“Protecting Caribou and Wildlife in Denali National Park: Why You Can Trust EcoWatch”

Caribou in Denali National Park, Alaska, are set to benefit from a recent decision by United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to maintain protections against oil and gas development and mining claims across 28 million acres of federal lands in the state. This announcement comes after a period of public consultation and input from Alaska’s Native Tribes, Tribal entities, and Native Corporations, who emphasized the importance of safeguarding natural, subsistence, and cultural resources in the region.

The decision to uphold these protections was made in response to the previous administration’s attempt to remove longstanding safeguards without conducting a thorough analysis of potential impacts on subsistence activities and essential resources. The move would have opened up millions of acres to extractive development activities and threatened the federal subsistence priority for many communities in Alaska.

During the public process, Alaska Native Tribes, Corporations, urban and rural communities, and the public voiced overwhelming support for retaining the protections. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received approximately 15,000 public comments on the Environmental Impact Statement draft, with the majority advocating for the preservation of the withdrawals.

The BLM’s analysis found that revoking any of the protections could harm subsistence hunting and fishing in communities that would lose federal subsistence priority over certain lands. Additionally, lifting the withdrawals could have lasting negative impacts on wildlife, vegetation, and permafrost in the region.

This decision builds on the current administration’s conservation efforts in Alaska, including protecting millions of acres of land and waters in the state. These actions aim to preserve critical habitats for wildlife, including caribou herds and salmon streams, as well as maintain essential migration corridors for animals.

“This is a significant step for the communities and wildlife of Alaska,” said Dan Ritzman, Sierra Club Conservation Campaign director. “These lands and waters are vital for imperiled wildlife and offer unparalleled recreation opportunities. These 28 million acres represent some of the last truly intact wildlands in the United States.”

The landscapes covered by the protections are crucial for maintaining biodiversity and supporting wildlife populations in the region. By upholding these safeguards, the administration is ensuring continued access and use of public lands for current and future generations.