Halfway through the training we spent the afternoon visiting a couple of nifty places around Fairbanks. At the University of Alaska Fairbanks Reindeer Research Program we learned all about reindeer as a domesticated animal that can be raised as a source of nutrient rich meat. Greg Finstad has been working at this research farm for over 25 years and explained the breeding program to us. After that we had a chance to visit with the reindeer and feed them lichens. Lichens are a terrific source of energy that the stomach of reindeer can easily digest. We all fell in love with these gentle animals. Visit this website to learn more about the Reindeer Research Program http://reindeer.salrm.uaf.edu/
Reindeer at the Research Program
Our second stop was at the US Army Corps of Engineers Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility where Matt Sturm gave us an overview of what permafrost is before he took us into the permafrost tunnel. Permafrost is ground that remains frozen for more than two years. One little caveat that resonated with me from Matt's talk is the fact that 60% of the permafrost is water, and if that melts the land will go through tremendous subsidence. While in the tunnel we touched 40,000 year old water that's locked in the permafrost. Understanding the phase changes of water will assist you in understanding the thermal properties of permafrost. Visit this website to learn more about the Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility
USACE Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility