Kodiak refuge celebrates 75 years of wonder

The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, world-famous for the iconic Kodiak brown bear, celebrates its 75th anniversary on Friday.

For the past 7,500 years, Kodiak brown bears and people have co-existed on the Kodiak Archipelago. However, due to increasing pressure from civilization in the early 1900s, the Kodiak brown bear population started to decline. Charlie Madsen, who championed the guiding and trophy hunting industry around Kodiak, along with a group of concerned guides, hunters and anglers, came together to petition the protection of the Kodiak brown bear. As a result of their efforts, President Franklin D. Roosevelt set aside 1.987 million acres as the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in 1941.

The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge is now thriving with the world's densest population of brown bears thanks to the wise stewardship of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its collaboration with hunters, anglers, guides, conservation partners, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, community leaders and stakeholders.

"The service and refuge staff have been world leaders in developing active and effective management practices to conserve Kodiak's brown bears, which has resulted in the finest bear habitat in the world," said Vic Barnes, manager for the  Kodiak Brown Bear Trust.

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In honor of Charlie Madsen's contributions to the promotion of Kodiak and the refuge, a fiberglass statue, known as the "Madsen Bear," stands outside the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. The statue symbolizes the importance of the refuge to the community, its rich history and Kodiak brown bears. The refuge is currently undergoing a community fundraising project to rebuild the bear. The National Wildlife Refuge Association along with partners is supporting the fundraising effort to honor tradition.

Considered a crown jewel of the National Wildlife Refuge system, Kodiak encompasses entire ecosystems and species, making it globally important for species conservation.

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Kodiak's biodiversity includes rich glacial valleys, riparian wetlands, grasslands, shrub lands, spruce forests, tundra and alpine meadows. These habitats support more than 400 breeding pairs of bald eagles and an additional 250 species of fish, birds and mammals. The Fish and Wildlife Service has a long history of pioneering scientific research with partners and universities on bear-salmon interactions, climate change and resource management, which has led to world-class wildlife viewing opportunities for visitors.

The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge is an economic driver for local communities.

The refuge offers a wide variety of wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities for visitors and subsistence for local residents. With more than 65,000 visits annually, refuge visitors are able to fish, hunt, stay in public-use cabins, attend educational programs and photograph awe-inspiring wildlife.  Local business owners who depend on the bounty of the refuge agree.

"Refuge policy supports a variety of public use available on Kodiak refuge lands, including bear viewing, hunting and sport fishing," said Jo Murphy, co-owner and guide for Sea Hawk Air in Kodiak. "These popular outdoor activities promote enjoyment and understanding of the wilderness on Kodiak Island and its bears. It also adds to the local economy on the island in a multitude of ways."

From mid-July to mid-September, visitors travel from across the globe to see bears congregate and feast in any of the 117 salmon-spawning streams. These streams account for more than 65 percent of the total commercial salmon harvesting in Kodiak.

Throughout the year, hunters and anglers flock to Kodiak for Sitka blacktail deer hunts, trophy bear hunts and salmon fishing, which support a thriving, world-renowned outdoor guiding industry.

The 75th anniversary marks a very special time for the refuge and we know that as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, it will continue to thrive for future generations to enjoy and experience.

David Houghton is president of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will host a free community barbecue at the downtown Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, with guest speakers, live music, exhibits and activities for kids.

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