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Stand with the Gwich’in against oil and gas development in the Arctic Refuge

We, the Gwich’in, call upon all people to join us in our fight to protect the Porcupine Caribou Herd, their birthplace, nursery, and calving grounds in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. For thousands of years, our people have lived in a balanced relationship with our lands, waters, and animals. We pass on our traditional knowledge from generation to generation to ensure the ongoing stewardship of our homelands and the resources upon which our people depend. Over 200,000 vadzaih (caribou) still migrate freely across their ancestral lands and traditional use areas unobstructed by industrial development, returning every fall to our northern Gwich’in communities. They provide the foundation of our cultural, spiritual, and physical survival.

We refer to the birthing grounds of the caribou as Izhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodlit, the Sacred Place Where Life Begins. It is critical that we protect their entire habitat, including migratory routes and calving grounds.

Now more than ever, it is imperative that all of our allies use their voices to educate your local, state, and national leaders of the pressing need to stop attempts at seismic activity, oil exploration, and development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. When the caribou are under threat, the Gwich’in are under threat.

Add your name to stand with the Gwich'in and #ProtectTheArctic

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Speak Out

Contact your local, state, and national leaders to share your support for protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and stopping oil exploration in the the Coastal Plain area.