As global energy demand soars, the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) took an important step recently to protect the heart of
western Alaska’s Arctic coastal plain from commercial
exploration. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) applauds
the decision to grant permanent protection to the Teshekpuk
region, a key nesting site for migratory birds and other
wildlife in the Arctic. Teshekpuk Lake is part of National
Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). Encompassing 23 million acres,
it is considered the largest single piece of undisturbed public
land in the United States. “This represents a significant
conservation victory for Arctic wildlife and demonstrates that
there is room for both protection of key areas and for
responsible energy development in the Arctic coastal plain rich
in natural resources,” said Dr. Steven E. Sanderson, WCS
President and CEO. WCS has been working in Teshekpuk for three
years, collecting data on the nesting habits of breeding birds
that gather from across the globe, as well as shorebirds