Press Releases

Icy River Rampage, 20 mile bike race on Eagle River coming on Saturday, February 25, 2012. Race starts at 1pm. Sign in and bib pick-up starts inside the Nature Center at 11:30am. Joint sponsors: Arctic Bicycle Club and the Eagle River Nature Center. All proceeds support trail maintenance efforts at the Nature Center.

January 29, 2012: Night with the Stars, 5:30-8:30pm

Emmy nominated visual artist and astronomer Jose Francisco Salgado headlines this year's event at the Nature Center. Dinner by Aubergine Catering and Culinary Services. Cellist Wolfgang Olsson. Thank you to our sponsors: Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, Specialty Imports and Moose's Tooth.

October 2011:

Update on Planning for Future of Eagle River Nature Center

Many thanks to RIM Architects for providing pro bono services for pre-development concept plans for a new nature center. The plan will be based on the site plan that was approved by the public through a public process (see link on home page to that plan and study) completed in 2010-2011. The Board of Friends of ERNC are working with RIM to prepare a funders packet - a document that will show a proposed building concept and a cost estimate with which FERNC can pursue funding. We anticipate a draft packet to be completed by March 2012.

August 2011: The Nature Center was awarded an REI Foundation grant for $5000 to construct a new public use yurt. Many thanks to REI Anchorage for their support! The new yurt is planned for June 2012.

Thank you to TOTE (Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc.) for their annual contribution.

June 2011: Summer is open us and thanks to the following groups, the gardens and flower baskets around the Nature Center are looking beautiful: Eagle River Rotary for their help weeding and planting and their donation of $500 toward the purchase of flowers and soil. Special thanks to Rotary member Tonya Gamble for organizing once again!

Mile 5.2 Greenhouse for his donation of $250 toward the purchase of flowers. Thank you Dale for all your help with our flower questions!

The youth group from Community Covenant Church for volunteering to weed, sweep and haul gravel to spiff up the parking areas and front gardens. Nancy and Jeff and all the teens - you rock!

May 2011: Our 15th Anniversary Celebration and Auction was a great success thanks to all our donors, volunteers and sponsors. Special thanks to our business sponosrs: BP, Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB), Northrim Bank, Perkins Coie, State Farm Insurance in Eagle River, Peak Oilfield Co., Moose's Tooth Brewery, Midnight Sun Brewery, Specialty Imports, ConocoPhillips and the hundreds of item and services donors.

January 2011: Thank you to Conoco Phillips for their generous sponsorship of our Junior Naturalist Programs in 2011. Thank you to CIRI for their renewed corporate sponsorship.

December 17, 2010: Astronomer Dr. Mike Brown will speak at our annual NIGHT WITH THE STARS event on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 5:30pm. Celebrity Chef Kirsten Dixon (Within the Wild) is donating her services to prepare a lovely 3 course dinner for 56 people. Tickets: $100/person. Tables of 8 available. Contact Asta Spurgis at info@ernc.org or call 907-694-2108. Dr. Brown will speak at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 7:30pm. Free lecture.

Major Sponsor: ExxonMobil

Other Sponsors: University of Alaska Anchorage; Alyeska Pipeline; Within the Wild, Moose's Tooth.

November 2010: Mark your calendars. Friends of Eagle River Nature Center will celebrate its 15 year anniversary at a special event on May 14, 2011: Boreal Forest Ball - A Black Tie and Fleece Event. The dinner and music venue will take place at the Nature Center startint at 5pm under a huge tent. This is a "not to be missed" special event that will feature the release of a Great Horned Owl at 9pm. The Magic Bus will be shuttling attendees from the North Fork parking lot all evening. For more info contact Laura Kruger at admin(at)ernc.org or call 907-694-2108.

September 14, 2010: Many thanks to the Chugiak Eagle River Foundation for awarding the Nature Center $1000 to purchase a computer for our main space. Visit www.cerfoundation.org and let them know you appreciate their assistance.

September 4, 2010: Our new online cabin and yurt live availibility calendar and reservation system has been launched. It is a secure and easy way to make your reservation 24/7.

August 25, 2010: The REI Foundation has awarded the Nature Center $5000 to construct a picnic shelter to be used for school classes. We hope to have the shelter completed by June 2011.

August 7, 2010: The Rasmuson Foundation has awarded the Nature Center a grant for $9950.00 to purchase new office equipment. Many thanks to the Founation for their support.

August 5, 2010: The salmon are in! Watch red salmon spawn by the viewing decks along the Rodak Nature Trail. This also means that Chugach State Park rangers will be closing the Albert Loop Trail to allow bears to feed on the salmon coming up the creeks. Please adhere to the closure for your own safety and for the well being of our animal neighbors.

July 28, 2010: There will be an increase in school fees beginning in January 2011. Naturalist-guided programs will be increased from a $5/student fee to $6/student fee. For more information go to Schools.

July 7, 2010: Final public comments with responses from Alaska State Parks personnel and Friends of Eagle River Nature Center Board of Directors and staff have been posted at http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/ A revised site plan concept is also posted, integrating ideas discussed at the public meetings with the needs of Chugach State Park, Friends of Eagle River Nature Center and community representatives.

July 2, 2010: We are seeking to fill an immediate vacancy for a summer resident volunteer for the months of August and September 2011. Please contact us at info@ernc.org for more details. As of July 28, 2011 this position remains open until filled.

April 15, 2010: Planning for the Future of the Eagle River Nature Cntr: Visit http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/ for up-to-date information and drawings of Site Concepts. Public comment period has been extended to April 30, 2010. Concept C is posted inside the Nature Center. Concept C is the preferred site of the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center planning team.

March 2010: Night with the Stars was a a great success, raising $4000 for the Nature Center's programs. Many thanks to the presenters, board member Scott Girard and all the evening's volunteers. Astronaut Bill Oefelein was the featured speaker, harpist Beth Baker and dinner by Haute Quarter Grill owners/chefs Lynn and Alex Perez. Many thanks to these volunteers and to donations from the evening's sponsors - K&L Distributors, Odom Corp, Mike's Quality Meats and Kim Girard.

January/February 2010: Review of Draft Master Site Development Plan for the Nature Center. A second series of public forums will be held to identify concerns and issues. The following forums are taking place for various user/interest groups:

January 25, 2010 - Friends of Eagle River Nature Center Board of Directors Meeting at BP, first floor, 6:00pm
February 8, 2010 - Chugach State Park Citizens Advisory Board Review. Contact Tom Harrison at 345-5014 for details.
February 11, 2010 - Members of the Nature Center and Neighbors meeting at the Nature Center, 6pm
February 25, 2010 - Community Open House at the Nature Center, 6pm. Due to snow storm warnings and hazardous driving conditions this meeting has been rescheduled to take place on THUR., March 4, 2010 at 6pm at the Nature Center.
April 2, 2010 - Public comment for site concepts CLOSED
Please visit http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/ for additional information and comments received from the public.

ERNC-Master SiteDevelopmentPlanComments 2.3.10

December 2009: Please help the Nature Center by donating something on our Christmas Wish List or to the Dick Griffith Challenge.

October 2009: Planning for the Future of the Nature Center

Please use the form below for your comments on the first series of public forum information and email them to Lucille Baranko, Landscape Specialist with Alaska State Parks.

Public Comment Form

Analysis of ERNC Visitor Surveys and Vehicular and Pedestrian Counts

(This is a semi-final report)

Channel 2 KTUU News video clip about Nature Center's Space Needs

September 2009: Planning for the Future of the Nature Center

The public is invited to attend a community forum on Thursday, September 17, 2009, from 6-8pm at the Eagle River Nature Center to provide input on preliminary site options for a master planning document.

Wednesday, August 13, 2009 - noon: The Albert Loop Trail is officially closed for public safety to avoid potential bear encounters. As the salmon return to their spawning grounds, so too, do the bears to feed on the salmon and the berries. Closing this popular trail for a few months has been a successful way to reduce people-bear conflicts. For more information, contact Chugach State Park at 907-345-5014.

July 2009: Planning for the Future of the Nature Center

A series of public forums will begin in August 2009. A workshop and presentation by Alaska State Design and Construction staff for Nature Center members and neighbors will take place on Thursday, September 10, 2009, from 6-8pm at the Eagle River Nature Center. Preliminary site options will be discussed. Public input and comments are important to this process. For a list of other public forum locations and dates, please visit http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/

ERNC Scope of Objectives (8-2009)

Site Location (8-2009)

Site Location Descriptions (8-2009)

August 2008- August 2009: Thanks to a generous Tier 1 grant from the Rasmuson Foundation, the Nature Center was able to purchase much-needed equipment to maintain the trails and grounds. The funds allowed the ERNC to purchase an ATV with winch, a belly dump for spreading gravel, bear-proof food lockers for the public-use cabin and yurts, bear-proof recycling containers, D1 gravel, interpretive supplies, and more. Thank you to the Rasmuson Foundation!

September 2008: Many thanks to Wells Fargo and the REI Foundation for their grant support.

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