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Life and times of a big river: an uncommon natural history of Alaska's Upper Yukon

Date

2015

Authors

Marchand, Peter J., author
University of Alaska Press, publisher

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Abstract

When Richard Nixon signed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971, eighty million acres were flagged as possible national park land. Field expeditions were tasked with recording what was contained in these vast acres. Under this decree, five men were sent into the sprawling, roadless interior of Alaska, unsure of what they'd encounter and ultimately responsible for the fate of four thousand pristine acres. Life and Times of a Big River follows Peter J. Marchand and his team of biologists as they set out to explore the land that would ultimately become the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. Their encounters with strange plants, rare insects, and little-known mammals bring to life a land once thought to be static and monotonous. And their struggles to navigate and adapt to an unforgiving environment capture the rigorous demands of remote field work. Weaving in and out of Marchand's narrative is an account of the natural and cultural history of the area as it relates to the expedition and the region's native peoples. Life and Times of a Big River chronicles this riveting, one-of-a-kind journey of uncertainty and discovery from a disparate (and at one point desperate) group of biologists.--Provided by publisher.

Description

Rights Access

Access is limited to the Adams State University, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University, Colorado State University Pueblo, Fort Lewis College, Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, University of Denver, University of Northern Colorado, University of Wyoming, Utah State University, and Western Colorado University members only.

Subject

Natural history -- Yukon River Valley (Yukon and Alaska)
Biodiversity -- Yukon River Valley (Yukon and Alaska)
Marchand, Peter J. -- Travel -- Yukon River Valley (Yukon and Alaska)

Citation

Associated Publications