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National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Lease Sale is December 7

On Wednesday, Dec. 7, BLM-Alaska will hold an oil and gas lease sale within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The agency is offering 283 tracts (3,060,176 acres) within the Northeast and Northwest NPR-A in this sale. There are currently 169 authorized oil and gas leases in the Northeast and Northwest planning areas of the NPR-A, totaling 1,361,105 acres.

Firewood for the Hearth

Eagle residents remove free firewood, which was cut and stacked by the Alaska Fire Service Midnight Sun Interagency Hotshot Crew. The crew spent eight days last July removing around 135 cords of dead aspen trees adjacent to trails and roads at historic Fort Egbert. Removing dead trees reduces wildland fire risk, improves forest health and protects the historic resources. BLM-Alaska issued free permits to 42 local residents for up to three cords of wood.

New Trail at Tangle Lakes Campground

The Tangle Lakes foot trail gradually ascends out of the newly renovated Tangle Lakes Campground and provides spectacular views of Round Tangle Lake and the Delta Wild and Scenic River Corridor. It is also a great place to find berries in season.

Invasive Plants get the Boot

To complete his Eagle Scout award, Dawson Lewandoski worked with BLM’s Eastern Interior Field Office to install boot brushes at six BLM trailheads along the Elliott and Steese highways last August. The brushes remove invasive weeds from visitor shoes. Twelve boy scouts and leaders from Troop 92 in Ester helped Dawson make and install the brushes.

Iditarod National Historic Trail at the Fair

BLM-Alaska’s Iditarod National Historic Trail Centennial exhibit at the 2011 Alaska State Fair drew visitors from near and far. It seems everyone has heard of the Iditarod Trail, from Alaskans to visitors from as far away as Japan, Denmark and the West Indies, according to the exhibit’s visitor registry. Here an exchange student from Japan learns about the trail and its history from her Alaskan host family (above).