Birch bark texture.

Ahtna Kanas Summer 2022

Land Department Project Updates

New Gulkana Boat Launch Signs

Nearly 80 years after being displaced by the U.S. Army, the historic Gulkana Village, on the south bank of the Gulkana River, was given back to the Native Village of Gulkana. In 2021, a new parking area, boat launch and fencing was constructed within the Richardson Highway right-of-way. A vaulted toilet and historical Gulkana Village interpretive signs were installed this summer.


Willow Mountain Meteorological Tower

In 2021, Ahtna received a $316 thousand Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) grant to install a meteorological (Met) tower on top of Willow Mountain, 15 miles south of Copper Center. The Met tower was installed on July 22nd utilizing a helicopter, with assistance from the Native Village of Kluti-Kaah, Ahtna Solutions, LLC, and the Ahtna Land Department. The Met tower will collect weather data, specifically wind data, for the next three years to determine if a 1-3 megawatt wind turbine is feasible as a renewable energy source.


Carbon Credits Verification Field Work

In 2016, Ahtna entered into a 100-year forest carbon program through the California Air Resources Board (CARB). One of the program requirements is to inventory the forest every six years. Four Ahtna shareholders and two shareholder spouses undertook an intensive 40-hour bear guard and wilderness safety certification program to assist the foresters in inventorying 375 forest carbon plots. The field work kicked off on July 6th and finished on July 29th. The crews were based out of Glennallen and traveling to each plot in pairs, from Chistochina to Chitina, utilizing a helicopter, ATVs, boat, and highway vehicles. After the carbon inventory field work is completed and carbon stocking is processed, a third-party verification will be performed for approximately 15-20 plots in 2023.