The Ultima Thule

The Hulahula River, photo by Shannon Huffman Polson

In medieval times, the Ultima Thule was a term for those lands north of the known world. Even today, America’s northernmost public lands throughout Alaska are unknown even to many of the residents of the state itself. The Ultima Thule: Journeys in America’s Northernmost Lands, A Web Anthology, supports awareness and protection of America’s northernmost public lands in Alaska.

As discussions around energy policy continue, it is not only the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge which is in danger. The management of all public lands is under review. An immense area known as the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska, or the Western Arctic, is threatened by energy development. This area is the largest piece of undeveloped land in the nation. Much of the state of Alaska – and certainly the rest of the nation and the world – simply is not aware of the tremendous beauty and fragility of these public lands both in the Arctic, as well as throughout the state of Alaska.

There are a number of scientific and adventure expeditions which take place in the Arctic every year. And yet it is difficult to find good information on the Arctic, and a comprehensive story explaining its complexity, its fragility, its beauty, its expansiveness. We are not scientists. We are not researchers. But as lovers of the Arctic we want to bring the story to the nation. Not the scientific studies, but the story itself. And we aren’t the only ones with the stories. We see The Ultima Thule as the place for all lovers of the Arctic’s wild places to share their stories and their experiences.

The Ultima Thule will raise awareness of these stunning and expansive treasures. Through writing and photography over the summer of 2009 and beyond, adventurers will bring to life Alaska’s Arctic. Writers and photographers will highlight the arctic and sub-arctic ecosystems, the impact of climate change on these delicate eco-systems, millions of years of geographic history, and thousands of years of human history. We hope the public is inspired to a feeling of ownership and pride in all of our Alaskan public lands.

To reach students, in the summer of 2009 we partnered with two robust environmental education programs for curricula contributions and development, and we are looking to add new partnerships as well. The first partnership is with Facing the Future (www.facingthefuture.org), a Seattle-based group reaching over one million children annually with curricula on sustainability.  Kids for Saving Earth in Minneapolis is the second, with a reach of 7,000 schools. We will make our blog and pictures/video available to all of their partner educators and students over the summer. We will then work with them to assist with strengthening and further developing their curricula on our return.

Please feel free to contact us with your suggestions, comments and feedback at ps (at) polsons dot com.

Interested in helping to preserve these special places? Join and donate to the Alaska Wilderness League today, the only organization in D.C. exclusively dedicated to Alaska’s wild places.