The Ultima Thule

Land, sea and air migrations of millions begin in and converge on the Arctic

The longest migrations on earth- by land, sea and air- converge every summer on the Arctic. There is no doubt that the most intrepid adventurers of the Arctic are the birds, the mammals and the sea life. The longest bird migrations- that of the Arctic tern, covering 14,000 miles, begins from nesting in the Arctic. The longest marine mammal migration, that of the gray whale, covers 10-12,000 miles on its journey to and from the Arctic. And the longest land mammal migration, that of the Porcupine caribou herd- as many as 3,000 miles round trip depending on the year, also is centered on the Arctic. The migratory nature of many of the Arctic species indicates why the native Gwichin call this special place “The land where life begins.” Each year, countless mammals, birds (195 species identified in the Arctic) and fish migrate to and from the Arctic literally from around the world,to and from, in and out, the heartbeat of the world. It is unquestionably an epicenter of life, if not the epicenter.

We recently came across an old article by Jonah Goldberg in the National Review Online. His baseless assumptions and easy dismissal of an entire way of life and part of the world with no knowledge but a quick trip are staggering. And important to acknowledge. Because part of the population will read these articles, and they need to know the truth. Goldberg called the Arctic “godforsaken,” harkening back to Ted Stevens description of it as “wasteland.” He goes on to say “this area simply cannot hold a candle to God’s most awesome creations.” This is prior to pesky photographers and journalists sneaking in to document its beauty. Goldberg rests his argument on the prolific mosquitoes in the summer, and the ice in the winter.

Somehow though, Goldberg and others making similar arguments have missed a number of important facts. Beyond the impact the Arctic feels from- and will have on- climate change worldwide, the very fact that it is the convergence point for millions of birds and animals- air, land and sea, some making the longest migrations of their kinds on the planet, seems to have been missed. Goldberg’s several paragraphs he spends on mosquitoes, while recounting a few truths of their torment of caribou, could be written about any natural cycle. There is brutality and unpleasantness in nature. Given that the caribou have maintained their migration path to calve on the coastal plains on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for thousands of years, it seems perhaps they’ve made their choice. With the Arctic as the destination of choice of millions of animals and birds each summer, perhaps Mr. Goldberg might consider it differently. It is the epi-center of creation.

The debate does not have to be one of right against wrong, black versus white. It is not about saving the environment OR developing. It is about acknowledging the intrinsic value of wilderness, so that the development choices we make are well researched and informed, and areas are selected such that they do not violate known areas of ecological diversity and sensitivity.  Even the Western Arctic- the National Petroleum Reserve- was protected under the Reagan administration for biological importance. It is not a partisan issue, or one of liberal vs conservative. Those titles only further the polarization making dialogue impossible. These are issues of awareness, of knowledge, of respect and of consideration of all living things, so that when we cast votes, they are well informed.

But beyond that, it seems that any number of studies might tell you that you only see what you want to see in a thing, a place, a person. Goldberg makes an argument which ignores the the debate: whether there is intrinsic value to wild places. While he clearly doesn’t believe so, there are many- not only environmentalists- who would disagree.

Florian Schultz brings the Arctic home with his work, and reminds us that the complexity of complete eco-systems in the Arctic makes it one of the last true wild places on earth.

Arctic Bird Migration. Nowhere on earth receives and sends off more birds than does the Arctic. Each year millions of birds arrive from all over the globe, some flying thousands of miles, to nest in the endless Arctic sunlight. Teshekpuk Lake of the Western Arctic and the Arctic coastal plains are two areas supporting the millions of migratory birds. Both of these areas are candidates for extensive development.