The Corkline

  • Fish, Forest and Fungus

    Aug 23

    Every fall in coastal Alaska summer abundance begins to wane as the seasons shift. Nowhere will this change become more evident than in the coastal forests where the streams are full of salmon and the forest floor is covered in mushrooms; hedgehogs, porcinis and winter chanterelles. These wild treats are ...

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  • Salmon Lifecycle: Part 2

    May 6

    The Journey Spring has sprung, earlier this year than nearly ever before. Baby salmon are awake and moving. They are growing eagerly under the sunlight that’s increasing by minutes each day. By now they’ve used up the last of the energy stores left to them by their mothers. ...

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  • Fat Fish: Why Copper River Salmon Fat is So Good For You

    Jan 27

    You’ve probably heard of “Omega-3s” and their role in a healthy diet. Maybe you’ve heard that these fatty acids can be found in abundance in some seafood, or that they are heart-healthy. But have you ever wondered what makes this super-lipid SO important in our bodies? In ...

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  • Salmon Lifecycle: Part I

    Dec 18

    It is December on Alaska’s Copper River. Temperatures dip into negatives. The sun arcs low on the horizon. Small streams freeze to the bottom; rivers and lakes freeze on top. Energy in any form is scarce. And yet, wild Copper River salmon are growing. They began in late summer ...

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  • Salmon in the Schools

    Jan 12

    Connecting the dots between beginning and end, students in the Copper River region get a special experience each winter with the addition of a specialized salmon tank in the classroom. The tank currently houses coho salmon eggs, though that will quickly change as the eggs morph into alevin and then ...

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