August 2020 Newsletter

Check out our August newsletter for the latest news and updates on our work to protect Alaska's wildlife. Featuring news on the Ambler Road, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Wildlife Refuge Rule, and Pebble Mine, as well as upcoming wildlife events. #noamblerroad #protectthearctic #alaska #wildlifeconservation #alaskawildlife #kenai #nopebblemine #beluga

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View this email in your browser Advocating for Alaska's Wildlife Since 1978 Help us safeguard the future of Alaska's wildlife. Join our alliance by becoming a member for as low as $35 a year.  BECOME A MEMBER THE LATEST Watch this short video about the Ambler Road and its impact to people and wildlife  Our lawsuit to stop the Ambler Road Earlier this month, AWA and eight allied organizations represented by Trustees for Alaska filed a lawsuit challenging decisions by the Interior Department, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Army Corps of Engineers for approving a route for the Ambler Road. This proposed private-access gravel road would run from the Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District in Northwest Alaska, through Gates of the Arctic National Preserve.  The project applicant — the Alaska Industrial and Development Export Authority  — would use public funding to subsidize the 211-mile Ambler road, which would be used solely by private mining interests.   “Alaskans know the importance of intact and healthy ecosystems, which is why opposition to this road has been immense from the start,” says Nicole Schmitt, Executive Director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance. “The road would expose the Kobuk and Koyukuk watersheds to serious pollution, and people in the region rely on these watersheds for food and their ways of life. Animals like sheefish, arctic char, and a variety of salmon rely on these rivers, as do marine mammals such as seals and beluga whales. Terrestrially, this project would fragment caribou herd migrations, threaten critical bird habitat, and put stress on moose populations along the Koyukuk, Kobuk, Wild, Alatna, and John Rivers. The Brooks Range is an exceptionally productive, culturally and spiritually significant, and biologically important region in this state –  extraordinarily more valuable than the short-term profits of an Outside mining company." Read more about the Ambler road and the lawsuit here Approved plan to open oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge    Alaska Wildlife Alliance is proud to be part of a coalition of Alaskans that have denounced the Bureau of Land Management’s decision to give sacred lands in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to private interests for oil and gas exploitation. Read our full statement here. Photo of polar bear in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by Matthew Studebaker Update: Pebble Mine is closer than ever On July 23rd, the Army Corps of Engineers released the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Pebble Mine. Marking the end of the review process for Pebble’s phase-one plan, the decision to grant or deny its key federal permit is now in the upper-most hands of the Trump Administration. Learn more about Pebble Mine and the bears of Bristol Bay. A decision will be made before the end of fall -  it is imperative that the public to speak up now. Click here to take action! Photo by Schaef, brown bear fishing at Katmai National Park International Wolf Day   On August 13th we celebrated International Wolf Day by reflecting on our work to secure protections for wolves outside Denali National Park. Learn more about our documentary film project and listen to an Eyes of Conservation podcast interview with filmmaker Ramey Newell.  Photo by H. Kuchera Monitoring endangered beluga whales   Alaska Wildlife Alliance is one of the co-founding organizations of the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership, a collaboration that offers volunteer opportunities to citizen scientists that contribute to endangered beluga monitoring efforts in Alaska’s Cook Inlet. The fall monitoring season is back on,  starting on August 15 and running through November 15!  This season has some modifications due to the pandemic and human health precautions. Learn about this project and how to sign up for a monitoring session here!  Photo of beluga whale by Viewbug Thank you for taking action- Kenai Wildlife Refuge    We are so grateful to everyone who submitted comments to protect the Kenai Wildlife Refuge from brown bear baiting and increased trapping. The US Fish and Wildlife Service received over 34,000 comments on the proposed rule! Now, the agency will review comments before making a final decision. We will keep you updated on the status and findings of this issue through our newsletters, website, and social media platforms. Photo of illegal marten traps on Kenai Wildlife Refuge by former USFWS employee Meet our new intern, Ben   In partnership with the University of Alaska we are happy to introduce Ben Hall as AWA's new communications intern. Ben grew up in Chugiak, Alaska and is sharing his passion for writing to help conserve and protect Alaska's wildlife. Learn more about Ben from our latest blog! Photo by/of Ben Hall Quick hits ALASKANS: The Board of Game is seeking public comment on how to conduct the 2020/2021 meeting cycle. Take this 5-minute survey to give input on how meetings can be accessible and safe during these unprecedented times. Comments are due August 31. Why the U.S. Government is allowing bears, wolves to be hunted in their dens  |National Geographic  State of Alaska files lawsuit over Federal Subsistence Board restrictions on popular hunting grounds | KTVA DNA test show that the 4 bears killed near Hope were not responsible for fatal mauling | ADN | Alaska Public Media News UPCOMING EVENTS September 2nd, 7pm-8pm online: Wildlife Wednesday Avian Influenza in the seabirds of Beringia with Maile Branson PAST EVENTS If you missed our past Wildlife Wednesdays, have no fear! You can watch recordings of our previous talks on our website: How hungry Humpback whales work smarter, not harder with Madison Kosma Management changes at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge with Dr. John Morton Career Spotlight Wild Alaska Veterinary Pathology with Dr. Kathy Burek Bears of the Alaska Peninsula with Drew Hamilton Career Spotlight: Being an Ethical Wildlife Photographer with Carl Johnson Belugas in Our Backyard with Dr. Alison Gardell and Teresa Becher Check out these new ways to give to Alaska Wildlife Alliance! All of our work, from advocacy to education, is member-supported. If you believe that this work is important, please consider supporting us by becoming a member. BECOME A MEMBER Our members make our work possible. Become a member for only $35 a year.  V I S I T our W E B S I T E F O L L O W on F A C E B O O K F O L L O W on T W I T T E R F O L L O W on I N S T A G R A M Thank you for being engaged with the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, we hope to "see" you at our of our virtual events soon! Copyright © *|2020|Alaska Wildlife Alliance|* All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: PO Box 202022, Anchorage, AK 99520  Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.