Executive Summary
The Bering Glacier is the largest and longest glacier in continental North America, with an area of
approximately 5,175 square kilometers, and a length of 190 km. It is also the largest surging glacier in
America, having surged at least five times during the twentieth century. The last great surge occurred
in 1993-95. Bering Glacier alone covers more than 6% of the glacier covered area of Alaska and may
contain 15-20% of Alaska’s total glacier ice. The entire glacier lies within 100 km of the Gulf of
Alaska. The rapid ongoing retreat of the glacier and expansion of Vitus Lake at the glacier terminus
has provided opportunities for the establishment of new habitats and new flora and fauna. The postsurge retreat of Bering Glacier has created a dynamic landscape of reticulated and fluted surfaces
with subtidal invertebrate fossils, lake sediments, and previously overrun forests.
BLM/USGS coordinated investigations of the Bering Glacier System have suggested that the site is
biologically and environmentally significant. Paleontological research has documented a diverse
assemblage of invertebrate species, preserved forests, and ancient peats, and preliminary botanical
studies have identified more than 350 vascular and non-vascular species. The forelands are also
known to support a highly diverse vertebrate community: fresh and andromous fishes, three rare
subspecies of geese, genetically distinct populations of wolf and goat, and previously undocumented
harbor seal haulout. The diversity of fauna and flora in the area around the margins of the Bering
Glacier is likely due to the dynamic physical habitat. In contrast to the forelands of most retreating
glaciers, in which distance from the glacier reflects both habitat age and climate, the pattern of surges
and retreats have created a landscape where local climate and time since glacial cover have
effectively decoupled. Within this relatively small region, the impact of habitat age, climate and
physical properties on community structure can be studied independently over a broad range of
habitats. In the limited area around the glacier, habitats vary from newly exposed rocks at close to
sea level to 10,000+-year-old moraines at elevations above 5,000 m, and from wet fens to relatively
dry sub-alpine forests. Outcrops and corings reveal sediments that record the interactions of climate,
sea level and earthquake induced land movements over the past few thousand years.
The last 100 years have brought significant changes to the number of people and their methods of
access to the Bering Glacier area. In the early 1900’s most of the people visiting the glacier were
subsistence hunters, fisherman, trappers, and miners looking for gold. World War II and the Cold War
brought the need for large airstrips at Yakutat and Cordova. Oil exploration in the 1960’s created
additional development. The 1990’s brought sport fishing and big game hunting cabins into the area.
Two public use cabins near Vitus Lake, built in 2002, provide the public with eco-tours access to the
area. The passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971 began the process of
conveying land under BLM administration to Alaska Natives. As part of this process, mineral rights in
land near Berg Lake were conveyed to a local Native corporation who in turn sold the rights to an
Asian corporation interested in the coal and oil potential. Thus, both oil and gas development have
the potential to impact the Bering Glacier region through increased industrialization and traffic in the
area.
The Bureau of Land Management has developed a new land-use plan for the Glennallen District,
which includes the Bering Glacier region. This plan is referred to as the East Alaska Resource
Management Plan, and includes key decisions relevant to the management of the Bering Glacier
area. These include: vegetation resource management, special status species management, state
role in fish and wildlife management, recreation use, OHV use, land use planning and oil, gas, coal,
and mineral management. Under the preferred alternative for the East Alaska Resource Management
Plan, the Bering Glacier has been designated as a Research Natural Area. Such a designation
requires BLM and the stakeholders to develop a step-down management plan that focuses the future
of the Bering Glacier toward inventory, research, and educational opportunities.
In addition to the new land-use plan for the Bering Glacier region, there are three scientific reasons
research on Bering Glacier is urgently needed. First, because the Bering Glacier landscape is being
created by the dramatic and catastrophic disintegration of a piedmont ice lobe, it will likely be
substantively changed as glacial retreat continues. Second, understanding the interactions between
the physical habitat and biological communities in this region will help scientists understand how
glacial retreats (now occurring world-wide) are likely to impact local biotic communities. And third,
because human activities in the site are increasing due to growing interest by commercial and
recreational users, it is likely that there will be impacts on the fragile ecosystems in the area.
To address the Bering Glacier research and land use issues, BLM operates the Bering Glacier field
camp each summer. The field program typically starts in early July and runs through the end of
August. The camp is located on the edge of Vitus Lake on a former terminal moraine. The camp,
complete with refueling airstrip, kitchen and mess tent, command center, and restrooms can
comfortably host 25 scientists at a given time. The scientists and their staff sleep in tents or wooden
floor huts.