Public Comment

AWA on The Wolf Connection Podcast!

AWA on The Wolf Connection Podcast!

Listen to AWA’s Executive Director discuss Denali wolves and our efforts to protect them.

Action Alert: Strengthen Protections for National Wildlife Refuges

Action Alert: Strengthen Protections for National Wildlife Refuges

Comment by May 6th to secure enhanced protections for wildlife!

Opinion: Lamenting the state’s kill of Wood-Tikchik Park bears

Opinion: Lamenting the state’s kill of Wood-Tikchik Park bears

Read Bill Sherwonit’s latest opinion piece on the 2023 shooting of Wood Tikchik bears

Protect the Western Arctic Caribou Herd in Less Than 5 Minutes!

Tell BLM TO SELECT THE “NO ACTION” ALTERNATIVE

The state of Alaska is planning on building an industrial access road, known as the Ambler Road, along the southern Brooks Range. Why? To transport ore from a network of planned open pit copper mines in the northwest arctic.

Where is the proposed road?
The road would cross an area managed by the National Park Service, including 16 million contiguous acres, the largest in the country. This acreage includes Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Noatak National Preserve, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, and Cape Krusenstern National Monument. These lands encompass a continuous ecologically intact landscape covering the western Brooks Range. This acreage alone is larger than the top 10 largest national parks in the contiguous U.S. combined — Death Valley, Yellowstone, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Olympic, Sequoia, Big Bend, Joshua Tree and Yosemite — plus the state of Connecticut!

How would wildlife be impacted?
The landscape is also home to the Western Arctic Caribou Herd with more than 180,000 animals, making it one of the largest populations of caribou in North America. This herd travels up to 2,700 miles every year, the distance of Seattle, Washington, to Miami, Florida.

The proposed road, cutting from east to west across the north-south migration route of the caribou, could pose a serious barrier for the herd in its annual journey. There is scientific concern that the caribou would avoid the road and the industrial traffic along it, moving further west and away from Alaska Native villages that depend on the caribou for traditional subsistence use. If the road were to ever become public, it would put significant hunting pressures on the herd, further disrupting the historic migration patterns.

The road is just one piece to a larger story of industrialization of Northwest Alaska. The road would literally pave the way for the Ambler Mining District, which would only accelerate further development and activity that caribou would seek to avoid. Meanwhile, the herd population is currently in decline, dropping 23% in the last two years. The Western Arctic Caribou Herd will need its vast range to remain intact in order to adapt in a changing climate.

How can I help?

It's easy! Submit a comment to BLM by December 22, 2023. 
Tell the BLM to protect the Western Arctic Caribou Herd by choosing the No Action Alternative in the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) : 
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/57323/595/8004057/comment

Spread the word and share with others! Thank you for your support!

We Published! Impact of Climate Change on Alaska Natives in December 2023 Journal of Environmental Health

We Published! Impact of Climate Change on Alaska Natives in December 2023 Journal of Environmental Health

From the abstract: Alaska, with its unique geographical and ecological characteristics, is experiencing the detrimental effects of climate change at an alarming rate. The Alaska Native (AN) population, deeply connected to the land and its resources, faces disproportionate vulnerability to these impacts. We call attention to climate change impacts on AN food sovereignty, mental and behavioral health, cultural and spiritual practices, resiliency and adaptation, and how local Alaskan organizations are addressing climate change impacts.

This article also highlights the urgent need for environmental public health professionals to engage with AN and Native American communities, address health inequities, and participate in mitigation and adaptation efforts to address the environmental public health threats and consequences of climate change. Increasing awareness of climate- related health impacts on these communities is crucial and immediate actions are needed to support safer, healthier, and more sustainable and climate-resilient communities. Government agencies at all levels should also seek to integrate perspectives from Indigenous Peoples, engage in co-management strategies, and provide equitable funding and support for Indigenous communities. Unity, resilience, and adaptation become attainable goals by joining communities in caring for the environment. This message resonates not only in Alaska but also globally, highlighting the need for collective action in the face of climate change.

AWA in the news: One of the Largest Caribou Herds in Alaska is Careening Towards Extinction

AWA in the news: One of the Largest Caribou Herds in Alaska is Careening Towards Extinction

“In the past three decades, the Mulchatna caribou herd of southwestern Alaska has gone from nearly 200,000 to 12,000. Last year, the state wildlife agency’s Board of Game started to explore ways to help the struggling population. It landed on a controversial solution called "intensive management," also called predator control, which directs wildlife officials to indiscriminately kill predators. It was the first time the state included bears in the hunt, a decision that had no public process and was conducted without bear population estimates.”

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly of the Southcentral Board of Game meeting

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly of the Southcentral Board of Game meeting

Over 200 regulatory proposals were considered - here are the results.

Overview of Trap Setback Proposals on the Kenai Peninsula

Overview of Trap Setback Proposals on the Kenai Peninsula

Learn about trap setback proposals on the Kenai Peninsula, and how you can get involved!

Action Alert! Comment to support a new National Park Service Rule that protects bears, wolves and people

Action Alert! Comment to support a new National Park Service Rule that protects bears, wolves and people

Submit your comment by March 10th to protect wildlife and people in Alaska’s National Preserves!

Wildlife crossings, trap setbacks, and more: Get involved in the Southcentral Board of Game process

Wildlife crossings, trap setbacks, and more: Get involved in the Southcentral Board of Game process

Protect new highway wildlife crossings, secure trap setbacks from trails, and more!

Southeast Board of Game meeting summary

Southeast Board of Game meeting summary

Bears, wolves, public trails: Summary of 2023 Southeast Board of Game meeting