Emma Simple, Venetie Village student, takes a close look at a predacious diving beetle at Venetie Lake, Alaska. (Mark Bertram, July 22 2008)

Students from the villages of Chalkyitsik and Venetie worked with Yukon Flats Refuge staff to conduct baseline studies of Ohtig  and Veneties lakes which provide significant waterfowl resources for local residents as a stopover point for migrating waterfowl. 

For five years Yukon Flats Refuge has partnered through Challenge Cost Share with Chalkyitsik Tribal Council and Tsuk Taih School to monitor baseline resources while increasing outreach and education opportunities in the community.  In 2008, Yukon Flats Refuge expanded the program to include Venetie and partnered with the Venetie Village Council and students from John Fredson School.   All students inventoried local lakes for presence of fish, measured water quality, collected invertebrates, and counted ducks.  Students also learned to use Global Positioning System and radio-telemetry equipment.  At Ohtig Lake students observed thousands of molting ducks while at Venetie Lake 19 separate broods were observed.  Although no fish were found in either lake the waters were teeming with invertebrates.

The Refuge is grateful to Chalkyitsik and Venetie Village Councils for their help organizing these projects which help Refuge staff monitor important resources on private lands within the Refuge while improving the relationship with village residents.