An ambitious effort to reroute traffic around Alaska's Kenai Peninsula is underway to reduce moose-vehicle collisions and protect wildlife, including the implementation of wildlife crossings to guide animals safely across the road. The Sterling Highway near Cooper Landing is being redesigned with wider shoulders, passing lanes, and updated guardrails to enhance driver safety, while also alleviating congestion and improving the driver experience. The project plan includes innovative wildlife crossings, such as Alaska's first vegetated wildlife overpass, to promote safe passage for animals and prevent genetic isolation among animal populations. The construction, led by the DOT&PF and Federal Highway Administration, is now expected to cost over $955 million and involve the Kenaitze Indian Tribe in setting excavation standards and ensuring cultural observers are present during construction, with completion scheduled for 2031 and a five-year post-construction study to monitor wildlife use, crash reduction, and vegetation recovery.
Author: Sierraclub
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These Inuit Maps Are Reimagining the Arctic
Inuit maps of the Canadian Arctic are being used as tools of resistance, centering Indigenous knowledge and cultural history. These maps depict natural resources, travel routes, and lived experiences, reinstating Inuit place-names and oral history. The mapping projects involve participatory mapping sessions with community members to share intergenerational knowledge. The focus on the lived experience in these maps is important in preserving and celebrating Inuit culture. The maps also play a crucial role in advocating for Indigenous sovereignty, navigating the impacts of climate change on traditional practices, and shaping future territorial disputes in the rapidly changing Arctic landscape.
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/these-inuit-maps-are-reimagining-arctic