An Inventory of the Vascular Flora of
Fort Greely, Interior Alaska
CHARLES RACINE, ROBERT LICHVAR, AND MICHAEL DUFFY
INTRODUCTION
Provide species lists for Fort Greely to include rela-
Beginning in 1994, we (C. Racine and R. Lichvar)
tionships to species on Fort Wainwright, floristic re-
initiated floristic inventories of the three U.S. Army
gions, habitats, range extensions, and rare species.
bases in Alaska (Forts Richardson, Wainwright, and
Greely). These studies were designed to support vari-
STUDY AREA
ous Army natural resource programs, including ITAM
(Integrated Training Area Management) and LCTA
Fort Greely is located southeast of Fairbanks near
(Land Condition Trend Analysis), as well as to provide
Delta Junction, Alaska, in Interior Alaska (Fig. 1) be-
information for the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the
tween the Alaska Range and the Tanana River. The base
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and AR
covers about 231,479 ha (0.66 million acres). Three
420-74, Natural Resources-Land, Forest and Wildlife
large rivers and a tributary to one of these, fed by gla-
Management. The inventory reports for Forts
ciers in the Alaska Range, flow from south to north
Richardson and Wainwright have been issued as
across the base and empty into the Tanana River (Fig.
USACE reports (Lichvar et al. 1995, Racine et al. 1997).
2). Elevations range from about 400 to 1800 m. The
This is the third and final report in this series. The in-
base covers portions of the Big Delta and Mt. Hayes
ventories provide a record of the plant biodiversity in
USGS quadrangles.
three different northern environments from coastal
According to Jorgenson et al. (2001), the base origi-
mountains (Fort Richardson) to interior lowlands, up-
nated as Station 17, Alaska Wing of the Air Transport
lands, montane, alpine, and riverine habitats (Forts
Command, in 1942 to serve as a refueling stop and was
Wainwright and Greely).
reduced to inactive status in 1945. In 1948 the installa-
As mentioned, this study provides an inventory and
tion was reactivated for cold weather maneuvers, and
analysis of the existing vascular flora of Fort Greely.
it was named the Arctic Training Center in 1949. Most
Additional objectives include:
of the facilities were constructed during the 1950s, in-
cluding the military's first nuclear power plant. Chemi-
Compile a preliminary list of potential species that
cal and biological weapons were tested during the
might occur on Fort Greely from herbarium and lit-
1950s. Studies of Fort Greely vegetation and flora were
erature sources.
conducted by Holmes and Benninghof (1957) who col-
Subdivide Fort Greely into floristic inventory areas
lected about 400 species of vascular plants. Under the
to provide for representative collections from all parts
BRAC-1995, Congress designated a portion of the Main
of the facility.
Post to be closed and training activities to be realigned
Collect sets of all voucher vascular plant specimens
with Fort Wainwright. Fort Greely currently is used for
and provide a set for Fort Greely.
artillery, mortar, and small arms firing, aerial gunnery,
Identify the specimens collected in the field to the
and platoon to brigade exercises and bivouacs because
appropriate subspecific level and have final verifica-
of the large area and the unique opportunities for cold
tion of specimens done by specialists at the Univeristy
weather testing, glacier training, mountaineering, river
of Alaska Museum and other herbaria.
rafting, and ice-bridge construction. The U.S. Air Force
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