What is the purpose of the Arctic Wildlife Refuge?
In 1980, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) re-designated the Range as part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and provided four purposes that guide management of the entire Refuge: to conserve animals and plants in their natural diversity, ensure a place for hunting and gathering Apr 10, 2013
Why was the Arctic refuge created?
Through their efforts, the Refuge was originally established “For the purpose of preserving unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values ” In 1980 the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act renamed “Range” to “Refuge,” increased the total area of the Refuge to nineteen million acres, designated a
Can you live in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?
While both adventure seekers and residents travel within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, there are two permanent villages whose livelihoods are tied to the Arctic Refuge and have been for thousands of years: Kaktovik and Arctic Village
What is protected in the ANWR?
They protect and celebrate the land, wildlife, and history of this landscape They are important members of global society, and speak out for the protection of the land
What is going on with the Arctic Refuge?
The battle over Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been a harrowing one — in August 2020, the Trump administration approved a full gas and oil drilling plan that would make 15 million acres of the preserved natural lands available to drilling, in order to boost the economy and bring jobs to local people
Why do indigenous communities and conservationists want to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?
The decision forced the Tribes to choose between devoting limited time and resources to protect their communities during the global pandemic, or to protect their way of life from the catastrophic effects of fossil fuel development in the Coastal Plain
How many animals are in the Arctic wildlife Refuge?
The Refuge’s rich pageant of wildlife includes 42 fish species, 37 land mammals, eight marine mammals, and more than 200 migratory and resident bird species
Where is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and how large is it?
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge covers approximately 1964 million acres of land and water in northeastern Alaska It is administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System
Is the Arctic refuge still protected?
But it’s what lies beneath the permafrost that has been sparking political debate since the refuge was created In 1980, Congress passed a law that protected 80 percent of ANWR The remaining 20 percent, the 15 million-acres coastal plain, was left available for potential use
Where is Heimo AK?
Heimo Korth is an American outdoorsman He and his wife Edna are among the few permanent residents of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge They live along the Coleen River, just south of the Brooks Range, and move between cabins seasonally Striving to be self-reliant, they hunt and fish for their own food
Do the last Alaskans live there year round?
For nine months of the year, the Korths live without running water, without electricity, and with almost no connection to the outside world They are the last year-round residents of the refuge, and some of the last of their kind left in Arctic Alaska
How did Tyler and Ashley Selden get to live in Alaska?
Their trapping permit states they cannot live there year-around Tyler, a Nebraskan, and Ashley met when they were in college at the University of Minnesota-Duluth They moved to Alaska a couple of days after their wedding Some relatives have visited the Seldens in Alaska
Is ANWR saved?
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest unspoiled, intact ecosystems left on the planet The final Environmental Impact Statement for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was released in September 2019 The federal government has recommended opening nearly all of the proposed area to drilling
Is ANWR federal land?
Founding the Alaska Conservation Society in 1960, Celia worked tirelessly to garner support for the protection of Alaskan wilderness ecosystems The region first became a federal protected area in 1960 by order of Fred Andrew Seaton, Secretary of the Interior under US President Dwight D Eisenhower
Why is ANWR controversial?
Much of the debate over whether to drill in the 1002 area of ANWR rests on the amount of economically recoverable oil, as it relates to world oil markets, weighed against the potential harm oil exploration might have upon the natural wildlife, in particular the calving ground of the Porcupine caribou
Will Trump drill into the Arctic?
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Monday finalized its plan to open up part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas development, a move that overturns six decades of protections for the largest remaining stretch of wilderness in the United States
When was the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge protected?
On December 6, 1960, President Dwight Eisenhower made their vision a reality by establishing the 89-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Range specifically for its “unique wildlife, wilderness, and recreational values” In 1980, President Jimmy Carter continued this legacy by expanding the area, designating much of
How can we help save the Arctic?
Reducing your carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels can help save the Arctic Discover practical ways you can make a difference, from joining our campaigns to shopping greener at the supermarket and making your home energy efficient
Who established the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?
Eisenhower established the 89 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Range in 1960 His successor, President Jimmy Carter, added to this effort in 1980 President Carter expanded the amount of land protected, designated much of the land as protected Wilderness, and renamed it the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
What animals live in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge?
The stated mission of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is to “preserve unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values; to conserve caribou herds, polar bears, grizzly bears, muskox, Dall sheep, wolves, wolverines, snow geese, peregrine falcons, other migratory birds, Dolly Varden, and grayling; to provide
How do animals survive in the Arctic?
Although the Arctic tundra doesn’t seem appealing to us humans, many animals choose to call it home They survive freezing temperatures for months at a time by developing some specialized features that help them stay warm, including insulating fur, layers of fat, and oily skin coatings
Where do arctic animals live?
Polar bears and arctic foxes are adapted to the extreme weather of the Arctic region Walruses and humpback whales live in the Arctic ocean Several kinds of penguins, including the emperor penguin, live in Antarctica, and so do walruses and narwhals The poles of the planet are places of extremes