National Wildlife Federation - Alaska

National Wildlife Federation gives voice to the wildlife conservation values that are part of our country's heritage. We are charting a new course for wildlife that our children and grandchildren will thank us for.

Wildlife's ability to survive the challenges of the 21st century is becoming outpaced by the events that are transforming our world. Global warming, the loss of habitat, and people becoming more disconnected from nature than past generations are converging on a dangerous path for our planet. The work of NWF and our affiliates across the country provides answers to these challenges and will help ensure America's wildlife legacy continues for future generations.

NWF works to find solutions to the climate crisis.

NWF's "Be Out There" inspires families to get outside, to foster healthy children with an appreciation for the natural world.

NWF safeguards America's wildlife and wild places.

NWF's Alaska Office is focused on protecting Alaska's wildlife and people from the impacts of global warming while building a conservation movement. Our efforts range from education and advocacy on national climate legislation to protection of areas vital to wildlife in a warming world to our Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) program, which empowers young people to impact vital environmental health and justice issues through skills training, visible action projects and campaigns, and workforce development.

• Known as the Great Land, Alaska is the largest state in the union (570,373.6 sq mi), more than twice the size of Texas with only 1/33 its population - 1/5 the size of the contiguous 48


• 80% of U.S. National Wildlife Refuge land - 76 million acres - is in Alaska


• 64% of the nation's National Park land - 54 million acres - is in Alaska


• The nation's 2 largest National Forests are in Alaska


• 6-7,000 wolves roam Alaska, as do 98% of the U.S. brown bears (grizzlies)


• Alaska has nearly 2/3 of the nation's wetlands


• 4 major flyways converge in Alaska and 10 million ducks, 750,000 geese, and 80,000 swans nest here


• 12 species of waterfowl nest nowhere else in America


• 80% of the world's trumpeter swans and 50% of the world's tundra swans nest in Alaska's wetlands

Alaska is on the front lines of global warming, having experienced a rise in average winter temperatures of 5-7 degrees Fahrenheit in just the last 60 years. Already the state's ecosystems are transforming and affecting the lives of people and wildlife. The Arctic Climate Impacts Assessment estimates that by 2100, average temperatures in Alaska could rise another 5.4-9 degrees Fahrenheit annually if global warming continues unabated. In November, 2004, Arctic researchers released a study projecting that at least half the summer sea ice in the Arctic will melt by the end of this century. Rising sea level and reductions in winter sea ice that protect shoreline from winter storms are forcing some coastal villages to relocate as coasts now erode up to eight feet per year. The implications for Alaska, the rest of the country and the world are significant.

Recent research suggests sea ice melting due to global warming is reducing the time polar bears can hunt on the ice for ringed seals, their primary prey. Polar bears in Hudson Bay are already showing a dramatic loss of body mass because of shortened hunting seasons.

If you would like to read more about global warming effects in Alaska, check out NWF's fact sheet at www.nwf.org/globalwarming/pdfs/Alaska.pdf.

Caribou in Alaska are feeling the heat from global warming. An amazingly resilient species, Caribou are capable of migrating hundreds or even thousands of miles annually to reach their calving grounds in the far north of Alaska. Increased global temperatures from the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation are having adverse affects on this iconic arctic species.

Currently Caribou are the most numerous land mammal in the arctic, but recent population crashes are leading scientists to believe that climate forcing may be causing these trends. There are two factors negatively affecting this species: Increased snowfall and insects.

Paradoxically, global warming in the arctic will lead to increased snow fall in regions where it has previously been too cold for snow to accumulate. Warmer air is able to contain more water vapor than cold air, thus increased air temperatures in the arctic will leading to increased snowfall.

You may be asking yourself, how is increased snowfall from global warming bad? The answer is simple. Caribou depend on mosses and lichens as a main staple in their diet during winter months. Caribou use their hooves to "dig" through the snow to access the frozen ground, also known as cratering. Typical snow depths in the arctic regions important to Caribou are quite small, ranging from only 2 to 4 cm in depth. Climate modeling has forecast snow depths to increase to between 30 and 50 cm, making it increasingly difficult for Caribou to access their food source. In cold climates it is essential to conserve energy, and to forage in the least expending method possible. Increased snow depths will also likely lead to an increase in predation success for wolves, as the heavier Caribou will be less maneuverable. Increased snowfall may just spell disaster for the Caribou of Alaska.

In the summer months Caribou face an entirely different but equally detrimental threat: Mosquitoes. Aggravation from insects affects foraging behavior of Caribou. During the summer months Caribou have a brief but important window to fatten up before the onset of the upcoming winter. Mosquitoes in short are causing the Caribou to spend less time foraging and more time expelling energy to evade the insects. Insect aggravation could lead to decreased body fat percentages, which in females could lead to decline in spring birth rates. Increased temperatures from global climate change are leading to longer recruitment periods for mosquitoes and other parasitic flies, which may ultimately affect the livelihood of Caribou.

In order to preserve the integrity of this species, it is essential to recognize the devastating effects of Global Warming and take action. Realize your impact, reduce your carbon footprint, demand legislation that supports clean renewable energy..

The Alaska Regional Center recently announced that the Alaska Women's Environmental Network (AWEN), a program begun in our office in 1994 to support women in developing their leadership abilities in the conservation field, has been granted its own 501(c)(3) status by the IRS. The AWEN mission is to establish and maintain a statewide network of women dedicated to conserving Alaska's natural heritage through outreach, education and public service.

AWEN has a long term strategic plan and has been active in organizing outreach events, including a summer lecture series on "Women's Health and the Environment," "The Future of Recycling in Anchorage," "Leave No Trace: Backcountry Ethics" seminar, discussion about Wildfire at the Campbell Creek Science Center, lecture on "Rain Gardens in Anchorage."

Current Projects include Linking up with Women in Rural Alaska to establish solid connections between the "urban core" of AWEN and women in rural Alaska, including a recent partnership with Mothers for Alaska. For more information, visit awenalaska.org.