Chapter 4—Resource Assessment
Resources-Current Conditions
Physical features and areas of current use were inventoried, measured and entered into a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) database. The GIS database allows for an inventory of current features, provides a tool for examination of relationships between physical features, and can be updated as physical features of the North Campus change.
Current use
The current uses of the North Campus fall into three main categories: 1) Research, 2) Education, and 3) Recreation. Compatibility of these uses is situational. See Appendix H for a detailed list of current uses, users and their needs.
Research: The North Campus has a rich history of ecological and geophysical research because of easy access from campus and its breadth of ecological, hydrological, and soil conditions. Research taking place on the North Campus has been funded in support by both state and federal agencies. Currently, over half of the dollars in Alaska's economy accruing from research and development are attributable to UAF (Dorman, n.d.). Some of this funding is directly related to research taking place on the North Campus. The area is used by faculty level investigators from across the UA system and for graduate student research. There are over 20 current identified research projects on the North Campus, and historically the area has been used for over 107 projects including theses and dissertations. Its potential for research, therefore, also depends on maintaining its current balance between trail access and relatively undeveloped conditions.
Education: UAF faculty use the North Campus for demonstrations and field activities associated with classes. Classes include, among others, art, biology, cross country skiing, military science, and natural resources management. There are two factors that make NC well suited for UAF courses: first, the unique resources found there; and second, the location, which allows students to gain easy access to these resources within the constraints of their class schedule.
Recreation: The diversity of environment-lake, forest, fen and field-and the trail system, provide opportunities for community outreach programs on the North Campus. Recreation in the NC has a long history. The proximity to campus makes it an ideal location for UAF faculty, staff, and students to engage in recreation activities while on breaks during the workday. The recreational opportunities provided on the NC provide valuable stress relief, opportunities for introspection, and physical fitness. The proximity to campus is especially critical in the winter months. The NC also provides training for the UAF Nordic ski and running teams, as well as community firearms courses.
There are several common themes among these uses:
Proximity to campus is critical for all uses and users. All uses rely on the trail system. All uses have a vested interest in maintaining the biological and physical integrity, as well as the natural assets, of the area (see Figure 4.1).
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Concentration of current uses
The concentration of current uses was also assessed, with GIS used to inventory their locations. In some cases the GIS coordinates were entered based on a description of the area provided by the respective user; in other instances the physical feature (e.g., trail, research plot) was recorded using Global Positioning Satellites (GPS). A description of the current concentrations, and maps displaying the concentration, follow.
Research
Inventorying current research was viewed as a critical task for the NCS. A GIS database has been developed to inventory and track current research and facilitates future research. The database containing this inventory will be made available to researchers as needed. Research information contained in the database includes the following:
Location of the research area The shape of the research site Buffer area identified by researcher The type of research taking place Activities that pose threats to the research The timeframe, historic and future, of the research The principal investigator (PI) and their contact information Research support information includes:
Contour lines Arboretum boundaries, vegetation classification, multi-band aerial image circa 1978, aerial image circa 1948 Location of trails, including informal trails Areas used for education Visual bands aerial image, circa 2002 There are over twenty identified research projects currently operating in the area, including studies of soil temperature, forest growth, micro-meteorology, moss growth, forest litter decomposition, infra-sound, permafrost, and wildlife. While more details of these studies are contained in the research database, the specific place is not identified for confidentiality reasons. Although research occurs throughout the NC, there is a heavier research concentration in the Arboretum, the T-Field and Potato Field, and the Smith Lake area.
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Education Educational uses, including UAF course work as well as non-credit, school district, or community-based activities, occur on a regular basis throughout NC. The majority of the education uses, fan out from the West Ridge area towards the Arboretum and Smith Lake; however, Ballaine Lake area receives significant use as well. |
| Roads and Utilities on North Campus
There are 3.8 miles of roads on North Campus, which are authorized for "any non-motorized use and authorized vehicles," and constructed to varying Department of Transportation standards. In addition, there are several areas on North Campus where power transmission lines exist. |
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Topography and Soil Conditions on North Campus The topography of NC includes a broad east-west bottom land between Smith Lake (west side) and Ballaine Lake (east side), with a northerly aspect slope that declines to the bottom land from the main campus and a southerly aspect slope that leads up to the north border (maximum elevation of 250 m) along Yankovich Road. No slopes in NC are as steep as those on the main campus south of Yukon Drive. Significant portions of the low-lying land between Smith and Ballaine Lakes are often wet and virtually impassable in spring and summer and sometimes until freeze-up in fall. Soils are classified as Minto, Fairbanks, and Goldstream silt loams (USDA Soil Conservation Service and Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station 1963). Frost-action susceptibility, engineering properties, and other characteristics for each soil type are provided in Appendix I. The Natural Resource Conservation Service is in the process of updating and digitizing the Fairbanks Soil Survey. When that is completed it will be included in the GIS database. There are no reliable maps showing current wetland areas and permafrost coverage for the NC.FIGURE 4.5-Topographical Map of North Campus |
Recreation The NC is used during all seasons for a variety of uses, including cross country skiing, running, walking, biking, wildlife viewing, mushroom and berry picking, horse-back riding and nature studies.  |
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Although recreation takes place throughout the NC, there is a heavy concentration of winter recreation use in the southwest corner of the NC, along the T-Field road and around the T-Field. This area has a high concentration of trails, and all of the lighted trails are in this area. The Ballaine Lake area also has a high concentration of summer use from fishing.  |
Special management areas
There are several areas within the NC, which have their own management structures:
The NCS proposes that the special management areas mentioned above adhere to the guidelines set forth in this plan for the North Campus. More stringent guidelines can be adopted, but with respect to infrastructure or changes to the environment, the guidelines in this plan must be followed.
The management of the areas listed below, although not actually located within the NC boundaries, should be considered by the NCS because:
The Planning Process |
