Sitka Spruce

Picea Sitchensis

Pinaceae (Pine family)

Sitka Spruce is the Alaska state tree, it's also largest species of tree in the state. It is found along middle to low elevations along the pacific coast, stretching from Alaska to California. They can grow up to 160ft, with a diameter of 5ft. The Sitka Spruce is closely related to the white spruce found in the interior. The two trees frequently hybridize, creating what’s known as the Lutz or Roche Spruce.

Leaves: Needles can be bluish-green or yellowish-green, growing up to 1 inch. The needles are sharp and stiff. One way of identifying a Sitka Spruce is to grab the needles; because the needles point out of every side of the branch grabbing it will hurt.

Cones: 2-3 ½ inches long; cylindrical, reddish-brown color. Cones open and fall when they become mature.

Bark: Less than 1 inch thick, grayish brown color.

Preadators: The Sitka Spruce is host to a number of insects including White Pine Weevil, Spruce Aphid, Spruce Beetle and Root-Collar Weevil. The tree is also damaged by Squirrels, Deer, Bear, Porcupines, rabbits and hares.

Native Alaskans believed the sharp needs of the spruce gave it strong protective powers against evil thoughts. The bark was eaten or made into cakes mixed with berries. The Makah ate the raw shoots. The shoots are a good source of vitamin C. The Nuxalk used the inner bark as a laxative. The pitch was used to treat skin irritations, colds, syphilis, gonorrhea, sore throats, toothaches, rheumatism and swelling. The roots of the Sitka spruce were used to make hats and baskets.

Sitka Spruce wood is very strong, and makes a high quality lumber. The wood is considered valuable and used for ladders, pianos, oars, guitar faces, and turbine blades for energy conversion; boats, mast, and construction components of experimental aircraft.

Resources:

Plants of The Pacific Northwest Pojar & Mackinnon

USDA Forest Service

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_1/picea/sitchensis.htm

Alaska Division of Community Advocacy

http://www.dced.state.ak.us/oed/forest_products/forest_products5a.htm

Borealforest.org

http://www.borealforest.org/world/trees/sitka_spruce.htm

Wagon Road

Wagon Road
Date: 6*1*09
Time: 1:00 -3:45 p.m.
Weather: 65, Sunny, with a light wind

Plants seen on the trip:
Wild Celery
Northern Yarrow
Mountain Harebell
Pink Pyrola, Wintergreen
Alder
Cottonwood Willow
Broomrape Ground Cone
Devil’s Club
Dogwood
Blue Berry
Alpine Heudnera
Horsetail
Baneberry
Salmonberry
Twisted stock
Fireweed
Goats Beard
Catkens
Monkshood
Sitka Burnet

Insects/other things we seen on our trip:
Moose Tracks
Markings from a bear on a tree
Dongles Squirrel
Birds
Moose Poop
Bear Poop
Tons of Mosquito

On this trip I enjoyed it a lot I really did. It was really nice that day, we seen a lot of different thing such as plants and everything. I would have to so far that day was the most fun for me it really was. I hope that we will be able to have more trips like the one we had that day.

Wagaon Road Trail

7/1/09 12:30pm-3:30pm
Partly cloudy, 65 degrees & breezy.

Mammals:
Moose Tracks & Scat
Bear markings on tree.
Bear Scat
Douglas Squirrel
Humans left sunglasses & a dryer sheet.

Insects:
Mosquito
Fly
Moth
Lady Beetle

Birds:
Tundra swans along the road.
Birds chirping.

Plants:
Northern Yarrow
Mountain Hairbell
Alder
Willow
Cottonwood
Devils Club
Pink Pyrola Wintergreen
Dogwood
Sitka Spruce
Lady Fern
Blueberry
Salmonberry
Broom Rate Ground Comb
Alpine Heuchera
Ostrage Fern
Stinging Nettle
Large Leaf Avens
Fire Weed
Meadow Rue
Horse Tail
Goats Beard
Wild Geranium
Monks Hood
Columbine
Sitka Burnet
Lichen
Baneberry
Watermelonberry

We've been lucky, as far as the weather goes...

You guessed it; it was another beautiful day for a hike! The wagon road was originally a pack trail that became part of Richardson Highway. Today it's a beautiful hiking trail. As we were walking through the first part of the trail we noticed a large dead Sitka Spruce that took the trees sourrounding down with it, when it fell. We walked over the trees & up a steep, narrow incline; it was nice & flat at the top. There were alot of mosquitos, as usual. One of the facinating things about the tree is they appear dead execpt for the tops of the tree. This is because there is very little light at the lower part of the woods. Many other plants flourish with only a small amount of light. A bear marked up a Sitka Spurce with it's claws. We also saw bear & moose scat. A douglas Squirrel chattered at us, but I thoguht it was a bird at first. We had a nice long hike along the beautiful & peaceful trail. This was a relaxing hike for me & I felt great after we finished.

Labrador Tea

Rhododendron groenlandicum. Also known as Ledum groenlandicum.

Family: Heath(Ericaceae)

Habitat: South Eastern, South Central & Central Alaska. It's also found in other parts of North America & Greenland.

Description: Small slow growing evergreen shrub, with leaves similar in appearance to rosemary. The leaves are small with dots on top and have a rusty hairy underside. The leaves have a aromatic odor. The flowers are white and have five petals with long stamens. The fruit is a dry, hairy capsule holding many seeds. The fruit is in clusters of five.

Predators: Caribou and moose eat the twigs. Humans use the leaves to make tea. It can also be a host to a fungus called spruce needle rust.

Labrador Tea leaves can be used to make tea, but should be drank in moderation. In large doses the tea acts as a diuretic & will cause intestinal problems. First nation’s people used Labrador tea to treat dizziness, headaches, stomachaches, colds, kidney problems & asthma. It was also used for burns, dandruff, dry skin & head lice. This tea has been know to cause drowsiness is some people, but has a relaxing effect on others. The nutrients found in Labrador tea are copper, thiamin, vitamin c, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, vitamin d, vitamin e, calcium, sodium, pantothenic acid, carbohydrates and fiber.

It is important not to confuse Labrador Tea with a similar looking plant called Trappers Tea. Trappers Tea can be toxic, if consumed. Both species can be found in the same habitat. They can be distinguished by looking at the leaves. Trappers Tea leaves have a white hairy appearance, while Labrador Tea has a rusty hairy appearance.

Resources:

Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast By, Pojar & Mackinnon

Alaskan Wildflowers By, Verna E. Pratt

Naturalstandard.com
http://www.naturalstandard.com/index-abstract.asp?create-abstract=/monographs/herbssupplements/labradortea.asp

nutrograph.com
http://nutrograph.com/7186-tea-tundra-herb-and-laborador-combination-alaska-native

Alberta Plant Watch
http://plantwatch.fanweb.ca/plant-information/labrador-tea

Topmsnon Pass, an Glacier

12:45pm
6/24/09
light breeze, with partly sunny.

glacier:
Alders
River beauty
Dwarf firewood
Unknown yellow plant with darker small green leaves, low to the ground
the glacier, silt in the water
streams/ water falls

On the road:
Alders
Fire weed
Willows
Coastal yellow paintbrush
golden crown sparrow
snow potential
mount avens
crowberrys
lichen's
mountain hair bell
blueberry's
yellow spotted saxifrage
mountain heather
glaucous gentiran

I couldn't believe that the glacier was so big an yet it was so small.
I enjoyed the hike to the glacier an the waking around.
I was surprised at how much plant life was at the glacier, an how Even thought there is new life it was so beautiful.

Alpine Arnica

Alpine Arnica

Also known as: Meadow Arnica, Lessing’s Arnica, Frigid Arnica, and angustifolia, angustifolius: This means (With narrow leaves).

Seen at: Thompson Pass

Family: Daisy, Aster, or Composite/ Asteraceae

Habitat: They like to live in dry alpine and sub-alpine slopes in the Eastern Alaska and Interior and Northern Alaska north of Fairbanks.
Blooming Time: June and July

Description: This plant can grow any where from 7-12” tall. With narrow pointed leaves that are sometimes somewhat wavy along the ends. This flower has 1- 3 sets of leaves, which are opposite and typically hairy. The Arnicas are big yellow daisy-type with broad ray flowers.

Worthington Glacier and Thompson Pass

Worthington Glacier & Thompson Pass

Date: 6/24/09
Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm
Weather: Sunny, with a breeze in the 40’s with some clouds.

Plants seen on the trip:
River Beauty
Willows
Pussy Toes
Yellow Spotted Saxifrage
Snow Potentilla
Crowberry
Mountain Harebell
Blueberry
Moss Campion
Lessings Arnica
Wooly Lousewort
Glaucous Gentan
Alp Lily

Insects/other things we seen on our trip:
Mosquito( Like always)
Flies
Bees
Lady Bug
Birds
Ground Squirrel

Worthington Glacier & Thompson Pass

6/24/09 13:30pm-3:30pm
Partly cloudy, windy with the temperature around 35-40 degrees.

Plants:
Willows
Alders
River Beauty
Chocolate Lilly
Coastal Yellow Paintbrush
Crowberry
Bearberry
Blueberry
Snow Potentilla
Labrador Tea
Yellow Spotted Saxifrage
Alp Lilly
Mountain Harebell
Moss Campion
Narcissus Flowered Anemone
Purple Shooting Star
Arctic Bluegrass
Spike Trisetum (Grass that I mistook for Alaska Bentgrass)
Several different kinds of lichen.

Insects:
Mosquito
Bee
Lady Bug
Fly

Birds:
Seagull
Magpie
Golden Crown Sparrow

Mammals:
Tourist
Arctic Ground Squirrel


It was beautiful day to go up to Worthington glacier & the pass. Our first stop was at Worthington Glacier. I was surprised by the number of seagulls around the area. There is a glacial lake, giving them a water source. Seagulls are also opportunistic when it comes to food, meaning that they will eat anything they find. There were tourist there & I'm sure the Seagulls were waiting for them to drop food or leave the dumpster open... The most surprising thing, for me was seeing how much the glacier has receded since the last time I was there. We walked toward the glacier to get a better look. There are a lot of cool rocks that have been deposited by the glacier. The rock is called schist & has a layered/flaky look. On our way back from the glacier, we spotted some grasses next to the alders & willows. I thought one grass was Alaskan Bentgrass, but did some research when I got home & I'm pretty sure it was actually Spike Trisetum. The other grass I was unable to identify is Artic Bluegrass. I reasearched it when I got home as well.

As we were stopping along the pass an arctic ground squirrel ran in front of the car. Luckily we did not harm the squirrel. We also saw a Golden Crown Sparrow. Thompson pass is so beautiful, words can't describe how amazing the veiw is. We were at about 2678ft, so it was cool & windy. We identified three types of berries. There are some interesting lichen that live there as well. One of the lichens is black & looks like hair. There is an interesting varity of plant life on the pass. I'd have to say the berrries are my favorite & I'm looking foward to going berry picking, when they ripen.

pink wintergreen pyrola

this plant cal be up to 10-20 cm tall grows in mild latitudes, and has several flowers on one base, the leaves surround an bunch near the base of the plan.
pink colored bells hang form several stems, the leaves maintain color all year long.
grows in forest mainly, this plant is also known as bog wintergreen
it Isa mainly a Ornamental plant which is admired for smell an decoration.

reproduce by pollen in the antenna stems inside the flowers.
The roots of Pink Wintergreen and other species of the genus Pyrola have symbiotic associations with soil fungi.
like mushrooms an lynches.
Because of the resemblance of the basal leaves of this plant to the leaves of a Pear Tree, Linnaeus gave it the name "Pyrola", a diminutive of "Pyrus", the Pear Tree.
bllom in june though august.

Black Bear

Ursus americanus

Black bears are the most common North American bear, living in forested areas. They are also the smallest of North American bears.

Black bears are 2-3 tall feet at the shoulders and 4-6 feet long from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Males are larger than females and weigh 300 lbs or more.

The Black bear has a 20-25 year lifespan.

The color of black bears can range from black to white. On Kermode Island and in British Columbia the bears go through a phase were their fur is a creamy white color. Black, brown and cinnamon are the three most common colors in Alaska. Some bears have a patch of white fur on their chest.

Black bears can be distinguished from brown bears by looking at their facial profile, claws and body shape. They have a straight profile, with larger more pointy ears than a brown bear. Black bear claws and prints are smaller than a brown bear. Brown bears are larger than black bears and have a distinctive hump on their back.

Male & female black bears will not tolerate each other, unless it’s time to breed. In fact black bears are solitary; mothers with cubs are the only exception. Mating occurs in June & July. The fertilized egg does not implant in the uterus and begin to develop until the fall. This is called delayed implantation and ensures that the cubs are born when they have a greater chance of surviving. This delay prevents cubs from being born at the beginning or middle of winter, when food is scarce. The gestation period is seven months. One to four cubs are in a littler. The cubs are born blind, mostly hairless & weigh .4kg. When the cubs come out of their den in May, they weigh about 2.3 kg (5 lbs) and have very fine fur. The cubs spend their first year with their mother.

Black bears spend the winter months hibernating. Their metabolism slows down, their body temperature drops and the bears sleep, but can be woken. Bears have been known to occasionally come out of their dens in the winter. This is very rare and only happens in the southern parts of Alaska.

Bears are omnivores, eating grass, berries, roots, mammals, bird eggs, fish, and insects. Bears are very opportunistic, eating whatever they can find. This is why it’s so important, to put garbage in its proper place & never leave food sitting out. Bears can easily be conditioned to look to humans for food, which is not a good situation for the bears or people.

Black bear cubs could be at a slight risk of being killed by cougars & wolves, but both adults and cubs are most likely to be killed by humans. The best hunting areas for black bears in Alaska are in Prince William Sound.

Resources:

mountainnature.com How do you distinguish a black bear from a grizzly bear?
http://www.mountainnature.com/wildlife/Bears/BearID.htm

nationalgeographic.com Mammals; black bear.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/black-bear.html

Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Black bear fun facts.
http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=funfacts.blackbear
Black Bear
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/biggame/blkbear.php

Defendersofwilidlife.com Black bear information.
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/black_bear.php

River Beauty

River Beauty
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Also known as: Broad-leaved Willowherb/ Dwarf Fireweed
Related to: Fireweed, Evening Primrose/ Onagraceae
Habitat: Streams or rivers on slops of mountains all over Alaska
Blooming Time: July and August
Description: The River Beauty can get up to anywhere to 20”. Their leaves are grayish green color, they have four sepals that are pointed and are a purplish color. They also have four bright pink petals that are ovate which give it a symmetrical shape, because they have all equal sizes. They say that is flower is very rarely white are light pink

Resources:

Alaskan Wildflowers by: Verna E.Pratt

12 Mile and Valdez Glacier

12 Mile
Date: 6/15/2009
Time: 12:30p.m – 2- p.m
Temperature: About 65 It was a beautiful sunny day, with some clouds.


Plants we seen on our trip:
Sitka Alder
Broomrape Ground Cone
Black Cotton Wood
Sitka Spruce
Mountain Avens
Sidebells Pyrola
Coastal Reindeer
False Pixie Cup
Willow Tree
Elegant Goldenrod
Pink Pyrola, Wintergreen
Eskimo Potato
River Beauty

Insects/other things we seen on our trip:
Convergent Lady Beetle
Moth
Bees
Fly
Again Tons of Mosquito
Poop (dog maybe)


Valdez Glacier

Date: 6/15/09
Time: 3:00p.m – 3:40p.m
Temperature: About 50’s maybe 60’s, Still it was a beautiful sunny day, with some clouds.


Plants we seen on our trip:
River Beauty
Sitka Alder
Willow Tree
Elegant Goldenrod
Dwarf Willow
Arctic Willow
Pea


Birds/ Other thing just seen on our trip:
(2) Tundra Swans with babies
Eagle
Black Bear Cub (So very cute)

The different things that I had seen between the two places was for one at 12 mile there was rocks everywhere as there was at the Glacier as while. But there was no water there; to me it seemed as if all the wildflowers and trees were growing out of the rocks. Between both places there was the same wildflowers and trees, I didn’t see much deference there at all.

I would have to say that my all time favorite thing on this trip would have to be seeing the little baby cub. That was the very first time I have ever seen a bear it was so cute. But I guess we should have known that we might have seen a bear, because I did over hear you say that there were signs of bears. I just think that its crazy that there are bears just walking around like that and I got to see it for the first time ever. That’s so cool!

12 minle an valdez glacier

60 degrees out at 12 mile,
sunny
slight breeze
6-15-09

12 Mile
plants
animal skat, of wild an domain animals
Sitka spruce
bloom rape ground cone
mountain Adler
black Cotton wood Michel found
false pixy cup
coastal reindeer
side bells pyrola
orange mushroom
willow trees Atlas 3 kinds
elegant goldenrod
mountain sage wort
pink wintergreen
northern yarrow
Eskimo potato or called bear root

Out at Valdez glacier
55 degrees,
slightly breezy
plants:
tones of water
Adler trees
willow tree
fireweed
dwarf willow
Eskimo potato
Arctic willow
purple beach pea
dwarf fire weed/ river beauty
single delight shy median
northern goldenrod
kill Deva
animals:
black bear,
animal diggings bear

some similarity's that i found were out at 12 mile it was much dryer an a lot of diff rent vegetation's like likens, an trees , but not a lot of wild flowers. The two places had alot of same plants, but it also has differences between the places.
Some of the differences i noticed was the vegetation by the glacier was less but more wild an the trees grew more out there an at 12 mile, but were fairly younger than anywhere else.
It was also wonderful to notice the water.
Very peaceful, an it was quiet. The black bear was a cub only this year.
but out at 12 mile the ground was covered by moss an a thin Lear of dirt. It has a lot of gravel an rocks.

12 Mile & Valdez Glacier

6/15/2009 12:30pm - 3:00 pm
Sunny with a temperature around 65 at 12 mile. The temperature was 55-60 with a light breeze at the glacier.

Plants:
Black Cottonwood
Sitka Alder
Sitka Spruce
Broomrape Ground Cone
False Pixie Cup
Lichens
Willow
Elegant Goldenrod
Mountain Sagewart
Northern Yarrow
Eskimo Potato (Bear Root)
Arctic Willow
Dwarf Fireweed
Red Fescue
Insects:
Mosquito
Bee
Fly
Convergent Lady Beetle
Birds:
Immature Eagle
Tundra Swan with fledglings.
Bird chirping.
Mammals:
Humans left trash.
Canine feces.
Black bear cub.


Yesterday was a beautiful day to be out. Our first stop was at a trail just off the road at 12 mile. The first thing I noticed was the canine feces that I almost stepped in. The feces were from both wild & domestic canines. The ground was dry & rocky, with a lot of lichens. There were also a lot of cottonwood, Sitka Alders, Sitka Spruce and Willow along the path. Did you know that Alaska has 27 different species of willow? Alaska also has 25 spices of mosquito. The mosquitoes were out in full force yesterday. Surprisingly I didn't get bit.

On the drive from 12 mile to Valdez Glacier we saw a Tundra Swan with fledglings in a pond. As we were arriving at the glacier I spotted a immature bald eagle flying over us. The water from the glacier is gray and cloudy. This is caused by glacial silt, which is formed as the glacier moves over rocks breaking them down. You could think of it as rock dust. We found the same plants growing near the glacier as at 12 mile. This is due to the similarities between the two areas. They both have very rocky, thin soil. The rocks were left by glaciers as the moved along the ground. It's amazing that so many plants thrive on rock! These are also moist areas and the plants we found do well in a moist environment. The plants we identified also like low to middle elevations, which is another reason we found the same plants at both places.

This was an enjoyable trip. The best part for me happened as we were leaving the glacier. As we drove past the shooting range one of my classmates spotted a black bear cub. We backed the van up to get a look at the cub. Staying in the van, we watched the cub for a moment as he/she tried to get into the dumpster. We did not see mama bear, but know she was close. Mother bears are extremely protective of their cubs, just because you don't see her with the cub does not mean she does not see you.