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Lake Clark National Park & PreserveA winter sunrise over Twin Lakes.
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Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
Nature & Science
 
Digital technology has become a major component of scientific research in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.
Although most visitors see the park in
the summer, scientists work year-round!
 

Geology, biology, botany, volcanology, paleontology....the list of subjects for scientific study in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is nearly endless. Coastal cliffs on Cook Inlet hold fossil remnants of 150 million years of sea life. Below them, salmon pass through tidal estuaries on their way to spawning grounds in mountain lakes, chased by hungry seals and brown bears. Two active volcanoes – Mt. Iliamna and Mt. Redoubt – tower above the landscape. Glaciers wind their way down into valleys where the Alaska and Aleutian ranges join. Dall sheep share treacherous mountain slopes with delicate alpine wildflowers. Continuously inhabited since early prehistoric times, the Lake Clark region nevertheless remains sparsely populated by humans. Follow the links above to learn more about this wild, complex place.

 

map of the Southwest Alaska Network
Inventory & Monitoring
Lake Clark NPP is part of the NPS Southwest Alaska Network (SWAN).
more...
Red or sockeye salmon are economically important in southwest Alaska.
Red salmon runs have declined in recent years.
A cooperative project between NPS and other agencies seeks to understand why.
more...
Surfbirds are threatened by development and the possibility of oil spills.  

Did You Know?
The nest and eggs of the surfbird were a mystery until 1926. The species is extraordinarily far-ranging, and in winter is found from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in southern Chile.

Last Updated: September 13, 2006 at 15:26 EST