Posts Tagged ‘Wildlife’
Congress Wants to Hand the Western Arctic Back to Big Oil
The Western Arctic is one of the last vast, wild places left in America. It’s home to caribou herds that travel hundreds of miles to calve, millions of migratory birds from across the globe, and Alaska Native communities who have lived off these lands for generations. At 23 million acres, the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (more warmly known as the…
Read MoreSeismic Exploration Explained: Why the Arctic Refuge Is at Risk
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the last truly wild places left on Earth. Every spring, caribou travel hundreds of miles to give birth here. Polar bears dig dens in the snow to raise their cubs. Millions of birds migrate from all 50 states to nest on its tundra. This isn’t just Alaska’s backyard. It’s our backyard. A living, breathing…
Read MoreWe Lost a Vote—But Not the Fight
Watching the budget bill pass hurt. There’s no way around it. Despite everything we poured into this fight—the long nights, the relentless pressure, the stories shared, the ground gained—Congress has once again sold-out Alaska and our public lands to billionaires. In a budget deal led by President Trump and his allies, we saw sweeping new…
Read MoreAlaska Under Attack: The Four-Front Fight for Our Public Lands
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Alaska is in the crosshairs. From the edges of the Arctic Ocean to the old-growth of the Tongass, the Trump administration is launching a full-scale attack on some of the wildest places left in America. They’re gutting protections, fast-tracking drilling and logging, and tossing aside Indigenous rights and climate science—all to…
Read MoreArctic Refuge Drilling Fails Again: A Victory for Conservation and Common Sense
Big news from the Arctic Refuge: The latest oil and gas lease sale for the Coastal Plain bombed—not a single bid. Zero. Nada. This was supposed to be a cornerstone of Trump’s 2017 Tax Act’s promise to generate $2.2 billion for the American people. Instead, it’s yet another reminder that drilling the Arctic isn’t just…
Read MoreFrom Arctic Village to Advocacy: Danica Carey’s Journey to Protect America’s Arctic
In July of 2023, blog author Danica Carey traveled to the Arctic Refuge with four other women as part of a collaboration between Alaska Wilderness League and Love is King. This blog interview is an account of her experience, both in the Arctic Refuge and then more recently advocating in D.C. It’s been about a…
Read MoreProtecting America’s Arctic: Battling Backlash Against Conservation Efforts
In the wake of Earth Day, the Biden administration took a significant step forward for environmental conservation by announcing regulations safeguarding 13 million acres in the Western Arctic. This move not only signified a commitment to preserving vital ecosystems – especially around the Arctic’s five Special Areas – but also set the stage for future conservation efforts. However, the path to progress is not always straightforward, especially when political agendas clash with environmental stewardship.
Read MoreChampioning the Western Arctic: A Landmark Conservation Milestone for 2024
In the spring of 2024, President Biden took a monumental step in conservation, enacting new protections for over 13 million acres in the Western Arctic — the nation’s largest single unit of public land. This landmark regulation represents a significant victory for Alaska Wilderness League, culminating from thousands of hours of dedicated effort by our staff and supporters.
Read MoreLittle-Known “D1” Lands Protecting 28 Million Acres in Alaska Under Threat
In 1971, President Richard Nixon (surprisingly enough) passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which at the time was the largest land claims settlement in U.S. history. One of the most impressive features of the bill was section 17(d)(1) which gave the Interior Secretary the authority to set portions of that land aside to be protected for subsistence ways of life, cultural relationships with the land, and protection for wildlife.
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