Toolik Field Station

Toolik Field Station (TFS) is a research station operated and managed by the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) with cooperative agreement support from the Office of Polar Programs, Directorate for Geosciences at the National Science Foundation (NSF). TFS provides housing, meals, laboratories and science support to researchers and students from across the world. Research support includes GIS and mapping services, technical and IT assistance, shared commonly used equipment, and a collection of standardized environmental data.

A user-day fee contributes to costs of operations, while a Steering Committee and input from the science community advise TFS Management on the direction and extent of science support and station operations. Through NSF’s Arctic Research Support and Logistics Contractor, Battelle Arctic Research Operations (Battelle ARO), a research helicopter is on-site for part of the summer to provide support for approved projects. Battelle ARO performs facilities engineering, maintenance, construction, and operations services at the station. In this capacity, Battelle ARO staff maintain a year-round presence at the station and conduct seasonal construction projects in the spring and the fall. In the summer, Battelle ARO has a Science Project Manager on site to help facilitate support of NSF-supported projects and helicopter operations. TFS infrastructure and equipment are owned by either UAF or NSF.

TFS is located is located at mile 284.5 of the Dalton Highway, 370 miles north of Fairbanks. Driving to the station takes 9-12 hours and requires travel on a largely unpaved industrial artery that serves operations at Prudhoe Bay.