Coastal erosion claims both natural and cultural Don C.: this has been an resources and constructed assets. Coastal issue for a long time, but erosion is proceeding at an average of 20” (0.5 even now, we don’t have m)/year in some areas of CAKR and in BELA. the resources to mitigate Coasts in some communities are eroding much it, let alone do the more rapidly than this (tens of meters per year). HH surveys. Some constructed assets, historic and prehistoric Ken: Cultural resources sites will no longer be sustainable and will require potential loss could be triage to determine which to repair, relocate, mitigated through document, or abandon. Large areas of Alaska’s expanded archeological coastal parks lack needed surveys for data recovery archaeological sites. Burials and other human remains are exposed in some areas as cultural sites thaw and erode due H to changing hydrology, ice, snow, and permafrost thaw. Soil moisture declines due to rising soil temperature, increased evapotranspiration, thawing MH Soil permafrost, and natural drainage. Ken: Can be addressed by planning and human as it is Demand for rubble and rock increases, action. and required for repairs and new construction, roads, MHH Linda Jeschke- people are and community relocation. gravel already scrambling in Rock Kotzebue for gravel. Ecological points” are likely to result in “tipping Wendy: not sure that we rapid change, when conditions exceed physical or LHH will hit thresholds in the physiological thresholds (e.g., thaw, drought, water next several decades. General temperature). Increased growing season length. Modeling predicts that the mean number of frost free days for Biosphere LLH the Boreal and Arctic bioregion will increase between 20 and 40 days by the end of the century. Vegetation Peter: right now USDA considers Nome to have 5 frost free days. It would Increased agricultural production in Alaska. A take a lot to become an longer growing season and Alaska’s abundant agriculturally significant LLLM summer sunlight provide new agricultural area. opportunities in some areas. Linda: would be good if Biosphere Vegetation people did more local gardening. Only a few greenhouses.
Coastal erosion claims both natural and cultural resources and constructed assets. Coastal erosion is proceeding at an average of 20” (0.5 m)/year in some areas of CAKR and in BELA. Coasts in some communities are eroding much more rapidly than this (tens of meters per year). Some constructed assets, historic and prehistoric sites will no longer be sustainable and will require triage to determine which to repair, relocate, document, or abandon. Large areas of Alaska’s coastal parks lack needed surveys for archaeological sites. HH Don C.: this has been an issue for a long time, but even now, we don’t have the resources to mitigate it, let alone do the surveys. Ken: Cultural resources potential loss could be mitigated through expanded archeological data recovery Burials and other human remains are exposed in some areas as cultural sites thaw and erode due to changing hydrology, ice, snow, and permafrost thaw. H Soil Soil moisture declines due to rising soil temperature, increased evapotranspiration, thawing permafrost, and natural drainage. MH Rock and gravel Demand for rubble and rock increases, as it is required for repairs and new construction, roads, and community relocation. MHH Ken: Can be addressed by planning and human action. Linda Jeschke- people are already scrambling in Kotzebue for gravel. Biosphere General Ecological “tipping points” are likely to result in rapid change, when conditions exceed physical or physiological thresholds (e.g., thaw, drought, water temperature). LHH Wendy: not sure that we will hit thresholds in the next several decades. Vegetation Increased growing season length. Modeling predicts that the mean number of frost free days for the Boreal and Arctic bioregion will increase between 20 and 40 days by the end of the century. LLH Biosphere Vegetation Increased agricultural production in Alaska. A longer growing season and Alaska’s abundant summer sunlight provide new agricultural opportunities in some areas. LLLM Peter: right now USDA considers Nome to have 5 frost free days. It would take a lot to become an agriculturally significant area. Linda: would be good if people did more local gardening. Only a few greenhouses.
CCSP%20Report%20-%20Western%20Arctic%20-%2004-29.docx