Humans are bedazzled by gold and driven to unearth this precious metal. Alaska had the well-known Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800s, but few people realize that there are still active mining claims. The glory days may be gone, but the living heritage persists. Miners are rather industrious and their equipment powerful. These extractive processes, as one can imagine, have an effect on the hydrology, water quality, plant communities, wildlife, soils, and overall ecology. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has started to employ the Assessment Inventory Monitoring (AIM) program to better understand these impacts and quantify the reclamation progress. AIM was originally developed for BLM grazing lands throughout the western region and are now being adapted for the Alaskan landscape. We received training in Chicken, AK and then completed our first assessments up the Dalton Highway. This past week Brad Casar, Soil Scientist of Homer Soil & Water Conservation District, fellow CLM Intern Sam Snodgrass, and I went into the White Mountains to examine gold mine reclamation sites in varying stages. Sam and I focused on the vegetation assessments using the point-line intercept method to determine cover and species diversity. It was a productive and full week with some of our own golden moments. We feasted on wild berries, viewed bumble bees lapping up sugar excretions from aphids, and fell asleep to the sound of a waterfall.

A water color inspired by mountain experiences.

So many wild berries including this blueberry plump and juicy for the picking!

Active mining area with remnant structures from older claims

Conducting AIM across this landscape of early seral species.

A mosquito prepared Sam Snodgrass amidst Alaska Rhubarb, Polygonum alaskanum, going to seed.

A scenic outhouse on one of the mining claims.

Fellow CLM Intern Sam Snodgrass presenting two bouquets of flower to a miner, one highlighting native forbs and one to discourage non-native invasive plants.

Sphagnum moss with sporophytes.

A bumble bee lapping up the sugary excretions of the aphids.