Science and Research

Marine debris can affect marine mammals and birds through entanglement, strangulation, and digestive blockage. In summer 2015, we conducted an extensive multi-partner project to remove over 11 tons of marine debris from remote beaches in five Alaska parks.

Through the power of partnerships, the Dragonfly Mercury Project elevated the importance of a commonly found insect. It also showed that citizen science can be a potent research tool.

A recently published paper shares best practices for using this valuable tool.

A marine heatwave in the North Pacific had widespread, detrimental impacts on ecosystems and species. Why were some more resilient than others?

BirdNET uses artificial intelligence to analyze audio recordings and detect bird species by sound. We’re exploring its potential to help parks answer complex, pressing questions.

Black whalers were among the first Americans to reach Alaska, specifically its southeast panhandle, in the early 1840s. Some of these men had escaped enslavement in the American South, while others were free men of color from the North. It would have been difficult to find a more racially and geographically diverse industry than whaling in the nineteenth century.

While most who visit and live in Alaska know of Fannie as the legendary pioneer who arrived in the Kantishna Hills during the 1905-06 gold rush, there is another side to Fannie’s extraordinary life that is not as well known—notably, her contributions to science and the local community.

Did you know that soil will have different characteristics depending on where you are in Denali? For six summers, scientists completed a soil survey that mapped soils across the park. They also recorded plant species and photographed the landscape, the plant community, and the soil horizons as revealed in a soil pit. Learn more about what they found.

Denali is the highest point in North America and boasts one of the tallest vertical faces of any mountain in the world. Discover how this mountain rose to such prominence compared to the rest of the Alaska Range.

At night, birds use the stars to find their way (pretty cool, right?). But bright lights from buildings, towers, and houses can confuse them. That's why national parks are so important - they're like bird hotels! They give birds safe places to rest and eat, especially after flying across the ocean.