March 27, 2007
By MATT TUNSETH/Frontiersman
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That's the message the Alaska Moose Federation is trying to get out, and they're backing up their talk with action.
The federation recently joined with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to shear and crush some eight acres of willow, birch and alder forest in the Matanuska Valley Moose Range near Upper Wasilla Creek. The intent of the program, according to federation chairman Gary Olson, is to encourage new growth of small plants that moose like to eat. The idea is that the more habitat moose have in the wild, the less likely they'll be to look for food near highways and populated areas.
“We're trying to make Alaska a better place for people and moose,” Olson said.
The biggest problem moose pose for society right now is their habit of hanging out along the roadside. While this may provide thrills for tourists, it's a big problem in places like the Mat-Su, where more than 300 moose are killed annually in collisions with vehicles.
Moose are attracted to areas alongside highways because of the near-ideal habitat that can be found along the roadside.
“It's a real simple equation,” Olson said. “They're just looking for something to eat and somewhere to walk.”
Moose prefer plants like willow shrubs and juvenile deciduous trees. In nature, fire often cleans out old trees and allows new ones to grow, creating new areas for moose to forage.
But increased development by humans and a desire not to let wildfires get out of control can lead to unintended consequences, such as less habitat for moose.
That's where the crushing project comes in. By using manmade methods - in this case, bulldozers and chainsaws - humans can help nature along.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Tony Kavalok oversaw the recent crushing project for the state. He said the program works well because its a quick way to encourage growth of large tracts of moose-friendly vegetation.
“It's the same principle as cutting your grass,” Kavalok said.
Because new sprouts are both higher in nutrition and easier to get to, moose flock to areas where young plants and trees are beginning to grow.
“The re-sprouts are much higher in nutrition,” he said. “Basically you're getting rid of the old, decadent stuff that isn't doing any good.”
Fish and Game teamed up with the Moose Federation for the project, which furthers both groups' mission of increasing moose populations. Essentially, the federation provided the funding, while Fish and Game carried out the project.
Kavalok said both groups are dedicated to enhancing the state's moose population, so the partnership is a natural fit.
“They've been able to get donations of equipment and help with overhead,” he said.
Beyond providing more habitat, however, Olson said a big part of his group's mission is keeping animals away from the roadside.
“It's one of those issues that affects everyone with a steering wheel,” Olson said.
Along with the crushing project, Olson said his group is also trying to encourage highway planners and state engineers to design corridors that are less-likely to have collisions. He said the state needs more crossings above and below roads where the animals can move through without encountering vehicles.
“There's a lot of passion out there for keeping these moose off the roads,” he said.
In many ways, he said Alaska is behind the times when it comes to solving road kill problems. Other northern nations, he pointed out, have been taking proactive steps to reduce collisions for decades. Alaska, on the other hand, has only a short history of attacking the issue.
“Some of these other countries have been solving these problems for decades,” he said. “But that can be a positive because we don't have to do anything that doesn't work.”
Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com
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