Aptly named Resurrection Creek revives habitat and humanity

This past July, a delegation from the Forest Service's National Partnership Office (NPO), with staff from Grants and Agreements (G&A), set out for the small community of Hope, Alaska. Working in support of partnerships across the Forest Service, the team journeyed "North to The Future" for a guided tour of collaboration across our northernmost National Forests.

The team spent two days at the Region 10 headquarters in Juneau, Alaska, learning about local partnerships such as the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy, National Forest Foundation cabins, and Tribal partnerships. They then split into smaller groups to visit project sites across the Chugach and Tongass National Forests. The largest group headed for the Resurrection Creek cooperative restoration project on the Chugach National Forest, near the small community of Hope, Alaska. 

Resurrection Creek hosted a thriving ecosystem until the late 1890s, when one of Alaska's earliest gold rushes brought an influx of hopeful prospectors and hydraulic mining. The meandering stream with pools, wetlands, and riparian habitat was straightened into a fast-flowing ditch. Unable to keep a foothold, the vibrant fish and wildlife all but disappeared.  

Nearly a century later, a coalition of unlikely partners including the Forest Service, Trout Unlimited, the National Forest Foundation, Kinross Gold, and the current mining claim owner, Hope Mining Company, is restoring more than habitat. Humanitarianism is also revived when stakeholders set aside differences to rescue a river and each other’s way of life. Many Alaskans survive on the land, on their own, proud of their independence which makes this partnership all the more groundbreaking in the 49th state.  

The visiting partnership team traveled through wilderness and history on the Steward Highway before donning mud boots, hard hats, and safety vests to enter an active project area. Stakeholders, project engineers, and forest staff met them for a guided tour of the project, its progress and possibility. 

Two of the Forest Service's Enterprise Watershed Restoration Service (EWRS) engineers, Corinne Marzullo and Brian Bair, explained the objectives while keeping clear of the machinery reshaping the stream channel. Reconnecting the historic floodplain, stream channels, and riparian areas allows salmon to move back into their keystone niche. Restoring the stream's sinuous path across the floodplain reestablishes the pools, glides, and riffles necessary for spawning salmon. Installing logs and root wads restore cover and hiding spots for fish to rest as they travel to their spawning areas. The project, not yet completed, is showing success with the return of all five species of Pacific salmon to their historic home.

"For me, the most impactful part of the Resurrection Creek visit was hearing stories from on-the-ground staff and partners about how dramatic the increase in aquatic activity has been since this project started—while watching a brown bear fish for salmon in the newly restored creek behind them," reports Amanda Johnson, National Partnership Office.

Those returning salmon, beyond being a significant food source for Alaskans, are the key to the future of the habitat. They provide crucial protein and fat for overwintering wildlife and migratory birds. Then when their partially consumed carcasses are deposited on floodplains, they act as timed-release nutrient packages of nitrogen and phosphorus that also support riparian vegetation.

These extra nutrients from the ocean help vegetation grow faster and lusher, attracting moose seeking forage and cover. Woody debris and gentle meanders slow the creek's flow, allowing safe crossing for calves and other animals moving back into the rebounding ecosystem. 

The seemingly simple act of restoring the sinuous course of the stream lays the groundwork for life to return. Curves in the channel slow the water’s flow, forming pools, shallows, banks, and beaches. This creates a variety of niches that invite a diverse complement of plant and animal life. A complex watershed with a variety of habitat and organisms overlapping in their roles is more resilient to impacts. The restoration of the shape and character of Resurrection Creek brings the whole, vital ecosystem full circle while offering people increased fishing opportunities.  

"It is very important to be out on the ground experiencing the combination of effort and outcome that partnership brings," said Robin Taylor-Davenport, Washington Office, Office of Grants and Agreements. "We saw firsthand how the Chugach National Forest and Hope Mining Company came together to restore habitat for the local species who depend on this land. Success was illustrated to us all by the presence of fish and bear in that newly restored habitat," 

This restoration project demonstrates that responsible resource development and land conservation can coexist in a way that benefits everyone. Continued mining activities must meet high standards and work closely with regulatory agencies to ensure that restored conditions are preserved. The beauty of the Resurrection Creek restoration partnership is found in the collective recognition of the impacts; the importance of correcting them and the prioritization of that over other concerns.

"The NPO and G&A team were inspired by the innovative thinking that led to the Resurrection Creek Partnership, especially by a Forest Service employee who had the idea to approach Hope Mining Company about restoring the river despite their active mining claim on it," said Sierra Talcott, NPO. "This work sets a high baseline for the future of river restoration while highlighting the power of partnerships where passionate stakeholders work together to find innovative solutions. We felt that passion and the spirit of the project from each stakeholder we connected with, especially as we watched a young brown bear fishing for salmon in the newly restored river."

The story of restoration on Resurrection Creek resonates because it is our story. As Forest Service employees, we believe in working together to restore habitat, livelihood, and opportunity. The NPO and G&A staff members heard the Call of the Wild and traveled across the country to listen, learn, and live what we are all working towards: caring for the land, the resources that sustain us, and the beauty that inspires us while we serve our people. 

Stay in touch with the latest Chugach National Forest updates on Twitter @ChugachForestAK and Facebook @ChugachNF.