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An American robin perches on a branch, with toes loosely curled. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Why don’t birds fall off their perches?

A growing body of evidence suggests that birds have a second organ of equilibrium.

An American robin perches on a branch, with toes loosely curled. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)
Heidi Pearson is an associate professor of marine biology at the University of Alaska Southeast and lives in Juneau. (Courtesy Photo)

Sustainable Alaska: Climate change, reality and hope

We all have the ability to reduce our own carbon footprint

Heidi Pearson is an associate professor of marine biology at the University of Alaska Southeast and lives in Juneau. (Courtesy Photo)
Oscar and Kéet inspect the fresh cohos caught by Mickey Prescott. (Vivian Faith Prescott / For the Capital City Weekly)

Planet Alaska: Coho know-how

Silver skin and golden stories.

Oscar and Kéet inspect the fresh cohos caught by Mickey Prescott. (Vivian Faith Prescott / For the Capital City Weekly)
A flying squirrel digs for a truffle in this undated photo. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)
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On the Trails: Dispersal of fungal spores

How fungus spreads among us.

A flying squirrel digs for a truffle in this undated photo. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)
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Fairbanks City Transit System No. 142 of “Into the Wild” fame inside the engineering building on the UAF campus, where UA Museum of the North conservators will work on its preservation. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Bus 142 to embark on final journey

No longer in transit.

Fairbanks City Transit System No. 142 of “Into the Wild” fame inside the engineering building on the UAF campus, where UA Museum of the North conservators will work on its preservation. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
Snow and rain are often annoying, but without the right amounts, rivers become too low for good floats and salmon spawning. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: The two types of climate change

It’s about reusable water bottles, but also energy efficient homes.

Snow and rain are often annoying, but without the right amounts, rivers become too low for good floats and salmon spawning. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
In May, Yéilk’ Vivian Mork of Planet Alaska organized “Stewards of the Land” a traditional plants symposium in Juneau to share knowledge, passion, and respectful harvesting practices of traditional plants as food and medicine. (Courtesy Photo / Jennifer Nu)

Resilient Peoples & Place: From Metlakatla to Yakutat, first food catalyst fellowship celebrates a summer of six

Program matches six community leaders with capital from the Native American Agriculture Fund.

In May, Yéilk’ Vivian Mork of Planet Alaska organized “Stewards of the Land” a traditional plants symposium in Juneau to share knowledge, passion, and respectful harvesting practices of traditional plants as food and medicine. (Courtesy Photo / Jennifer Nu)
Mount Juneau, looms above downtown Juneau in this April 2021 photo. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Slack Tide: Alaskæpœdia — Juneau

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About the Last Frontier… And Less: Juneau

Mount Juneau, looms above downtown Juneau in this April 2021 photo. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
A praying mantis eats the remnants of its mate. In most cases, females that are cannibalistic gain reproductive advantages by laying larger, bigger eggs that survive better than those of non-cannibalistic females. Therefore their deceased mates also gain reproductive advantages.(Oliver Koemmerling / Wikimedia)

On the Trails: Having family for dinner

Cannibalism in nature can be a family affair.

A praying mantis eats the remnants of its mate. In most cases, females that are cannibalistic gain reproductive advantages by laying larger, bigger eggs that survive better than those of non-cannibalistic females. Therefore their deceased mates also gain reproductive advantages.(Oliver Koemmerling / Wikimedia)
Sunset at Beaver Lake. (Courtesy Photo / Michael Humling)

The Salmon State: Bear man of Admiralty Island Allen Hasselborg — and climate change

By Mary Catharine Martin The Salmon State Every day for decades, bear hunter, guide, and early 20th century Southeast Alaska homesteader Allen Hasselborg logged the… Continue reading

Sunset at Beaver Lake. (Courtesy Photo / Michael Humling)
The author photographs one of the numerous bull moose he and his wife saw on an elk hunt in Wyoming. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: Desired vs. realized success

No elk taken, but it’s nothing to grouse about.

The author photographs one of the numerous bull moose he and his wife saw on an elk hunt in Wyoming. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
This photo shows gray currents, also called stink currants, Vivian Mork photographer. (Vivian Mork Yeilk’ / For the Capital City Weekly)

Planet Alaska: Picking currants and riding currents

We give respect and thanks to the berries and the birds as we harvest the last of the berries.

This photo shows gray currents, also called stink currants, Vivian Mork photographer. (Vivian Mork Yeilk’ / For the Capital City Weekly)
Salmonberry leaves of unusual color on one cane; nearby canes bore green leaves.(Courtesy Photo / Mary F. Willson)

On the Trails: Fall colors in our rainforest

Here are a few examples of enjoyable displays of fall colors…

Salmonberry leaves of unusual color on one cane; nearby canes bore green leaves.(Courtesy Photo / Mary F. Willson)
A male sockeye salmon spawns in Bristol Bay. (Courtesy Photo / Jonny Armstrong)

Pride of Bristol Bay: Life of a sockeye

It only took one sockeye to remind of how lucky I am to live in a world with wild salmon

A male sockeye salmon spawns in Bristol Bay. (Courtesy Photo / Jonny Armstrong)
Veterans march in Hoonah for the raising of a totem pole honoring Southeast Akaska's Indigenous veterans. The region, and Hoonah in particular, have a high number of veterans per capita. (Courtesy Photo / Elle Weberling)

Resilient Peoples & Place: Healing in Hoonah by honoring Southeast’s Indigenous veterans

A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Louise Kane as Stanley “Steamie” Thompson’s mother. Kane was Thompson’s grandmother. The article has been updated to… Continue reading

Veterans march in Hoonah for the raising of a totem pole honoring Southeast Akaska's Indigenous veterans. The region, and Hoonah in particular, have a high number of veterans per capita. (Courtesy Photo / Elle Weberling)
I have flies with barbell eyes, jig heads, cone heads, bead heads and no heads. I have flies with stinger hooks that trail and long-shanked salmon hooks that don’t. I have red, pink, salmon, fuchsia, cerise, purple, orange, flesh, green, olive, chartreuse, white and black flies made of feathers, chenille, hackle, marabou, flashabou and silicone. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: One good fish

Three is the magic number.

I have flies with barbell eyes, jig heads, cone heads, bead heads and no heads. I have flies with stinger hooks that trail and long-shanked salmon hooks that don’t. I have red, pink, salmon, fuchsia, cerise, purple, orange, flesh, green, olive, chartreuse, white and black flies made of feathers, chenille, hackle, marabou, flashabou and silicone. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
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Planet Alaska: Spruce tip bathing

The perfect spruce tip is tightly bound needles without the brown papery casing.

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Planet Alaska: Drawing an ovoid a day

Planet Alaska: Drawing an ovoid a day

The ovoid is the heart of it all.

Planet Alaska: Drawing an ovoid a day
Planet Alaska: What I learned from island living last year

Planet Alaska: What I learned from island living last year

Learn to balance an island world.

Planet Alaska: What I learned from island living last year
Planet Alaska: A lesson from haa shagóon in 2020

Planet Alaska: A lesson from haa shagóon in 2020

The phrase means so much more than just “our ancestors.”

Planet Alaska: A lesson from haa shagóon in 2020