November 15, 2011 -Today marks the end of the historic comment period for future management of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. More than 10,000 Audubon members submitted comments supporting Wilderness designation for the Coastal Plain, the biological heart of the refuge. Species that nest in the Arctic Refuge have ranges that reach all 50 states, and 180 migratory bird species from six continents depend on the Arctic Refuge.
“Migratory birds that nest in the Arctic Refuge are a tangible link between the backyards of people across the United States and the Refuge,” said Taldi Walter of Audubon. “A Wilderness recommendation for the Coastal Plain by the US Fish and Wildlife Service would be an important first step for protection many Americans have long supported.”
At the public hearing in Anchorage in September, Wilderness supporters outnumbered development promoters by two to one.
Two designated Important Bird Areas (IBAs), places essential for migrating and nesting birds, are located on the Coastal Plain. The
Eastern Beaufort Sea Lagoons and Barrier Islands IBA provides sheltered foraging areas for large numbers of molting seaducks, as well as nesting areas for significant numbers of migratory waterfowl. Snow Geese rely on the
Northeast Arctic Coastal Plain IBA as a place to feed and build energy reserves for their long migration. In some years, more than 325,000 Snow Geese have staged here before winging their way south.
The 50-year-old Arctic Refuge is the only National Wildlife Refuge established specifically to preserve wilderness values. Its Coastal Plain is a vital part of the larger Arctic ecosystem, home to some of America's iconic wildlife species—including wolves, polar bears, grizzly bears, muskoxen, and caribou.
Read the
full Audubon comments.
