NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE – ALASKA

America’s Unknown Treasure:

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TeshekpukLake

Colville River

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S T A T E O F

A L A S K A

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National Petroleum

Reserve - Alaska

ArctWild

NoatakNational Preserve

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Largest, Wildest Place in our Nation:

The National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska

special places deserve the highest possible

protections

The National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska (Reserve)

is the largest single unit of public lands in the nation. Encompassing 23.5 million acres, the Reserve harbors rich, vital wild lands and wildlife. These lands belong to you and me – and we deserve to play a role in how they are managed. In 1923, President Harding set aside the lands in the Reserve as an emergency oil supply for the U.S. Navy. In 1976, the administration of the Reserve was transferred to the Department of the Interior and was, unfortunately, renamed to what is now known as the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska. Despite the label, the Reserve contains some of the best wilderness-quality lands

in our nation. As far back as 1976, Congress told the U.S. Department of Interior to “take every precaution to avoid unnecessary surface damage and to minimize ecological disturbance throughout the reserve.”

W H AT ’ S AT S TA K EThe Reserve contains some of our nation’s most treasured natural resources – millions of acres of wilderness-quality lands with critical habitat for millions of migratory birds, as well as grizzly bears, caribou, threatened polar bears, walrus, wolves, endangered beluga whales and more.

While oil and gas activities may have a place in the Reserve, we must ensure that balanced and responsible decisions are made when it comes to development. But, oil and gas development is not the only threat to the Reserve – climate change has already had vast impacts on the land, sea ice and water of the Reserve. Given these threats, we must ensure that the places with the highest wilderness and wildlife values are granted the strongest possible protections.

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TeshekpukLake

Colville River

Noatak R.

Koyukuk R.

buend

B e a u f o r tS e a

LedyardBay

HarrisonBay

CamdenBay

SmithBay

PeardBay

S T A T E O F

A L A S K A

KasegalukLagoon

PointBarrow

ARCTIC CIRCLE

Kobuk R.

ShoalC h u k c h iS e a

Kokolik R

.

Ke tik R.

Utukok R.

Tit aluk R.

Ikpi

kpuk

R.

DeaseInlet

Colville R.

Epize

tka R

.Point

Franklin

Icy Cape

CapeHalkett

Cha

nd

ler

R.

Kigalik R.

Killi

k R.

Nanushuk R.

Itki ll ik R.

Ku par

uk R

.

Too lik R.Sagavanirk tok R.

Endicott Mountains

Cann

ing R

.

Kav ik R.

R

Ana k

tuvu

k R

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SadlerochitMountains

Hula hula R.

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East

Fo

rk

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.

National Petroleum

Reserve - Alaska

ArctWild

NoatakNational Preserve

NoatakNationalPreserve

UtukokUplands

Dalton H

wy.

Hi ghw

ay

Trans-A

laskaPip eline

Bowhead

whale spring m

igration

Bowhead whale fall migration

Gates of the ArcticNational Park & Preserve

Barrow

Kotzebue

Kivalina

ArcticVillage

Ka

Nuiqsut

Atqasuk

PointLay

Wainwright

Noatak

Noorvik

AnaktuvukPass

PrudhoeBay

Bird, Polar Bear & Caribou Paradise:

Special Areas of the Reserve Colville RiverThe Colville River flows through much of the Brooks Range. Alaska’s largest Arctic river is home to 20 fish species. Known as an internationally-recognized area for nesting birds of prey, the Colville River’s bluffs provide significant nesting habitat for raptors such as Peregrine Falcon, Gyrfalcon and Golden Eagle. The river’s delta is a haul-out area for spotted seals, and home to 68 regularly breeding bird species and 22 over-wintering fish species.

Utukok UplandsThe Utukok Uplands is the main calving ground for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, which at 400,000 caribou is the nation’s largest caribou herd – forty Western Arctic villages rely on these caribou as a food source for their subsistence culture. The Utukok Uplands also is important habitat for moose, and high densities of raptors, wolverines, grizzly bears and wolves. The Utukok River is home to pink and chum salmon.

Teshekpuk LakeTeshekpuk Lake is one of the most well-known places in the Reserve. The lake and its surrounding wetlands are ecologically unique and one

of the most important wildlife habitats in the circumpolar Arctic. Known as an Important Bird Area of global significance, Teshekpuk Lake is home to large numbers of shore and water birds, such as the Pacific Black Brant and Greater White-fronted Goose. Many of the birds that nest in Teshekpuk Lake during the summer migrate throughout the Lower 48 – it also is the largest goose molting area in the Arctic. Gray wolves, grizzly bears, polar bears, and the 67,000-strong Teshekpuk Lake Caribou Herd all thrive in this area. The North Slope communities depend upon the Teshekpuk Lake Caribou Herd as a vital food source for their subsistence culture.

Whale feeding and migration areas

Caribou concentrated calving area

Polar bear denning and feeding areas

Waterbird nesting, molting, and/or staging area

Raptor nesting area

Marine mammal haulout area(walrus and spotted seal)

Salmon stream

BLM Designated Special Areas

April 2011

National Petroleum Reserve - AlaskaSpecial Areas & Selected Wildlife Use Areas

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Kasegaluk LagoonThe Kasegaluk Lagoon spans approximately 125 miles of the Chukchi Sea coast. This sheltered, shallow lagoon provides critical waters for calving and molting beluga whales, habitat for seals and walrus as sea ice recedes due to climate change, undisturbed habitat for threatened polar bears, and breeding areas for a great diversity and abundance of birds. Hundreds of walrus and spotted seals haul out along the barrier islands, denning polar bears frequent these areas, and up to 3,500 endangered beluga whales gather here to feed and bear their young.

W H AT ’ S AT S TA K EMigratory and endangered birds, threatened polar bears, the nation’s largest caribou herd, endangered beluga whales and more depend upon the lands and waters of the Reserve. Alaska Natives live off these lands and waters, and the Reserve provides vital subsistence resources to its surrounding communities. Ensuring these subsistence resources are protected from possible development is crucial to protecting these communities’ way of life.

Whale feeding and migration areas

Caribou concentrated calving area

Polar bear denning and feeding areas

Waterbird nesting, molting, and/or staging area

Raptor nesting area

Marine mammal haulout area(walrus and spotted seal)

Salmon stream

BLM Designated Special Areas

National Petroleum Reserve - AlaskaSpecial Areas & Selected Wildlife Use Areas

home to iconic speciespolar and grizzly bears, birds, marine life, and caribou

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The Home of Marine Life, Birds & BearsFour Additional High Value Special Places

Dease Inlet-Meade RiverThe Dease Inlet-Meade River includes thousands of small lakes that are important habitat for nesting loons, waterfowl, and shorebirds – such as the Yellow-billed and Red-throated Loons, Brant, White-fronted Geese, King Eider, and the threatened Spectacled Eider. Home to spotted seals, the Dease Inlet-Meade River also provides refuge and denning areas for endangered polar bears, a haven for the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd from insects, and nesting grounds for sea ducks.

Southern Ikpikpuk RiverThe Ikpikpuk River and its tributary, the Titaluk River, host a high concentration of raptors including nesting Peregrine Falcons and Rough-legged Hawks. These rivers also provide significant habitat for shorebirds, the Arctic Tern, Long-tail Duck, Yellow-billed Loon, Bar-tailed Godwit and others.

Peard BayPeard Bay includes high densities of ice seals, polar bears, and various sea ducks, such as endangered Spectacled Eiders. Dotted by thousands of small lakes, Peard Bay provides a haul-out area for ringed and bearded seals and is known as a continentally-significant Important Bird Area. It provides habitat for nesting loons, waterfowl and shorebirds, and boasts the highest density Spectacled Eider nesting area in Alaska.

DeLong Mountains and Arctic FoothillsThe DeLong Mountains and Arctic Foothills cover an area from the crest of the Brooks Range to the southern boundary of the Utukok River Uplands and Colville River Special Areas. This area is heavily used by migrating caribou, and is home to grizzly bears, wolves and wolverines. This area is ecologically important as a linking corridor from interior Alaska, across the Brooks Range, to the Arctic Coastal Plain.

W H AT ’ S AT S TA K EThese special places provide critical habitat to migratory and resident birds, caribou, threatened polar bears, seals, endangered beluga whales, and other wildlife. The wildlife that live within these areas know no boundaries – caribou herds migrate freely across unprotected lands and waters. Wildlife and Alaska Natives alike, depend upon its fragile ecosystem. The double threat of climate change and gas and oil development threatens both the wildlife and Alaska Natives traditional way of life. These special places deserve the highest possible protections for the Alaska Natives that live on the lands and waters, for the endangered and threatened wildlife, and for the future generations to come.

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Alaska Wilderness League is working hard to ensure that oil and gas development and other industrial activities do not destroy this fragile and abundant environment already stressed by climate change. It is time to assess any new oil and gas development activities in the Reserve and all of America’s Arctic until we can develop a comprehensive conservation and energy plan that ensures that the region’s dynamic web of life – and the wildlife and humans that depend on it – will be protected.

As part of this plan, special areas such as Teshekpuk Lake, Colville River, Utukok Uplands, Kasegaluk Lagoon, as well as special places such as the Dease Inlet-Meade River, Ikpikpuk River, Peard Bay, DeLong Mountains and Arctic Foothills must be declared off limits to any and all oil and gas development and given the strongest protections possible. The Reserve is so much more than the world’s gas tank. If we hope to pass this unique place on to future generations, the oil and gas industry must be held to a balanced approach that prioritizes protection of the region’s sensitive environmental areas. Visit our website at www.alaskawild.org to learn more and find out how you can help protect America’s Arctic and the special areas and places within the Reserve.

For more information, call Alaska Wilderness League at 202-544-5205 or email info@alaskawild.org

Your Land. Your Voice

122 C St NW, Ste 240Washington, DC 20001

Tel: 202-544-5205Fax: 202-544-5197

www.AlaskaWild.org

Photo Credits Cover photo: Dave Shreffler; Left flap: Top photo- Dave Shreffler, Bottom photo- Gary Braasch; Left inside page: Top and inset photos- Dave Shreffler; Center inside page: Map- Audubon Society and The Wilderness Society; Right inside page: Top photo- Subhankar Banerjee, Inset and Bottom photos- Dave Schreffler; Back page: Top photo- Gary Braasch, Inset photo- Dave Shreffler

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