Sample Refuge and Management District Descriptions
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Description Kodiak is a rugged, beautiful island on the coast of southwestern Alaska. Established in 1941, the refuge provides habitat for brown bear, salmon and other wildlife. Kodiak's scenery is magnificent- rugged mountains, hundreds of miles of shoreline, lakes, marshes, bogs, and meadows. Four-thousand-foot mountains rise from the sea accented with fjord like inlets. Lush vegetation blankets the mountains ranging from sedges, alders, and spruce to colorful wildflowers and berries. The 1.9 million-acre Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge roughly encompasses the southwestern two-thirds of Kodiak Island, Uganik Island, the Red Peaks area on northwestern Afognak Island, and all of Ban Island. No place on the refuge is more than 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Without roads, the refuge provides a wilderness setting for fish, wildlife, and humans alike. The refuge is home to an estimated 2,300 brown bears, and at least 600 nesting pairs of bald eagles. More than 250 species of birds live upon or visit the refuge, while more than 1.5 million seabirds overwinter in nearshore waters surrounding Kodiak Island. The refuge also provides spawning and rearing habitat for all five North American species of Pacific salmon. Salmon produced on the refuge make up approximately 65 percent of the total commercial harvest in the Kodiak Archipelago. Area Economy Table 7-11 shows the area economy for Kodiak NWR. The area population increased by 11 percent from 2001 to 2011, compared with a 14 percent increase for Alaska and a 9 percent increase for the U.S. as a whole. Area employment increased by 11 percent from 2001 to 2011, with Alaska showing a 13 percent increase and the U.S. a 6 percent increase. Per capita income in the area increased by 9 percent over the 2001-2011 period, while Alaska and the U.S. increased by 11 and 5 percent respectively. Table 7-11. Kodiak NWR: Summary of Area Economy, 2011 (Population & Employment in 000’s; Per Capita Income in 2011 dollars) Population
Employment
Per Capita Income
Percent change 2001-2011
2011
Percent change 2001-2011
295.6
12%
202.2
11%
$50,958
9%
13.9
1%
10.1
7%
$43,951
25%
Borough Anchorage (Municipality) AK Kodiak Island (Borough) AK Area Total
2011
309.4
11%
212.3
11%
$50,644
9%
Alaska
722.7
14%
454.2
13%
$45,665
11%
311,591.9
9%
175,834.7
6%
$41,560
5%
United States
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce November 2012.
315
2011
Percent change 2001-2011