About Us

MISSION

The Northern Alaska Environmental Center promotes conservation of the environment in Interior and Arctic Alaska through advocacy, education, and sustainable resource stewardship.

OVERVIEW

in Fairbanks, Alaska is the quintessential grassroots organization, with a 13-member Board of Directors, 9 Advisory Board Members, 8 staff, more than 50 active volunteers, and over 1,000 contributing members.  The Northern Center operates four major programs, the Arctic, Clean Water & Mines, Local Issues & Energy, and Education.

PROGRAMS

The Arctic Program seeks to preserve the Arctic Refuge coastal plain as designated wilderness and uphold refuge integrity by involving Alaskans.  We work to strengthen protections for vital wildlife habitats and wildlands like Teshekpuk Lake and Utukok Uplands in the Western Arctic and sensitive Beaufort and Chukchi Sea marine life already stressed by global climate change.  We advocate building clean, renewable energy economies while preserving our most treasured wild places. 

The Clean Water & Mining Program seeks to protect clean air, clean water, and wilderness through robust state and federal permitting processes for northern mines, and monitors schemes to mine northern coal deposits, especially plans for transportation infrastructure that would have major cumulative effects especially in the Western Arctic.

The Local Issues & Energy Program addresses Climate Change by organizing in Fairbanks to advance local, regional, and statewide renewable energy planning to show that even here we can reduce global warming pollution and help Congressional efforts to reduce carbon emissions.  

Finally, Camp Habitat Summer Camps foster youths’ appreciation for nature and connect us positively with the Fairbanks community.