Beyond its breathtaking landscapes, the Arctic is a cornerstone of ecological and cultural resilience. Its rivers, wetlands, tundra, and coastlines support iconic wildlife — including polar bears, walrus, caribou, and millions of migratory birds — and provide critical habitat for species that rely on intact ecosystems to survive. 

The region also sustains Indigenous communities, whose cultures, food security, and economies are closely tied to the land and waters. Protecting these areas preserves the natural processes that regulate water quality, maintain fisheries, and store vast amounts of carbon, making the Arctic an essential buffer against climate change both locally and globally. 

Understanding the Threats

The Alaskan Arctic is changing faster than at any point in recorded history. These emerging pressures — some visible, some unfolding quietly — are redefining the landscape and the challenges facing wildlife, communities, and conservation.  

• Rapid Climate Change. Melting sea ice, thawing permafrost, rising seas, and coastal erosion are happening faster here than almost anywhere else on Earth, destabilizing ecosystems, wildlife habitat, and the communities that depend on them. 
• Industrial Expansion. Oil and gas exploration, mining, and associated infrastructure continue to pressure sensitive landscapes, disrupt wildlife movement, and threaten water quality. 
• Shifting Wildlife Patterns. Warming temperatures are changing when and where salmon run, caribou migrate, and marine mammals haul out. These disruptions directly affect the ecosystems and the Indigenous communities whose food security and cultural traditions depend on them. 
• Shipping Growth. As sea ice retreats, new shipping routes are opening — increasing risks of spills, noise disruption, and vessel strikes in areas that were once protected by ice year-round. 

Safeguarding the lands that still function as natural refuges is one of the most meaningful actions we can take right now — to protect this incredible ecosystem, and the communities and people that depend on it. 

What’s at Stake 

• Wildlife. Species rely on intact habitat for feeding, nesting, spawning, migration, and survival. 
• Cultural Continuity. Indigenous communities depend on healthy land and water for food, tradition, and identity. 
• Climate Stability. Intact Arctic ecosystems store carbon that cannot be replaced once lost. 
• Local Economies. Fisheries, subsistence harvest, and nature-based livelihoods depend on functioning ecosystems. 

Our Approach in the Arctic 

• Strategic Land Protection. We prioritize lands identified through science, traditional knowledge, and on-the-ground patterns of wildlife use — spawning streams, coastal haul-outs, nesting areas, and migration corridors. 
• Partnerships Rooted in Respect. We work closely with Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, local communities, and federal and state agencies, honoring traditional stewardship and the unique history of land.  
• Tools Built for Arctic Complexity. Our work leverages fee acquisition, easements, land exchanges, conservation finance, and flexible partnerships designed to meet the needs of Arctic communities and ecosystems. 
• Community and Climate Resilience. Protecting intact Arctic landscapes supports food security, cultural continuity, and long-term ecological stability in a region facing profound environmental change. 

You Can Help: Save At-Risk Lands

Your support makes urgent land protection possible. Every donation helps conserve at-risk lands — and gives future generations a chance to experience the wonder of the natural world.