HR: 1330h
AN: C12A-0862    [PDF]
TI: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): The Challenge of Current and Future Concerns
AU: * Everett, L R
EM: everett.2@osu.edu
AF: Byrd Polar Research Center, 108 Scott Hall 1090 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210 United States
AB: Historically, when one thinks of ANWR the immediate concern has always been the effect of development related to hydrocarbon extraction and its potential impact on the environment. Hydrocarbon extraction is always a possibility and remains before Congress today, but is this type of development the greatest threat to this region? Twenty-five years ago the beauty and hidden resources of Alaska were barely touched, but with the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay this quickly changed. Suddenly this once inaccessible region known as the Arctic Coastal Plain became a desirable place to visit. Today, as the Prudhoe Bay oil fields production begins to slow one can visualize an even greater impact that could affect this fragile ecosystem. The landscape is being altered in many ways; not only due to economic development, but also due to global climate change. However, a potentially even larger impact is seldom mentioned and that impact is the consequence of more individuals traveling into the region. The Dalton Highway (the road between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay) was opened to all traffic in 1995. Since then the number of people traveling to the North Slope of Alaska via the road has increased significantly. This includes but is not limited to potential entrepreneurs, researchers, tourists as well as the oil field workers. The anthropogenic impact humans may have in this region along with the resultant commercialization will have a lasting influence on ANWR and the surrounding region will be impacted in ways that have not yet been considered. Who will decide who is or is not permitted to visit ANWR? Who will determine what impacts will be allowed? Will the opportunity to visit this unique region be for tour groups or just occasional hikers? Will researchers be allowed access and who will monitor their inevitable footprint? Will the native people increase stress on the environment more as their use of modern methods of hunting and travel increases? All of these factors need to be considered as a comprehensive strategy for the future is developed for ANWR and the entire Arctic Coastal Plain region.
DE: 0400 Biogeosciences
DE: 6620 Science policy
DE: 9315 Arctic region
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting