A Community Approach for Protecting Salmon Habitat in the Kenai Peninsula Borough
Principal Investigator – Orca Jimmy Peniston
PI Location – UAA, Kenai Peninsula College
Ambassador Cohort – 2026
Project Summary
This project supports a new collaboration between Kenai Peninsula College and the Kenai Watershed Forum to map and ground-truth salmon habitat across the Kenai Peninsula Borough. By combining advanced predictive models with community-led field surveys, the team aims to document and secure legal recognition for large areas of previously unmapped anadromous streams and riparian habitat. The effort also builds local capacity through student and volunteer fieldwork and provides critical geospatial data for fisheries and habitat management.