Friends of McNeil River

Friends of McNeil River Mission

A) To oversee any and all development of the McNeil River ecosystem and surrounding habitat. This includes making sure all local, state and federal laws and procedures are followed before, during and after any development of the above mentioned area. These activities began in early 1991 and will continue as needed. These activities will be conducted by the board of Directors, members of Friends of McNeil River and our designated legal counsel.

B) To provide the public with information concerning the bears and other wildlife that inhabit the ecosystem. A yearly status of specific recognizable bears will be provided by the Department of Fish and Game. This information will then be incorporated into the FOMR newsletter. The first newsletter was distributed in March of 1992.

C) Provide the public with biological data derived from brown bear research conducted at McNeil River. This information will be provided to our membership when available. This activity is expected to begin in the near future as base line studies are expected to commence this spr1ng.

D) Provide ongoing public education concerning hazards of being in bear country and precautions necessary to minimize human impact on the bears and or the environment. This activity will take place at Friends of McNeil River annual public meeting and through our newsletter. These activities started in March of 1992 at our first public meeting. This activity will be conducted by guest speakers and the newsletter editor.

E) Enhancement projects to the sanctuary will provide economical assistance along with volunteer help to maintain the facility at McNeil River. In the spring of 1991 a new wood stove for the visitors cook shack was purchased and installed. Future projects will follow when the need arises. Projects that our volunteers have helped with include trail maintenance, the 4 year installation of the boardwalk, and construction of the research cabin/toolshed.

F) Provide financial support for future research studies. Several studies have been performed to date that FOMR assisted with financially.

PCG helps us reach individual in the general public who may not be a regular supporter or not be aware of our organization and the work we do to protect the sanctuary for bears at McNeil River. It also acts as a reminder to folks who do know about our activities and gives them an opportunity to offer support to a very worthwhile endeavor; to protect bears, offer opportunities for viewing them in their natural habitat and protecting that habitat so they will continue to be part of the Alaskan landscape.