The Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit has been instrumental in addressing vital conservation issues in the state, focusing on the preservation of key wildlife populations like the dwindling Fortymile Caribou Herd and tackling the spread of invasive species such as northern pike.
Kevin Fraley, a board member of the Alaska chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, emphasizes the importance of the research conducted by the unit.
“Usually something that’s really useful for, like, moose or salmon,” Fraley stated, highlighting species that hold significant value for Alaskans in terms of hunting, livelihood, and subsistence.
However, President Trump’s proposed budget for 2026 threatens to entirely eliminate the funding that sustains the cooperative research unit.
This proposed funding cut, coupled with reductions in other federal grant programs for research, has left many students and collaborating partners of the Alaska unit feeling uncertain about their future.
Established almost a century ago through federal legislation and with the involvement of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the cooperative program serves as a collaboration of state, university, and federal biologists dedicated to enhancing wildlife data for effective fish and game management.
Chris Krenz, a wildlife scientist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, reports that the unit, which has been operational since 1991, has significantly contributed to wildlife management across the state.
“The unit has done a tremendous amount of research that has been very informative to wildlife management in Alaska,” Krenz explained.
He noted that insights from the unit have been vital in understanding the dynamic roles of habitat and predators in managing game populations.
Beyond its research contributions, the unit also plays a critical role in training future wildlife biologists in Alaska.
According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), about half of the graduate students who have participated in the cooperative research unit over the last decade have transitioned into positions within Alaska’s fish and wildlife management sector.
Krenz regards the unit as a fundamental workforce pipeline for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
“These are people that have come and spent time in Alaska, really gotten to know Alaska by doing their research and studies here in Alaska,” he said.
Diane O’Brien, director of UAF’s Institute of Arctic Biology, echoes these sentiments about the research unit, calling it a lifeline for her students who gain valuable mentorship from established scientists in the program.
She worries about the potential consequences if the program were to dissolve.
“I think there would be many fewer students that could be supported in their pursuit of masters and PhDs in wildlife biology and fisheries,” she expressed.
One such student, Derek Arnold, is a postdoctoral researcher focusing on Alexander Archipelago wolf populations in Southeast Alaska.
He observes that the current hiring freeze in the state is discouraging many of his peers from considering long-term employment opportunities in Alaska.
“I feel like currently, people are just sort of in a bit of a stasis,” he noted, emphasizing the detrimental impact the cuts could have on both the wildlife field and the universities involved.
As funding cuts loom, the future of wildlife research and management in Alaska hangs in the balance, prompting concerns about the lasting effects on the state’s resources and the development of its research talent.
image source from：https://alaskapublic.org/news/alaska-desk/2025-06-06/trumps-budget-would-cut-a-research-program-thats-informed-alaska-wildlife-management-for-decades
