ARCUS 14th Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum 2002

Perspectives from the Arctic

Orville H. Huntington^1
1Department of Subsistence, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Vice-Chair, Alaska Native Science Commission, P.O. Box 107, Huslia, AK, 99746, USA, Phone 907/829-2266, Fax 907/829-2224, orville_huntington@fws.gov

The Alaska Native residents of the Arctic I have lived with everyday for the last 46 years play an important role in understanding and sensibly managing earths few resources. Past and present Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Alaska Native Tribes provide scientists with an all encompassing view of many environmental changes, through interactive observation and study which recognize Mother earths sensitivity and the place it evolves towards. Arctic scientific research complements Traditional Native Ecological Knowledge and addresses our concerns about maintaining the quality of subsistence land, water, plants, air, fish and animals, and all other elements of the environment. Contaminants continue to be transferred by air currents, water cycles and fish and wildlife migration to our region of the Arctic, through human activity that have changed the quality of air, water, land, and fish and wildlife. Complex life cycles in the Arctic surround me everyday, and everyone in the Koyukuk River ecosystem is impacted by changes in the global environment.

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