Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land

Most every American has probably heard of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) due to the ongoing debate over oil. The government and oil companies want to drill for oil there, and conservationists don’t. But other than that, how much do you know about the land in contention, its flora and fauna, and the Native Americans living there? This book is the culmination of Banerjee’s efforts to show and tell everyone about this wild and (thus far) unspoiled land.

Banerjee provides the backbone of the book through photographs that he has taken over the course of several seasons at the refuge. They are, quite simply, spectacular. They include everything from intimate portraits of flowers and birds to sweeping landscape panoramas. This is a fairly large book, and the space is put to good use with many photos taking up most or all of the page. The book is worth perusing on the merit of the photography alone.

But images alone are not enough. In order to present a complete overview of this area, Banerjee has included essays from writers, experts, and those intimately familiar with the land. These consist of the following:

• Peter Matthiessen recounts his first visit in 1957, focusing on the native Indians. He then proceeds to describe his trip in 2001 with Banerjee, this time paying special attention to the wildlife and conservation issues.
• George B. Schaller tells the account of the initial survey in 1956 that led to the establishment of ANWR.
• Fran Mauer gives an overview of refuge’s physical and geological features and ecological zones.
• David Allen Sibley tells us about the birds of the refuge.
• William H. Meadows provides a great explanation of why it needs to be protected.
• Debbie S. Miller describes the Indians of the region – the Inupiat of the coastal plain and the Gwich’in just south of the refuge.

As I imagine most birders will be, I was most interested in the section written by Sibley, a noted birder and field guide author. Here he gives an account of his trip to ANWR with Banerjee in 2002. But instead of being just a straight travelogue, he also discusses the bird life of the region in general, and in the process gives a great introduction to the birds that rely on the refuge. Birds are also featured prominently in Peter Matthiessen’s account of his latest trip to the refuge.

However, the other essays are also worth reading. They provide a deeper understanding of the area and the people and animals inhabiting it.

Additionally, throughout the book Banerjee has included short excerpts of his experiences there. Each of these focuses on a single topic, such as Caribou, Muskox, Dall Sheep, Pacific Loons, and his interactions with the Indians.

Recommendation

Through this book, Banerjee wanted to show why this area should be forever set aside and left undeveloped. He succeeded. This book is particularly recommended to those who aren’t aware of or don’t understand the reasons to oppose the drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But even if you are well versed in the debate this book will still take you on a breathtaking journey through this special place.