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The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR or the Refuge) has been at the core of the conservation-development debate in the U.S. for over fifty years. The Refuge case epitomizes how policies shape territories governed by overlapping federal, congress, local, and Indigenous regimes. For instance, between 2017 and 2023, the Refuge was opened and closed to hydrocarbon development by two U.S. Presidents. ANWR is among the largest environmental refuges in the U.S. with oil reserve between 4.3 and 11.8 million barrels. Our analysis of U.S. policies about the ANWR shows the contestation between pro-environment and pro-oil development at the federal and state levels. Federal policies of Republican and Democrat administrations align with pro-drilling and pro-environment positions, respectively. Alaskan policymakers are pro-drilling, which puts them at odds with pro-environment legislators from Democratic states. Tensions between Alaska and the Federal government are about control and distribution of the oil revenue. Further, Indigenous peoples are on different sides as well. Traditional Gwich’in oppose development because it threatens their way of life. Iñupiat favor oil development because oil revenue has supported their modernized lifestyle. The fate of the ANWR will shape what happens with protected areas in the U.S. and with species across national boundaries.
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Perceived inclusivity and trust in protected area management decisions among stakeholders in Alaska
1. The success of conservation initiatives often depends on the inclusion of diverse stakeholder interests in the decision-making process. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical knowledge concerning the factors that explain why stakeholders do—or do not—believe that they are meaningfully represented by government agencies. 2. Our study provides insight into the relationship between trust and stakeholder perceptions of inclusivity in public land management decisions. Here, we focus on the U.S. state of Alaska, where almost two-thirds of the land area are managed by the federal government. 3. We used structural equation modelling to test whether an individual's trust and the information sources used to learn about land management positively influenced perceived inclusivity. We conceptualized trust in terms of four dimensions that reflected an individual's disposition to trust, trust in the federal government, trust in shared values and trust that agencies adhere to a moral code. 4. We found that survey respondents across the U.S. state of Alaska had a limited disposition to trust others, did not trust federal land management agencies, did not believe agencies shared their values pertaining to protected area management and did not believe that agencies adhered to a moral code. 5. Beliefs about the morality of agencies were the primary driver of perceived inclusivity in land management decisions, indicating that agencies should focus on solving problems through deliberation and discussion about moral principles rather than by force. 6. Information acquired from professional, community-based or environmental advocacy exchanges also positively influenced perceived levels of involvement among stakeholders in resource management decisions. 7. These results provide a roadmap for how land management agencies can improve public relations and work towards a model of inclusive conservation around protected areas.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1854767
- PAR ID:
- 10320420
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- People and Nature
- ISSN:
- 2575-8314
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10312
