Just when I thought I couldn’t go any further North…

In late-April, I boarded a plane with a group of Inuvialuit and Canadian scientists and embarked on a flight from Inuvik, NWT, across the pure wilderness of the Arctic North Slope, to the Barrow, Alaska- the northernmost town on the North American continent.

Dan Slavik plane
Flying over the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) in spring. © Dan Slavik, WWF-Canada

WWF co-sponsored a workshop in Barrow, bringing together Indigenous community members and leaders from ALL communities that border the Beaufort Sea.  The topic of the meeting was to discuss opportunities for further collaboration in ecosystem based management across the Beaufort Sea.
The Beaufort Sea ecosystem stretches from Point Barrow, Alaska to the Amundsen Gulf in Canada’s Western Arctic.  Crossing an international boundary presents several challenges for the management of an ecosystem and wide ranging species that have no boundaries.  These species are facing stressors and threats on both side of the border, as climate change alters the arctic environment and allows for more shipping, oil and gas, and other activities to penetrate the Beaufort Sea.
A satellite image of the Beaufort Sea Ecosystem in late spring. © NASA
A satellite image of the Beaufort Sea Ecosystem in late spring. © NASA

The Inupiat of Alaska’s North Slope and the Inuvialuit of Canada’s Western Arctic have extensive familial relationships and a long history of working collaboratively to manage species such as polar bears and beluga.  Arriving in Alaska with the Inuvialuit felt more like a family reunion than a meeting- with lots of hugs, stories, and feasts continuing through the week. Both groups depend extensively on marine resources for subsistence and have a proud history of whaling.  It is a vital resource to their health, their culture, and their survival in the Arctic.  Harvests are done sustainably within a given scientific quota, and harvests also provide valuable samples for scientists to monitor changes in the cetaceans’ health.
WWF has a shared interest with these groups to ensure that these wildlife populations remain healthy and abundant, and that their ecosystems are protected from impacts that would harm the populations.  Both groups have a long and proud history of leadership in wildlife conservation (although their idea of conservation may differ somewhat from how people in the south view wildlife conservation).  One elder said that “we are the first conservationists… we’ve been managing these species for thousands of years!” Today, they have authority in managing their environment through their land claims, and have insightful traditional knowledge that contributes to understanding arctic species and ecosystem interactions. Both groups are faced with new and amplified challenges and have to consider best practices for conserving species that cover a huge geographic range and are subject to stressors that are often outside of their control. Furthermore, as a culture they are faced with a need to protect traditions and their environment, balanced with a need for economic development that is headed their way (or is already present), whether they like it or not.
This workshop is a continuation in previous conversation for the best way to work together to share information and better coordinate management of the Beaufort Sea ecosystem. The communities will have to adapt and respond to changes in their environment that they can’t control, but there are some opportunities to guide planning in the marine environment to minimize the impact of development on species. One comment was the “[we need to] plan for the future so we’re not in a reactive state” and, if development does happen, to “make sure ‘they’ do it right”.
Inuvialuit share their stories and knowledge with their Inupiat neighbors. © Dan Slavik, WWF-Canada
Inuvialuit share their stories and knowledge with their Inupiat neighbors. © Dan Slavik, WWF-Canada

The Inupiat and Inuvialuit are the eyes and ears of the Arctic Ocean.  Always watching the changes.   But it was amazing to witness the mindfulness and heart that that they bring out when discussing the past, present, and future of the Beaufort, and what it means to the people who live there.