Just like that, the 2026 field season has come to an end. Our last two researchers in the field, Andie Norton and Harrison DuBois from Woodwell Climate, flew home after being in the Arctic since May. They ensured all sixteen of the EVOME sites along the Dalton Highway are ready for winter: litter bags are secured to stream beds or staked to uplands for overwintering, and final samples and measurements of the year had been taken. A few sites had snow on the ground while others were painted with a striking red of autumn blueberry leaves. They will now join the rest of our team in processing samples in the lab and planning for next year’s field season. Huge thank you to Polar Field Services and Battelle for providing us with the resources we needed for a productive field season!
Leaf litter bags firmly secured to the stream bed of Galbraith Creek. Photo: Andie Norton
Research Assistant Harrison DuBois uses a survey instrument to determine the elevation of our stream’s staff gauge to ensure consistency from year to year. Photo: Andie Norton