After 25 years of leading excursions through the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, I can honestly say not one of our visitors has left unchanged or having experienced something indescribable and profound. Whether rafting, backpacking or tracking the migration routes of the spectacular Porcupine Caribou herd, I have fallen in love with the place-- an area that is so important for so many people and so much wildlife.
In fact, a while back, I made several trips to continental states-- meeting remote Arctic advocates. At a stop in Louisiana, I encountered a young man who occupied an office no bigger than five square feet without air conditioning in hot and humid New Orleans. As someone who's personally spent a career guiding and traveling throughout the Arctic Refuge, I couldn’t wrap my head around being so far from a place and fighting every day for its protection. To top that, he’d never even seen the Refuge in person and noted that he’d probably never have the opportunity. When I asked what drove his motivation and kept him from burning out, he said “It’s just knowing places like that exist.”
His response was so simple yet precise. If we drill here, we’ll destroy one of the most iconic places for our natural and human environments in the world. The conversation brought me to think about the Gwich’in Nation who’ve called the region home and depended on the Coastal Plain for centuries. Often part of our trips through Arctic Wild--a small Arctic education and recreation business-- Travel through Arctic Village, A Gwich’in community on the edge of the Arctic Refuge. The Gwich’in have long lived a subsistence lifestyle and host a beautiful relationship with their natural environment. Though so different from our own consumerist life, their rights and well being are just as significant. These Alaskans have been actively opposing Arctic drilling since its initial proposals.
I thought about what got me here today. My start in the adventure business stemmed from a combination of my work at Outward Bound, an outdoor education organization, and a fascination with the Arctic Refuge inspired by a guest speaker for Outward Bound-- none other than former President Jimmy Carter. These experiences motivated me to buy part ownership for Arctic Wild. Our philosophy combines the trip of a lifetime while communicating to our clients the amazing natural and cultural value there. Every trip has brought with it its own challenges, highlights and truly memorable moments only available in a place like the Arctic Refuge.
And now with everything happening, including the latest budget proposal to open the Refuge for extraction, I keep thinking about what’s at stake if we drill there. There’s this argument used by pro-drilling legislators who “only want part of the Refuge for extraction.” In reality, what they’re doing is taking the most important spot and tearing it up for short-term profit at the expense of the place and its people.The Coastal Plain isn’t just any part of the vast landscape but one that is absolutely essential to its inhabitants-- 100’s of species of nesting birds, denning Polar bears, and the birthing ground for the Porcupine Caribou Herd, to name a few.
When I think of the value and power of the Arctic, I’m constantly reminded of one of my favorite trip memories from a few years back. A somewhat older couple were working trade jobs and living a fairly modest lifestyle. For years, they saved up for what they considered their trip of a lifetime-- A rafting trip in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. As we left the mountains and entered the coastal plain,, the woman turned back to me on our nearly silent float and desperately declared, “We have to protect this place forever.” Now it’s in Congress’ hands to listen to her and so many Americans in stopping this irreversible damage in its tracks.