On November 21st, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance held an annual celebration with co-sponsors:
Former Alaska Governor, Tony Knowles
Former State Senator, Hollis French
Alaska State Representative, Andy Josephson
Nearly one hundred conservation allies, Alaska Wildlife Alliance members, and members of the public attended in solidarity for, and celebration of, Alaska’s wildlife. As we reflect on a year of growth and challenges, Tony Knowles reminds us of all we have to cherish, and fight for, in the New Year.
AWA 2019 Celebration at the Writer’s Block in Anchorage, Alaska
Tony Knowles Speech
“We Alaskans own, as part of our heritage, another Permanent Fund of far greater value than the $65 billion created by non‑renewable oil revenue. That other Permanent Fund is the magnificent heritage we have of our state and federal wild lands, waterways, oceans and all of the extraordinary wildlife and ecosystems that flourish within its domains.
Alaska's wildlife is unmatched anywhere in the world. However, the future of this invaluable heritage is in a crisis mode. There is no greater global crisis than our world’s rapidly warming and changing climate caused by humans.
And yet, this crisis is not only being denied by our Federal and State administrations, they instead are pursuing policies to accelerate it. They are weakening the Endangered Species Act and the federal regulations protecting air and water quality. They are offering massive openings of both marine and onshore oil, gas, and mining leases. They are giving the green light to irresponsible development such as Pebble Mine, the Ambler Road, old growth timber in the Tongass National Forest, and the list goes on.
Sadly, Alaska has also pursued a wildlife policy that is outdated, unethical, and scientifically indefensible. Calling it in Orwellian terms, "intensive game management", it is just a wolf and bear killing scheme. And again, most recently, this program was thoroughly researched, analyzed, and peer reviewed in a national science report by distinguished Alaska scientists as a “devastating assault” on our large carnivores of brown bear, black bear, and wolves.
Thanks to the Alaska Wildlife Alliance and the sisters and brothers in the many other conservation organizations in Alaska, these policies have been valiantly and vigorously fought. And we can win this battle as all polls show the Alaska public is with a large majority do not support this kind of policy.”
***
Tony Knowles served as Governor of Alaska 1994-2002 and was was Mayor of Anchorage 1982-1988. Knowles served as the President of the National Energy Policy Institute from 2007-20013, a non-profit research organization. Knowles served as Chair of the National Park System Advisory Board from 2009-2017. Tony Knowles graduated with a degree in economics from Yale University and is a Vietnam veteran. Tony and his wife, Susan, reside in Anchorage, Alaska.
