Located in the Heart of Juneau in Áak'w Ḵwáan Territory on the ancestral lands of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples, a roughly 5,000-acre wetlands complex and public refuge supports an abundance of species. Taashuyee-Chookan.aani/Mendenhall Wetlands is a globally recognized Important Bird Area, a State Game Refuge, and a stop along the Southeast Alaska Birding Trail. However, the wetlands have long been under threat by the heavily debated Juneau Douglas North Crossing—a major development project that would cut through the wetlands.
Here are two events coming up in the Juneau area with information on supporting or learning more about Taashuyee-Chookan.aani.
Public Lands Pint Night
When: 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4
Where: Forbidden Peak Brewery, 11798 Glacier Highway, Juneau
Hosted by the Alaska chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and nationally presented by onX Hunt, the Public Lands Pint Night will celebrate Southeast Alaska Land Trust's (SEALT) landmark work to map Juneau’s tidelands with the release of the Public Lands Pale Ale. SEALT has been updating the 1979 maps created for the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge and used in its 1990 Management Plan. These new maps will provide an up-to-date understanding of habitat types, vegetation communities, and the effects of post-glacial uplift on the Refuge and the surrounding wetlands complex.
And since it’s Public Lands Month, attendees can try the newly released Forbidden Peak's BHA brew—Public Lands Pale Ale! Sip and swap stories with fellow hunters, anglers, and conservationists.
Second Crossing Public Forum
When: 6 p.m. on Monday, September 23
Where: Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall, 320 W. Willoughby Avenue, Juneau
This is the big one. Territorial Sportsmen is hosting a community-wide public forum on the Juneau Douglas North Crossing in downtown Juneau where folks can Learn about the impacts of a second crossing across the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge to hunting, fishing, recreation, wildlife and fish habitat, migratory birds and scenic open space beloved by residents and visitors. Participating agencies and organizations will include Alaska Department of Fish & Game, US Fish & Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southeast Alaska Land Trust, Audubon Alaska, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, and Southeast Alaska Conservation Council. Agencies and affinity groups will be allowed time to speak. DOWL, the engineering consultant company that has been overseeing the Juneau Douglas North Crossing Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study, has again delayed the release of the final Level 2 screening, and therefore the public comment period is also delayed.
To learn more about Taashuyee-Chookan.aani and Juneau Douglas North Crossing and PEL study, read “The Second Crossing and Southeast Alaska’s Mendenhall Wetlands Important Bird Area” or explore SEALT and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s fantastic StoryMap on Taashuyee-Chookan.aani/Mendenhall Wetlands.
