Skip Navigation.

ARCTIC REFUGE

The Arctic is all around us. Every year, birds that begin their lives on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge journey to all 50 states and across six continents, before heading back to the Arctic, where the cycle of life begins again. The Arctic is the origin of life for more than just birds – numerous species of mammals bear their young on this vast expanse of tundra including polar bears, caribou and more.  As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (established by President Eisenhower December 6, 1960), we must do everything we can to be sure that this last wild haven remains for generations to come.

  • ACTION: HR39 (Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act) – More than 90 cosponsors.  Please check here to see if your representative has yet to cosponsor.   If not, please encourage him/her to sign on now by clicking here!
  • ACTION: S231 (Bill to designate a portion of the Arctic Refuge as wilderness) - Currently  25 cosponsors.  If your Senator hasn't already done so, please encourage him/her to become a cosponsor.
  • ACTION: Sign this petition asking President Obama to Protect America's Arctic.
  • UPDATE: The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 requires that a management plan is developed to explain, in detail, how a refuge will be managed for the following 15 years. This plan, called the Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), is necessary to ensure that biological integrity, diversity and environmental health is maintained or restored on each refuge and within the nation’s refuge system as a whole. Every refuge in Alaska, including the Arctic Refuge, must finalize its CCP by 2012.  This process is scheduled to begin within the next year. We will let you know when the Department of Interior has finalized dates for the public comment periods and scoping hearings will be held, which will give people a chance to express their support for wilderness in the Refuge.
  • FREE VIDEO: Alaska Wilderness League has a new video about the Arctic Refuge, written and narrated by acclaimed author Terry Tempest Williams.  If your organization would like a copy or would like to show it to folks, please email me at anna (at) alaskawild.org.

TrackBack URI

Origami Paper Swan Campaign

As part of our continued efforts to protect special places within the Reserve, Alaska Wilderness League is launching a paper swan drive. One of the Reserve's key special areas is Teshekpuk Lake, which is home each summer to hundreds of thousands of migratory water fowl – including tundra swans. Throughout the month of April and the beginning of May, we are asking folks to fold their own origami swans to be delivered to Congress. The swans will be delivered in conjunction with International Migratory Bird Day in May to ask Congress to take action and grant Teshekpuk Lake the strongest protections possible.

This is a great activity to do together. Organizations, school groups or classrooms could join efforts to make swans; or consider inviting your friends over for an origami swan party.  In addition,  we have a curriculum for elementary school classes up on the web page for teachers to use as a guide for a lesson plan.

If wiling, please work with your organizations, members and customers to fold your own paper swans and send them to the  Alaska Wilderness Leauge's DC office by MAY 1st:

Alaska Wilderness League - Origami Swan Drive

122 C Street NW , Suite 240 

Washington,  DC 2001