More than oil

Recently it seems that in the public conversation, both in the media and by our representatives in Washington, D.C., the importance of my state has been reduced to just one thing–oil. As an Alaskan and business owner I find this incredibly disheartening. My state, and the people who live here, have so much more to offer.

For one thing, Alaska is home to incredible natural beauty and wildlife that simply can’t be found anywhere in the Lower 48.  There is a sense of the wild here that not only inspires those of us who live here, but draws people from near and far. The possibility for adventure, the opportunities to test yourself, and the sheer wonder of what awaits in the undeveloped north is what has fueled my small outdoor guiding business for 30 years.

{mosads}And I’m not alone. More than 92,000 Alaskans have jobs thanks to outdoor recreation, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.  Consumers spend more than $9.5 billion on outdoor gear, guiding services and other outdoor recreation needs, and their adventures generate more than $700 million in state and local tax revenue each year for our state.  

It is places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that help drive this outdoor economy and support our way of life. For those that haven’t been, the Refuge’s coastal plain, boreal forests, towering mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, and lagoons are a must-see.  On any given trip to the Refuge visitors can see caribou herds traveling over the tundra, bears and wolves following, and an amazing number of birds that will eventually make their way to all 50 states.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge specifically designed for wilderness. The Obama administration and Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell were right to recommend that a large portion of the Refuge remain as wilderness for future generations.  The recommendation not only follows the original intent of Congress, but reflects current widespread support from the American public for preserving this special place. More than 1 million people, including a majority of Alaskans who participated, submitted comments asking the Obama administration to recommend wilderness protections for the Refuge.  I for one am pleased the administration listened.

While the oil industry would open any and all available places to oil and gas development, there remain some places that are too special to drill, including the Arctic Refuge.  Opening the Arctic Refuge to drilling could permanently alter the Refuge, worsen the effects of climate disruption that are already being felt here in Alaska, and prevent the development of an economy not tied to the fuels of the past.

Alaska’s state motto is ‘North to the Future’.  It appears the Obama administration has taken that to heart, even if our other leaders are choosing to remain mired in the past.

Mohrwinkel, of Palmer, Alaska, is co-owner of the guide business Arctic Wild.