife populations, and the melting of glaciers and warmer winters than when he was a boy. He also talks about invasive species, berries, gardening, increased presence of air pollution from cruise ships, pollution from ore and mineral transportation, and changes in environmental consciousness that have led to less ocean pollution and more efficient building construction and lower energy costs.

Andrew and Joanne Beierly were interviewed on October 5, 2018 by Karen Brewster at the Peniel Mission building in Skagway, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, the Beierlys talk about changes in the local environment they have observed in their close to 70 years of living in Skagway and their daily beach walks. They talk about changes in the bird, animal, and fish populations, the presence of different insect species and invasive plants, receding glaciers, and changes in the seasons, temperatures, and weather patterns. They also discuss the unusual large die-off and starvation of common murres that occurred in 2016.

Bea Lingle was interviewed on October 7, 2018 by Karen Brewster in Bea's room in her daughter, Kathy, and son-in-law's house in Skagway, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Bea shares her memories of growing up in Skagway in the 1930s and 1940s and how things have changed in terms of the weather, the temperatures, the amount of snow and ice in the winter, the wind, and the summer temperatures and precipitation. Bea also talks about changes in the growth of vegetation she has observed at her cabin in Carcross, the presence of various bird species, and the recent success of apple trees in Skagway. She also begins to discuss observations of environmental change in Dyea, Alaska.

Betsy Albecker was interviewed on October 9, 2018 by Karen Brewster at her home in Skagway, Alaska. In this interview, Betsy talks about the effects of environmental change that she has observed, including receding glaciers such as Laughton Glacier that she walked to when she was a kid, variation in plant species that succeed or fail in her garden, changes in the length of the growing season, warmer winters with less snow, and this summer’s hot and dry weather. She also talks about the successful growth of cedar trees that her mother planted at Nahku Bay, the effect of glacial rebound on the landscape, differences in insects, an increase in jellyfish, the disappearance of blue snails from the beaches, a decrease in birds, and changes in the frost, planting and harvesting seasons. On October 10, 2018, Betsy provided a tour of the Nahku Bay homestead and garden, including the cedar trees, apple trees, and her formerly productive garden space. Photos of this are included as the Betsy Albecker Slideshow.

Jeff and Dorothy Brady were interviewed on October 9, 2018 by Karen Brewster at their home in Skagway, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Jeff and Dorothy talk about their lives in Skagway and environmental changes they have observed over time in Skagway and Dyea. As an avid gardener, Dorothy talks about changes she has seen in the plants in her garden and the shifts in her gardening techniques and the effects of seasonal weather changes. As active outdoors people, both Jeff and Dorothy discuss their observations of winter and summer temperatures and precipitation, the timing of freeze-up and break-up, changes in wildlife, bird, tree, and plant populations, receding glaciers, changes in rivers and flooding, and effects on human infrastructure.

Elaine Furbish was interviewed on October 6, 2018 by Karen Brewster at the National Park Service’s restored Peniel Mission building in Skagway, Alaska. In this interview, Elaine talked about both her work as the Natural Resources Manager at Klondike National Historical Park and her research on and observations of environmental change during her twenty years of living in Skagway. Only the portion of the interview related to environmental change is included in the Observing Change in Alaska's National Park Project Jukebox. The full interview (ORAL HISTORY 2017-01-86) can be obtained through the UAF Oral History Office. In this part of the interview, Elaine talks about studying lichen to monitor for air quality, the need for scientitifc research and inventory and monitoring, the importance of citizen science projects, and some of the area's fire history and ecology. Elaine also discusses local air pollution from cruise ships and provides observations of environmental change, including a large seabird die-off in 2016, variation in winter and summer weather, appearance of different insects and bird species, and the shrinking of local glaciers.

Roy Ashenfelter was interviewed on February 4, 2020 by Leslie McCartney and Katie Cullen at the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve offices in Nome, Alaska. In this interview, Roy talks about growing up following a seasonal subsistence lifestyle and his observations of environmental change throughout his lifetime in the region. He discusses changes in sea ice, seals, seasonal timing, moose, caribou, vegetation, beavers, fish, permafrost, and pollution. He also talks about problems of accessing resources as the environment changes.

Howard Farley, Sr. was interviewed on February 5, 2020 by Leslie McCartney and Katie Cullen at the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve offices in Nome, Alaska. In this interview, Howard shares stories from his life living in Nome and talks about some of the changes he has observed in the community. He also discusses changes in fishing, reindeer herding, weather patterns, ocean temperature, crabs, sea ice, and industrial marine traffic. He also talks about his own subsistence activities, the history of the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race, and his involvement with local tourism.

Gay Sheffield was interviewed on February 6, 2020 by Leslie McCartney at the Northwest Campus of the University of Alaska in Nome, Alaska. In this interview, Gay talks about her observations of and scientific research on environmental change in the Nome region. She discusses changes in the marine ecosystem, ocean currents and water temperature, fish, seals, sea birds, biotoxins and algal blooms, weather patterns, sea ice, wind, and industrial marine traffic. She also talks about scientific surveys of the Bering Sea region, the importance of local knowledge, and concerns about impacts to subsistence and local food resources.