News Release
Jess Thomas
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Contact: Matt Johnson, 907.469.1131
KING SALMON, Alaska --- Katmai National Park celebrates the winning Brooks Camp bear pin design by Jess Thomas from King Salmon, Alaska. Park staff distribute the pins to thousands of visitors each year who complete mandatory Brooks Camp bear safety training, also known as “bear school.”“I wanted to incorporate a landscape similar to the islands you see on Naknek Lake,” said Thomas about her design. “The volcano is reminiscent of Mt. Mageik. You can see it on a calm and clear day from my house.”
The bear pins traditionally serve as treasured mementos of wonder-filled park visits, safety reminders, and quick visual confirmations that safety training was completed. Limited-edition color pins are awarded to visitors who exhibit especially safe and responsible behavior around bears. The annual design contest opens in January to residents of southwest Alaska. The pins are funded by the Katmai Conservancy.
Thomas’s beautiful design highlights the natural resources of Katmai including volcanoes, salmon, and bears. In the design, a bear holds a salmon while sitting on a lake with a volcano venting in the background. Thomas grew up in King Salmon and spent a lot of time on both Naknek River and Lake. Her design honors the pristine lake and river systems that sustain salmon and other park wildlife.
"I wanted to enter the design contest for a few years now, so this year I decided to go for it," Thomas said. "I’m a fan of Katmai’s Fat Bear Week and picked up a quick favorite in Otis (bear 480) over the years. This is how I imagined him summering away from the falls, enjoying his salmon.
”For more information about Katmai visit us at www.nps.gov/katm or follow us on Facebook or Instagram
---NPS---
Last updated: June 9, 2025