Alaska Youth Fish and Wildlife Club began in summer 2020 as an virtual alternative to our Anchorage urban fishing program due to COVID-19. It expanded to include non-fish related topics and continues to this day. Here are all of the past topics we've covered during the summer, fall, winter, and spring sessions:
Fall Session 2024 Topics
September 4 – Alaska Trees + Ornament Activity
September 11 – Hummingbirds
September 18 – Meet North America’s Wild Cats!
September 25 – Get to Know Otters!
October 2 – Oh Rats! Islands & Invasives
October 9 – Take flight: Pilots in Wildlife Conservation
October 16 – Explore the National Wildlife Refuge System
October 23 – Spectacular Spooky Fishes
October 30 –Owls + Pellet Dissection Activity
November 6 - Wild Foods
November 13 – Winter Wildlife Wonders
November 20 – Planning Your Adventures + Indigenous Calendar Activity.
December 4 – Life Under the Ice + Ice Fishing Rod Activity - YFWC-goers learned how to craft a traditional ice fishing rod.
SUMMER 2024 SESSION TOPICS
June 26 – Loons, Lines, and Lead: Learn how to help birds like loons by responsibly disposing of fishing line & using lead free tackle
July 10 – Catch the Fun - Fish & Fishing
July 17 – Recycling for the Wildlife!
SPRING 2024 SESSION TOPICS
January 17 – Whose Track is That? Become a Winter Detective
January 24 – Winter Winners: How Fish Don’t Freeze and Other Chilly Facts - Please bring a marker and a piece of paper!
January 31 – All About Wolves with Sarah Markegard, Biologist
February 7 – Staying Safe Around Ice and Snow
February 14 – Wildlife Valentine!
February 21 – How to Break Up With Your Goldfish and Other Invasive Species Tips
February 28 – All About Polar Bears with Lindsey Mangipane, Wildlife Biologist
March 6 – Women in Conservation with Keely Lopez, Refuge Manager, Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Wyoming Toad Conservation Area and Rachel Arrick, Recovery Program Coordinator, Wyoming Ecological Field Services Office
March 13 – Bizarre and Beautiful Fishes with Katrina Liebich, Public Affairs Specialist and Fish of the Week! Podcast Host
March 20 – Whose Scat is That? And Other Environmental Clues…
March 27 – Step Inside a National Fish Hatchery
April 3 – All About Bison
*Thursday, April 11 – [VIRTUAL] All About Our National Eagle Repository! with Taliah Farnsworth, Education Specialist
April 17 – Being Safe Around Wildlife
April 24 – How to Poo Politely on (and Respect) Your Public Lands
May 1 – Foraging and Wild Foods with Maria Dosal, Indigenous Knowledge Liaison
May 8 – Birds, Bees, and Butterflies: Become a Friend to Pollinators with Sabrina Farmer, Biologist
FALL 2023 SESSION TOPICS
September 20 – Welcome to Virtual Youth Fish & Wildlife Club!
September 27 – Fall Fish & Wildlife Fashion
October 4 – Fall Migrations
October 11 – Your National Wildlife Refuges
October 18 – Awesome Antlers
October 25 – Bats!
November 1 – Winter Wildlife Wonders
November 8 – Recycling
November 15 – Wild Foods/Share Your Plate
November 22 – Break
November 29 – Hibernation (and help us brainstorm spring topics!)
SPRING 2023 SESSION TOPICS
January 18 – (4PM) Welcome to Youth Fish & Wildlife Club!
January 25 – (4PM) Alaska's rodents!
February 1 – Snowflakes and ice (bring a white piece of paper and scissors)
Feb 8 – Pacific walrus!
Feb 15 – Sounds and smells of the animal world
Feb 22 – Junior Duck Stamp
March 1 – Test your fish and wildlife knowledge!
March 8 – K9s in conservation with a special K9 guest Dock and trainer Chad!
March 15 – No Zoom/Spring Break
March 22 – Sea otters!
March 29 – Puffins!
April 5 – Wildfires
April 12 – Spring bears & safety
April 26 – Hunting Q&A
May 3 – Spring moose & safety
Thursday May 11 at 9:30AM – Illustrating the Arctic + Art Demo with Francis Vallejo
FALL 2022 SESSION TOPICS
September 21 - Welcome to Fish and Wildlife Club!
September 28 - Fascinating Fishes!
October 5 - How to poo politely on public lands/Leave No Trace
October 12 - Tour Alaska's Wildlife Refuges
October 19 - Bird Migration
October 26 - All about bats!
November 2 - Tracks and Scat
November 9 - Winter Mammals
November 16 - Wild Foods!
November 23 - BREAK
November 30 - Alaska's Volcanoes
December 7 - Careers in Conservation
SUMMER 2022 SESSION TOPICS
June 15 – Invasive Species
June 22 – Juneteenth Stump a Scientist
June 29 – Wildlife and Fireworks
July 6 – Loons, Line, and Lead
July 13 – Water and Wildlife Safety
July 20 – Fish Identification
July 24 – Counting Fish & Birds
August 3 – Pollinators and Alaska’s Hummingbirds
SPRING 2022 SESSION TOPICS
January 19 – The Science Behind Snow and Snowflakes
January 26 – Volcanoes and Glaciers
February 2 – All About Lynx
February 9 – Ice Fishing and Safety on the Ice
February 16 – Marine Mammals: Polar Bears
February 23 – Stump A Scientist: Black History Month
March 2 – Animal Sounds
March 16 – Stump a Scientist: Women’s History Month
March 23 – Alaska's Owls
March 30 – Identifying Animals with Tracks and Scat
April 6 – Horses in the Conservation Field
April 13 – Fires in Nature and Conservation
April 20 – Plastics and Recycling
April 27 – Pollinators
May 4 – Introduction to Gardening
May 11 – Introduction to Fish and Fishing
Other Sessions:
General Wildlife, Ecosystems, Weather, Conservation, and Outdoor Recreation
- Alaska Trivia
- Animals of Winter
- Wildlife Safety with Trent Liebich
- Know Before You Go: Preparing for Fishing and Other Outdoor Pursuits
- Public Lands and National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska
- The Story of Snow and Snowflakes
- Leave No Trace and Pooping in Nature
- Equinoxes, Solstices, and Daylight in Alaska
- Recycling, Plastics, and Our Nearby Ecosystems
- Pollinators: What are they and why do they matter? With guest Sabrina Farmer
- Alaska’s Volcanoes
- Introduction to Archery with Kris Pacheco
- Celebrating Black History Month: Historic Contributions of Black Americans in Conservation and the Outdoors
- Land Acknowledgements, Alaska Native Culture, and Fish with Guest Crystal Leonetti
Mammals
- Fat Bears and Hibernation with Biologist Joy Erlenbach)
- Polar Bears with Biologist Lindsey Mangipane
- Horns and Antlers with Katrina Liebich and Helen Strackeljahn
- All About Lynx with Biologist Mark Bertram
- Get to Know Wolves with Ranger Michelle Ostrowski
Fish/Fishing
- Introduction to Alaska’s Fish
- Zombie Salmon with Katrina Liebich
- Fish and Glaciers
- Get to Know Alaska’s Fish: Fish ID Tips and Tricks
- Fish Habitat: Find out Where Your Fish Live
- Types of Fishing: Lakes and Current with Kris Pacheco
- Cold Water Safety with the DNR Office of Boating Safety
- Preparing Your Catch with Katrina Liebich
- Responsible Recreation for Anglers
- Fish for Life: How Fish Sustain People and Other Animals
- Fish Habitat: Find Out Where Your Fish Live
- Traditional Methods of Hunting and Fishing with Orville Lind
Birds
- Waterfowl Art Tutorial and the Junior Duck Stamp Competition with Sara Wolman
- Migratory and Resident Birds with Biologist Callie Gesmundo
- Alaska’s Owls
- Hummingbirds and Tiny Travelers
- Christmas Bird Count: How to Use Binoculars and Identify Birds with Outreach Biologist Tamara Zeller
- Christmas Bird Count: Bird ID Bingo with Outreach Biologist Tamara Zeller
Making Connections with Conservation Professionals
- Stump a Scientist with Habitat Biologist Trent Liebich
- Career Spotlight on Wildlife Biologist and Pilot Heather Wilson
- Career Spotlight on Wildlife Inspector Chad Hornbaker
Interactive Activities
- Wildlife Yoga with Guest Ranger Allyssa Morris
- Make Your Own Binoculars
- Creating Waterfowl Art and Introduction to Watercolor Technique with Ranger Shelly Lawson
- Animals and Ecosystems Drawing Activity
- What’s on the Menu? Animal Diets and Eating Like an Animal
- Salmon Art Tutorial and the State Fish Art Contest with Digital Artist Sara Wolman
Hunting and the Outdoors with Eric Morris of NonTypical Outdoorsman
- Why Hunt? Intro to Hunting and Taking Your First Steps
- Outdoor Activities in Alaska
- Matthew Henson and Exploring the Outdoors
- Introduction to Firearms
- Archery and Being an Ethical Outdoorsman
- Introduction to Alaska Big Game and Rifle Calibers
- Firearm Safety
- How to Plan for A Hunt
- Field Dressing and Processing Game
- A Hunter’s Guide to Conservation
- Introduction to Camouflage
- Youth Hunt Participant Panel/Q&A
- Chemical Compounds in Nature and Hunting
- Medicinal Plants and Hunter Education
- Trivia Game: Hunting Review
