BSSN creates an infrastructure for Indigenous and other Arctic residents' organizations based in the coastal communities of the Bering Sea region (BSR) to monitor and observe their environment. It increases capacity and effectiveness of circum-Arctic monitoring through responding to the need of the long-term data collection in remote Arctic locations. In particular, the BSR was identified as a priority monitoring area by many scientific groups, such as the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme of the Arctic Council. BSSN works specifically with community-based or place-based research and will attempt to integrate these efforts with broader scientific activities both in the region and globally. ELOKA and BSSN are collaborating on the preservation, management, and distribution of data collected from six northern Indigenous communities in Alaska, the United States, and Russia during the pilot phase of the study.
Rescuing a seal in the Bering Sea. Learn more on The Bering Sea: The Seattle Times site. Photo Credit: Steve Ringman.
Visit the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Web site The Arctic for a closer look at "one of the world's most biologically productive and diverse environments."
The Arctic Observing Network (AON) is tasked with improving observational capabilities in the Arctic through a system of atmospheric-, land- and ocean-based environmental satellites and sensors that will facilitate understanding of the significant and rapid changes occurring in the Arctic.