(WASHINGTON D.C.–April 19, 2024)—The Nationwide Audubon Society in the present day praised a brand new rule from the Division of the Inside strengthening protections for 13 million acres of “particular areas” within the Nationwide Petroleum Reserve–Alaska. The rule additionally creates a course of for designating new Particular Areas throughout the Reserve—a area that’s residence to quite a few Alaska Native communities and some of the vital habitats for birds and wildlife on the planet.
“This rule is crucial to defending the Western Arctic,” stated Marshall Johnson, chief conservation officer at Nationwide Audubon Society. “Because the Arctic quickly warms, these new laws will be certain that crucial hen habitats just like the Teshekpuk Lake Particular Space can be resilient within the face of local weather change. It’s gone time that these lands and waters are given most safety.”
The 23-million-acre Nationwide Petroleum Reserve–Alaska is the nation’s largest tract of public land. Five designated Special Areas cowl greater than 13 million acres throughout the NPR–Alaska, making them a few of the nation’s largest swaths of protected public land.
“Because the Arctic undergoes dramatic climatic adjustments, this new rule is totally needed to guard birds, caribou, and fish,” stated David Krause, interim govt director at Audubon Alaska. “Sturdy protections of those intact and practical ecosystems are important for habitat and species adaptation, and the continuation of cultural assets and practices all through the area.”
Congress transferred administration of the Nationwide Petroleum Reserve–Alaska from the Navy to the Bureau of Land Administration (BLM) in 1976, directing the BLM to steadiness oil and fuel improvement with the administration and safety of those delicate landscapes. The earlier administration labored to increase oil and fuel leasing within the reserve and scale back protections for the Particular Areas, however the Biden administration reversed its course in 2022.
Right now’s rule will guarantee the sturdiness of Particular Areas protections going ahead—by requiring that they continue to be in place for so long as the values and traits in these areas are current. At the least each 5 years, BLM will overview and collect public enter on whether or not current Particular Areas needs to be expanded, whether or not new Particular Areas needs to be designated and whether or not extra assets inside Particular Areas needs to be recognized for cover.
The 5 Particular Areas every provide unique value to birds, wildlife, and Alaska Native communities:
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The Colville River Particular Space hosts nests for raptors that migrate lengthy distances, (together with Peregrine Falcons, Tough-legged Hawks, and Golden Eagles), and helps 68 hen species, 22 fish species, caribou, moose, wolf, and brown bear.
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The Kasegaluk Lagoon Particular Space helps extra avian variety and abundance than any lagoon within the area, gives nesting and a migration hall for King Eiders and Widespread Eiders, and habitat for quite a few different species.
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The Peard Bay Particular Space gives nesting habitat for quite a few species on Audubon’s Alaska WatchList, like Arctic Terns, Purple-throated Loons, Pacific Loons, King Eiders, Lengthy-tailed Geese, Sabine’s Gull, and Higher White-fronted Geese.
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The Teshekpuk Lake Particular Space is likely one of the most vital Arctic areas for waterbird nesting, molting, and migration anyplace within the Arctic, and helps King Eiders, Northern Pintails, Purple-throated Loons, and Tundra Swans.
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The Utukok Uplands Particular Space is a crucial calving and bug reduction space for one of many largest caribou herds in Alaska–which and gives assets for 40 Alaska Native villages, in addition to birds and mammals like grizzly bears, wolves, and wolverine.
About Audubon
The Nationwide Audubon Society protects birds and the locations they want, in the present day and tomorrow. Audubon works all through the Americas utilizing science, advocacy, training, and on-the-ground conservation. State packages, nature facilities, chapters, and companions give Audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches hundreds of thousands of individuals annually to tell, encourage, and unite numerous communities in conservation motion. A nonprofit conservation group since 1905, Audubon believes in a world through which individuals and wildlife thrive. Study extra at www.audubon.org and on Fb, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.
Media contact:
Nationwide Audubon Society: Robyn Shepherd, robyn.shepherd@audubon.org
Audubon Alaska: Lauren Cusimano, lauren.cusimano@audubon.org, 907-433-5300
