{"id":17808,"date":"2024-11-15T13:01:39","date_gmt":"2024-11-15T18:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/?p=17808"},"modified":"2024-11-15T13:01:40","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T18:01:40","slug":"americas-imperiled-arctic-wilderness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/americas-imperiled-arctic-wilderness\/","title":{"rendered":"America\u2019s Imperiled Arctic Wilderness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group sidebar-alignright has-lightgray-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"article-list list-style card-four \"><h2 class=\"article-list-header\">From Our Annual Report<\/h2><ul><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/annual-report-2025\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Annual_Report_2024-Andy-Johnson-FI.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Annual_Report_2024-Andy-Johnson-FI-720x623.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Annual_Report_2024-Andy-Johnson-FI-768x664.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Annual_Report_2024-Andy-Johnson-FI-480x415.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Annual_Report_2024-Andy-Johnson-FI.jpg 990w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Three biologists crouch on a sand dune, two watching with binoculars and one speaking into a walkie-talkie.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/annual-report-2025\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Cornell Lab Annual Report<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The nation\u2019s largest single tract of public land is a 23-million-acre unbroken tundra that\u2019s essential for wildlife, people, and the Earth\u2019s climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This globally important region\u2014the breeding and foraging grounds for millions of birds arriving from all seven continents, a place where tens of thousands of caribou roam and birth their calves, and an essential permafrost carbon repository\u2014also bears a name that obscures its true value to the planet: the National Petroleum Reserve\u2013Alaska (NPR-A).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignleft show-quotes\"><blockquote><p>The biggest pieces of federal public land, land that all Americans own, are in Alaska.<\/p><cite>Jason Paulsen, Protect the Arctic<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The federal government has long recognized the value of the NPR-A, managing the lands and waters as a potential source of oil and as a crucial ecological resource: approximately 13 of the 23 million acres of the NPR-A are designated \u201cSpecial Areas,\u201d deserving of maximum protection for their vital ecological and cultural value. Despite these designations, not one single acre of the NPR-A is permanently protected, and the pressure from the oil and gas industry to increase drilling in and around these Special Areas is growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To ensure nature has a voice, the Protect the Arctic impact campaign is helping people throughout the country learn about and advocate for \u201cAmerica\u2019s Arctic\u201d\u2014the collective term for the NPR-A and the adjacent 19-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-list alignright right list-style card-four \"><h2 class=\"article-list-header\">Related Story<\/h2><ul><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/americas-arctic-a-remote-patch-of-oil-rich-tundra-that-teems-with-migratory-birds\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/banner-Yelllow-billed_Loon-Gerrit_Vyn-FI.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/banner-Yelllow-billed_Loon-Gerrit_Vyn-FI-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/banner-Yelllow-billed_Loon-Gerrit_Vyn-FI-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/banner-Yelllow-billed_Loon-Gerrit_Vyn-FI-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/banner-Yelllow-billed_Loon-Gerrit_Vyn-FI-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/banner-Yelllow-billed_Loon-Gerrit_Vyn-FI.jpg 1031w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Black and white bird with a big pale yellow bill and red eye, sits in the grass next to a lake.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/americas-arctic-a-remote-patch-of-oil-rich-tundra-that-teems-with-migratory-birds\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">America\u2019s Arctic: A Remote Patch Of Oil-Rich Tundra That Teems With Migratory Birds<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The stakes for this campaign couldn\u2019t be higher. Over the years, hundreds of test wells have been drilled within NPR-A, and industry has acquired the development rights to 2.5 million of the NPR-A\u2019s 23 million acres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As policymakers debate the future of these essential and imperiled lands and waters, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/center-for-conservation-media\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"9899\">Cornell Lab\u2019s Center for Conservation Media<\/a> is playing an integral role in Protect the Arctic\u2019s nationwide effort to raise awareness and stoke protective action through engaging films that can reach millions of Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe biggest pieces of federal public land, land that all Americans own, are in Alaska\u2026 an incredibly difficult place for the average American to ever get to see and appreciate,\u201d says Jason Paulsen with the Protect the Arctic campaign. \u201cWe rely on photography and videography of the highest caliber, filmmakers who can go up to these remote places and capture those sounds and images, and then tell the stories of their importance and value, and bring that experience back down to all Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jason adds, \u201cCouple that with a reputation for scientific integrity and it would be hard to imagine a better partner than the Cornell Lab and Gerrit Vyn for filming and sharing these special places.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-style-grid-2 wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"951\" height=\"1200\" data-id=\"17825\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bar-tailed_Godwit-Gerrit_Vyn.jpg\" alt=\"A tall cinnamon, colored bird with a long, thin bill, stands in a low field of flowers.\" class=\"wp-image-17825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bar-tailed_Godwit-Gerrit_Vyn.jpg 951w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bar-tailed_Godwit-Gerrit_Vyn-720x909.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bar-tailed_Godwit-Gerrit_Vyn-768x969.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Bar-tailed_Godwit-Gerrit_Vyn-480x606.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 951px) 100vw, 951px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Male Bar-tailed Godwit. <em>Photo by Gerrit Vyn.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1074\" data-id=\"17827\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Stellers_Eiders-Gerrit_Vyn.jpg\" alt=\"Two patterned ducks with big black bills, take flight from the wet tundra ground.\" class=\"wp-image-17827\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Stellers_Eiders-Gerrit_Vyn.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Stellers_Eiders-Gerrit_Vyn-720x644.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Stellers_Eiders-Gerrit_Vyn-768x687.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Stellers_Eiders-Gerrit_Vyn-480x430.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steller\u2019s Eider pair takes flight. <em>Photo by Gerrit Vyn.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" data-id=\"17826\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Grizzly_bears-Gerrit_Vyn.jpg\" alt=\"Three pale bears, two smaller, with bones, look at photographer in mauve-grey tundra landscape.\" class=\"wp-image-17826\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Grizzly_bears-Gerrit_Vyn.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Grizzly_bears-Gerrit_Vyn-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Grizzly_bears-Gerrit_Vyn-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Grizzly_bears-Gerrit_Vyn-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Grizzly_bears-Gerrit_Vyn-480x360.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dinnertime for a family of grizzly bears in the foggy gloom of Arctic midnight. <em>Photo by Gerrit Vyn.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" data-id=\"17824\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Arctic-eggs-Gerrit_Vyn.jpg\" alt=\"Eggs in a nest on the grassy. flat tundra.\" class=\"wp-image-17824\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Arctic-eggs-Gerrit_Vyn.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Arctic-eggs-Gerrit_Vyn-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Arctic-eggs-Gerrit_Vyn-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Arctic-eggs-Gerrit_Vyn-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Arctic-eggs-Gerrit_Vyn-480x360.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A nest of eggs on the Arctic tundra. <em>Photo by Gerrit Vyn.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Photographer on the Tundra<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It was 30 years ago that aspiring 25-year-old wildlife photographer Gerrit Vyn first laid eyes on Alaska\u2019s Arctic tundra. In the intervening decades, he has returned 15 times to learn about and document the universe of wildlife and lands of America\u2019s Arctic. Now, Gerrit is a producer for the Center for Conservation Media with decades of experience capturing the sights and sounds of remote landscapes and turning them into emotionally charged films that boost conservation efforts around the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In partnership with Protect the Arctic, Gerrit and his team spent six weeks during the summer of 2022 capturing one-of-a-kind footage from Teshekpuk Lake, the largest of the NPR-A\u2019s Special Areas. The resulting 19-minute film, <em>America\u2019s Arctic: Teshekpuk Lake<\/em>, features massive flocks of King Eider, spectacular Buff-breasted Sandpiper courtship displays, and adorable newly hatched Bar-tailed Godwit chicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AMERICA&#039;S ARCTIC - TESHEKPUK WETLANDS\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dCHlyd0nZJ0?feature=oembed&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;showinfo=0&#038;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The film <em>America\u2019s Arctic: Teshekpuk Lake<\/em>, was watched more than <strong>50,000 times <\/strong>in just the first three months of release. In the summer of 2024, Gerrit Vyn returned to the NPR-A to capture footage of Colville River, another one of the Special Areas. Says Jason Paulsen of Protect the Arctic: \u201cWe\u2019re committed to finding every way possible to capture imagery from America\u2019s Arctic\u2026 so it reaches as many people as possible.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-birdpress-transcript accordion\" data-accordion=\"true\" data-allow-all-closed=\"true\"><div class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"true\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"accordion-title\">Show Transcript<\/a><div class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"true\">\n<p>[Text on screen] MAY 10<br>NARRATOR: In the remote coastal fringes of northern Alaska, a brief window is opening. Winter\u2019s darkness is yielding to a sun that won\u2019t set for the next 3 months. As days lengthen, birds return, and life is given another chance. Eiders, traveling more than a thousand miles from wintering areas in the Pacific, are impatiently pushing north to breed. They follow the open water, the cracks in the sea ice. At the peak of their migration, hundreds of thousands can pass this point in a single day. Males are adorned in the bright colors of courtship, females in colors that will hide their nests. Their success will be measured by the number of young they can produce before this seasonal window closes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Eiders won\u2019t be alone\u2013dozens of other species and millions of individual birds are coursing northward from distant parts of the globe, making their annual return to the lands where they were born. Coming to usher in a new generation in one of the most important arctic wetlands in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Text on screen] AMERICA\u2019S ARCTIC. Teshekpuk Wetlands<br>[Text on screen] JUNE 1<br>After traveling great distances to Alaska\u2019s northernmost wetlands, the first order of business for most birds is finding a meal. Where there\u2019s water there\u2019s food, and open water attracts a crowd. The Teshekpuk wetlands provide something for everyone. Birds can find food here regardless of how they feed or what they prefer to eat. Greater White-fronted Geese work the exposed tundra to get at the nutritious roots of grasses and sedges. Stilt Sandpipers and Long-billed Dowitchers probe for invertebrates and pick last season\u2019s seeds released from the thawing ice. And Pacific Loons pursue fish along the open edges of tundra ponds. The abundant food that birds find in these wetlands fuels the breeding season. For birds that arrived alone, that means it\u2019s time to find a mate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Text on screen] JUNE 10<br>Standing about 4 inches tall and weighing no more than six nickels, this male Semipalmated Sandpiper has flown from the northeast coast of South America to the very same territory he held last year. When you\u2019re a small bird trying to stand out in a vast windswept landscape you need a strategy for attracting attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The male Semipalmated Sandpiper takes to the air. He\u2019ll spend nearly 4 hours a day in flight, fluttering above the tundra, vocalizing a constant stream of gurgles and trills that advertise his presence. If this sandpiper is lucky, his mate from last year will find him and they\u2019ll nest again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The male Buff-breasted Sandpiper is also small but he has a completely different approach for attracting attention. Everything about his appearance resembles his surroundings except one\u2026 Nothing stands out on this landscape like a brilliant flash of white. His relentless wing waving advertises his presence to passing females. He\u2019s flown all the way from Argentina to be here, to compete with other males that maintain territories immediately adjacent to his. If he\u2019s flashier than the others, maybe he\u2019ll get the first shot at finding a mate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When wing waving doesn\u2019t do the trick, he turns it up a notch. Maybe getting off the ground will get him noticed. His hard work appears to be paying off. A female has arrived on his territory. Turning his back to her he preens his feathers, enticing her to come closer. When she\u2019s close enough, the real show begins. The sound and appearance of his courtship display are meant to impress. She carefully inspects every detail until she\u2019s made her choice. Once they\u2019ve mated the relationship ends, and she departs to nest and raise their chicks alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Text on screen] JUNE 20<br>Shorebird nests are exquisite\u20134 eggs, perfectly arranged for incubation and heat retention. Camouflaged and tucked neatly into the vegetation, their appearance is what keeps them safe. From above the bird and nest are a perfect match for their surroundings. When still, shorebirds, like this Dunlin, virtually disappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If shorebirds are the masters of camouflage, Tundra Swans are the opposite. This couple used the same nest last year, but it needs some updating. The added height will provide a good vantage point to watch for predators that prowl the landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Birds of the Arctic aren\u2019t just faithful to their nests; many are faithful to each other. These Tundra Swans are lifelong mates returning each year from the marshes of Chesapeake Bay to the very piece of tundra they have occupied for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>King Eider pairs will often establish a nest in the female\u2019s place of birth. While\u2019s she\u2019s producing eggs her mate will remain close by, guarding her so she can feed and rest undisturbed. And Long-tailed jaegers spend 10 months at sea before reuniting each year on the tundra to nest and raise their chicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each species manages the breeding season differently, but the goal is always the same. In the case of this Yellow-billed Loon pair, the goal is to keep their 2 eggs safe and warm for the next 4 weeks. It\u2019s difficult to overstate the extent of wetlands on Alaska\u2019s Arctic Coastal Plain. Lakes, ponds, rivers, and wet meadows form a mosaic of tundra habitats that are irresistible to birdlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Map graphic showing Arctic Ocean and Brooks Range]<br>Located between the Brooks Range to the South and the Arctic Ocean to the North, the Arctic Coastal Plain stretches for hundreds of miles across Northern Alaska. Underlain with permafrost and sitting less than a hundred meters above sea-level, the region is more water than land. The expansive wetlands concentrated around Teshekpuk Lake are especially productive for birdlife, with some of the highest known densities of breeding shorebirds anywhere on earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Birds fan out across this landscape and nest here in astonishing numbers. The coastal plain provides vast tracts of undisturbed habitat and an abundance of food. Summer produces an explosion of insect life and plant growth and twenty-four hours of daylight provides the opportunity to feed around the clock. The abundant resources fuel a short but rapid reproductive season, drawing millions of birds from around the world year after year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Text on screen] JULY 06<br>Almost a month has passed, and patience is paying off at the lakeside nest of the Yellow-billed Loons. Being a good loon parent means providing a steady supply of fish that are just the right size for your finicky chick. Within days of hatching, loon chicks join their parents on the lake and begin a life spent almost entirely on or under the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All across the tundra, the landscape is becoming a nursery for hungry baby birds. Shorebird chicks are on their own when it comes to food. Within hours of hatching, they begin to explore the tundra around their nest in search of their first meal. They won\u2019t stray too far at this point, and still rely on their parents for warmth and protection. Most have only 2 months before they\u2019ll need to be strong enough to make their migration south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If one thing\u2019s for certain, it\u2019s that chicks born on Alaska\u2019s arctic coastal plain have a long way to go. Greater White-fronted Goose chicks will follow their parents to the coastal marshes of Texas and Louisiana. Brant will travel the Pacific Coast to Mexico. American Golden Plovers, Pectoral Sandpipers, and Buff-breasted Sandpipers will spend their winters in Argentina and Uruguay. Red Phalaropes and Long-tailed Jaegers winter far at sea off the coasts of Peru and Chile. Dunlin, Red-throated and Yellow-billed loons will return to the coasts of China, Japan, and Korea. And many other species will migrate to wintering areas across North America. But perhaps most remarkable are the Bar-tailed Godwits. Their chicks, just 2 months after hatching, will travel nearly the entire length of the Pacific Ocean on a nonstop 7,000-mile flight to New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While most of the US is enjoying the last warm days of summer, the window for birdlife is rapidly closing in the arctic. Red Phalaropes are gathering on the arctic coast, preparing for the next 9 months at sea. The last remaining family groups of geese are waiting for just the right winds to usher them south. And young Arctic Terns are about to embark on a journey that, over their lifetime, can take them the equivalent distance of traveling to the moon \u2013 and back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet, as they cross the globe, always on the wing in search of food, they\u2019ll never fail to return each year to this place. The birds born here, like their parents before them, will be forever devoted to this land. No matter what corners of the globe they may occupy, or how far they may travel, it\u2019s these vast wetlands, their birthplace, that they\u2019ll always have in common. The place they\u2019ll return to year after year, retracing the very steps of their own birth, taking advantage of a brief window to usher in a new generation of life in the pristine expanse of America\u2019s Arctic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Text on screen] AMERICA\u2019S ARCTIC. Teshekpuk Wetlands<br>[Credits][Text on screen] Produced by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology in association with Campion Foundation. Producer Gerrit Vyn; Editor Eric Liner; Written by Eric Liner, Gerrit Vyn; Executive Producer John Bowman; Narrator Betsy Winchester; Science Editor Irene Liu; Cinematography Gerrit Vyn, Neil Rettig, Florian Schulz, Eric Liner, Michael Mauro, Shane Moore, Matt Aeberhard, Tim Laman; Animations Jeff Romero; Color Darren Hartman; Sound Michael \u201cGonzo\u201d Gandsey<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Credits][Text on screen] Additional Sound Recordings Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Field Audio Jamie Drysdale, Gerrit Vyn; Camera Assistants Jamie Drysdale, Nicole Frey, Evan Vacek, Tom Zimmer; Field Production Manager Emil Herrera-Schulz; Arctic Field Logistics Florian Schulz Productions; Unit Production Manager Chris Corrigan; Media Management Silvia Briga, Sara Carter Conley; Accounting Vanessa Powell, Karen Workman; General Migration Routes Provided By Autumn-Lynn Harrison, Bart Kempenaers, Rick Lanctot, Vijay Patil, Sara Saalfeld, Candace Stenzel, Lee Tibbetts, David Ward, Global Flyway Network, Max Planck Institute, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS Alaska Science Center, USGS Bird Banding Laboratory<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Credits][Text on screen] Special Thanks: Samantha Beaman, Helen Cherullo, James Fulcher, Rick Lanctot, Joe Liebezeit, Erika Lundahl, Ru Mahoney, Rebecca McGuire, Debbie Nigro, Amy Peloza, Kayla Scheimreif, Barrow Whaling Captains Association, Bureau of Land Management, Community of Utqiagvik, North Slope Borough, UIC Science<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[Text on screen] \u00a9 2024 Cornell University<\/p>\n<p class=\"end-transcript\">End of Transcript<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ongoing Challenges, Hope for the Future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In March 2023, the Biden administration approved the Willow project, one of three proposed projects in the reserve, which would drill for oil along one edge of Teshekpuk Lake. This development would necessitate hundreds of miles of roads and pipelines, an airstrip, a mine, and hundreds of wells to the area, and the resulting emissions would be like adding two million cars to the nation\u2019s roads every year of the project\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But on the heels of the release of the Teshekpuk Lake film came a step in the right direction: In April, the Biden administration finalized protections for the Special Areas of the NPR-A. According to Nicole Gentile of the Center for American Progress, this new rule will be difficult for subsequent administrations to overturn, both because of the legal hoops to jump through, and because \u201cin the public mind once something is protected, rolling that back is deeply unpopular.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gerrit says that some in the industry call Willow \u201cthe next big hub for oil and gas, from which they would expand across the NPR-A. Each concession to drilling infrastructure is permanent. Birds and wilderness, in turn, need permanent protections in the NPR-A Special Areas that can\u2019t be undone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-sky-blue-neutral-background-color has-background negative-margin-bottom order-bottom is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" id=\"more-impact-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">More Stories<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-list card-display carousel card-three \"><ul><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/safeguarding-our-shared-birds\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/56732651-1-1280x853.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/56732651-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/56732651-1-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/56732651-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/56732651-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/56732651-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/56732651-1-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" alt=\"Wood Thrush standing on a branch singing.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Conservation Media<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/safeguarding-our-shared-birds\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Safeguarding the Songs of Spring: The Outsize Value of the Five Great Forests<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/powering-a-new-era-of-conservation\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/redhead-isaac-polanski-616924799-1.33-1200.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/redhead-isaac-polanski-616924799-1.33-1200-720x541.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/redhead-isaac-polanski-616924799-1.33-1200-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/redhead-isaac-polanski-616924799-1.33-1200-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/redhead-isaac-polanski-616924799-1.33-1200-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/redhead-isaac-polanski-616924799-1.33-1200.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"closeup of a duck with a cinnamon red head and black-and-white body\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Conservation Science<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/powering-a-new-era-of-conservation\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Powering a New Era of Conservation<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/any-person-any-study-any-vision\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-any-person-feature-1.33.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-any-person-feature-1.33-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-any-person-feature-1.33-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-any-person-feature-1.33-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-any-person-feature-1.33-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-any-person-feature-1.33.jpg 1187w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"three young people show excitement at seeing a bird\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Education<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/any-person-any-study-any-vision\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Any Person, Any Study, Any Vision<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/inspiration-and-activation\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-report-inspiration-1.33.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-report-inspiration-1.33-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-report-inspiration-1.33-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-report-inspiration-1.33-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-report-inspiration-1.33-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/annual-report-inspiration-1.33.jpg 1220w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"people working on an open structure out at sea, with boats moored alongside\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">K\u201312 Education<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/inspiration-and-activation\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Inspiration and Activation<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/the-magic-of-merlin\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/merlin-annual-report-fi-1.33.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/merlin-annual-report-fi-1.33-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/merlin-annual-report-fi-1.33-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/merlin-annual-report-fi-1.33-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/merlin-annual-report-fi-1.33-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/merlin-annual-report-fi-1.33.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Collage of phones showing TikTok influencers using Merlin and photos of birds\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Merlin<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/the-magic-of-merlin\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">The Magic of Merlin<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/a-conversation-with-our-director\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/blue-winged-teal-matt-zuro-min.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/blue-winged-teal-matt-zuro-min-720x480.png 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/blue-winged-teal-matt-zuro-min-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/blue-winged-teal-matt-zuro-min-480x320.png 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/blue-winged-teal-matt-zuro-min.png 1000w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"blue-winged teal in flight\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Bird Academy<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/a-conversation-with-our-director\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">A Conversation with Our Director<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/revitalizing-the-pacific-flyway\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/11955171-Semipalmated_Ploverimpact-FI-John_van_Dort.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/11955171-Semipalmated_Ploverimpact-FI-John_van_Dort-720x540.png 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/11955171-Semipalmated_Ploverimpact-FI-John_van_Dort-240x180.png 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/11955171-Semipalmated_Ploverimpact-FI-John_van_Dort-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/11955171-Semipalmated_Ploverimpact-FI-John_van_Dort-480x360.png 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/11955171-Semipalmated_Ploverimpact-FI-John_van_Dort.png 1079w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Small, white and dark brown birds fly and flock along a shoreline.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Coastal Solutions<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/revitalizing-the-pacific-flyway\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Revitalizing the Pacific Flyway<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/if-this-reef-could-talk\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/FI-impact-Coral_reef-Adobe.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/FI-impact-Coral_reef-Adobe-720x540.png 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/FI-impact-Coral_reef-Adobe-240x180.png 240w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/FI-impact-Coral_reef-Adobe-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/FI-impact-Coral_reef-Adobe-480x360.png 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/FI-impact-Coral_reef-Adobe.png 1079w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Yellow coral reef in blue sea with fish.\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Conservation in Action<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/if-this-reef-could-talk\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">If This Reef Could Talk<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/free-k-12-lessons-open-doors-for-kids-to-explore-nature-and-science\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/K12Explorers.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/K12Explorers-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/K12Explorers-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/K12Explorers-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/K12Explorers.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Illustration of students looking at bird info and being in nature as part of K12 eBird Explorers\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Education<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/free-k-12-lessons-open-doors-for-kids-to-explore-nature-and-science\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Free K-12 Lessons Open Doors for Kids to Explore Nature and Science<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/how-we-use-sound-to-help-protect-elephants-from-poaching-2\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/ELP-maleportrait.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/ELP-maleportrait-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/ELP-maleportrait-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/ELP-maleportrait.jpg 751w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"close up of an elephant's face\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Conservation in Action<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/how-we-use-sound-to-help-protect-elephants-from-poaching-2\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">How We Use Sound to Help Protect Elephants from Poaching<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/expanding-to-three-continents-merlin-bird-id-app-can-now-identify-3000-bird-species\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Merlin-FI-colorscreen.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Merlin-FI-colorscreen-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Merlin-FI-colorscreen-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Merlin-FI-colorscreen-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Merlin-FI-colorscreen.jpg 1079w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"yellow and black streaked bird singing, phone with merlin app\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Lifelong Learning<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/expanding-to-three-continents-merlin-bird-id-app-can-now-identify-3000-bird-species\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">Available on Six Continents, Merlin Bird ID Can Now Identify 6,000+ Bird Species<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"article-item\"><div class=\"article-item-container\"><div class=\"article-item-media content-article\" data-link-to=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/science-to-action-california-protects-tricolored-blackbird-after-ebird-data-help-show-34-decline\/\"><figure class=\"article-item-media-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TCBlackbird-Voaden-ML46575441-FI.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TCBlackbird-Voaden-ML46575441-FI-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TCBlackbird-Voaden-ML46575441-FI-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TCBlackbird-Voaden-ML46575441-FI-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TCBlackbird-Voaden-ML46575441-FI.jpg 820w\" sizes=\"\" alt=\"Black bird with red shoulders perched on a branch\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"article-item-body\"><span class=\"attribution top\">Conservation in Action<\/span><a class=\"article-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/science-to-action-california-protects-tricolored-blackbird-after-ebird-data-help-show-34-decline\/\"><span class=\"article-item-header\">California Protects Tricolored Blackbird After eBird Data Help Show 34% Decline<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The nation\u2019s largest single tract of public land is a 23-million-acre unbroken tundra that\u2019s essential for wildlife, people, and the Earth\u2019s climate. This globally important region\u2014the breeding and foraging grounds<a class=\"excerpt-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/americas-imperiled-arctic-wilderness\/\" title=\"ReadAmerica\u2019s Imperiled Arctic Wilderness\">&#8230; Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17819,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_birdpress_hero_toggle":true,"_birdpress_hero_type":"image","_birdpress_hero_image_type":"image","_birdpress_hero_style":"default","_birdpress_hero_ratio":"","_birdpress_hero_h1":"","_birdpress_hero_media_id":17818,"_birdpress_hero_media_array_id":[],"_birdpress_hero_media_array":[],"_birdpress_hero_media":0,"_birdpress_hero_video_id":0,"_birdpress_hero_video":0,"_birdpress_hero_youtube":"","_birdpress_hero_content":true,"_birdpress_hero_byline":"How can shining a light on America\u2019s Arctic change minds and inform policy?","_birdpress_hero_byline_bottom":"","_birdpress_hero_button_link":"","_birdpress_hero_button_text":"","_birdpress_hero_button_color":"","_birdpress_hero_date":false,"original_guid":"","_birdpress_hide_search":false,"_birdpress_page_width":"","_birdpress_global_cta":false,"_birdpress_widget_sidebar":"","_birdpress_next_article":0,"_birdpress_next_article_title":"","_birdpress_prev_article":0,"_birdpress_prev_article_title":"","_birdpress_sub_navigation_id":0,"_birdpress_sub_navigation":"","_birdpress_sub_navigation_title":false,"_birdpress_anchor_navigation_id":0,"_birdpress_anchor_navigation":"","_birdpress_postType":"both","_birdpress_categoryID":0,"_birdpress_tagID":0,"_birdpress_parentPostID":0,"_birdpress_parentPostTitle":"","_birdpress_menuID":0,"_birdpress_menuName":"","_birdpress_listHeader":"","_birdpress_listLayout":"card-display","_birdpress_listColumns":"","_birdpress_maxItems":12,"_birdpress_listPaginate":true,"_birdpress_displaySort":true,"_birdpress_sortOrder":"DESC","_birdpress_sortBy":"date","_birdpress_listID":"","_birdpress_listClass":"","_birdpress_displayImages":true,"_birdpress_displayCaptions":false,"_birdpress_displayExcerpts":false,"_birdpress_attTop":"","_birdpress_attBottom":"","_birdpress_showLogos":false,"_birdpress_post_logo":0,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"wds_primary_category":70,"wds_primary_project":0,"wds_primary_content-format":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70,67],"tags":[],"project":[63],"content-format":[],"class_list":["post-17808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-impact","category-impact-conservation","project-conservation-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17808"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17808\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17808"},{"taxonomy":"project","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project?post=17808"},{"taxonomy":"content-format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-format?post=17808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}