1908 Brands is a long time supporter of environmentalism and land conservation efforts. This year, we are pleased to announce a 1% for the Planet program grant to support the production of the film, Paving Tundra, to support the efforts of the Brooks Range Council as they work to block a road. We're excited to share a clip of footage today and would like to invite you to take action, join over 100,000 in signing the petition to protect the Brooks Range and stop the road.
ABOUT PAVING TUNDRA
A five person crew of experienced storytellers and Alaskan explorers will complete an approximate 300 mile packraft/hike through the southern half of the Brooks Range to spend time in each of the six villages for filming and interviews, and offering a lens into the complex realities of this region.
The team will use their combined talents to produce photographs, written prose and a short film, Paving Tundra, to bring awareness to the construction of a road to Ambler. These collective resources will actively address the need to protect the land and subsistence lifestyle while questioning the benefits of connecting secluded Interior villages to the road system.
This project is committed to capturing the authentic voice and accurate concerns of local communities, especially from the villages of Allakaket/Alatna, Bettles/Evansville, Shungnak, Kobuk and Ambler. These cultural and personal perspectives are critically necessary in the decision-making process of road construction.”
ABOUT THE BROOKS RANGE COUNCIL
The Brooks Range Council formed in the summer of 2012 as it became clear that the Alaska Department of Transportation was rapidly advancing engineering and environmental baseline studies for the road to Ambler. Helicopters carrying survey crews and scientists began appearing regularly in Bettles and elsewhere, working daily to gather data about how and where the road will cross vast wetlands, permafrost, and the 161 rivers and streams in its path. The reality of the situation has become more than simply a theory — we are seeing crews every day now during the field season, and have become more compelled to take action than ever before. We are composed of stakeholders of all types. While our Chairman has multi-generational roots at Iniakuk Lake, others have the same history at various remote properties, along the Ambler, Kobuk, and Koyukuk Rivers. We have allies within village governments, within the outfitter and guiding community, and we’ve harnessed the technical resources of the conservation community. Our backgrounds and interests are diverse, yet we all agree that this road will cause far more harm than good.
Find out more: The Brooks Range Council
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