Caribou in the Arctic Refuge coastal plain, with the Brooks Range mountains in the background to the south.
Today, I join with the President, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and countless Americans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Few places in America retain the natural beauty of the Refuge, which protects a broad swath of northeast Alaska and its shoreline.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has a long bipartisan history. Following the efforts of countless conservationists, in 1960 President Eisenhower signed an executive order to establish the Arctic National Wildlife Range “for the purpose of preserving unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values” and followed many years of efforts by conservationists to protect our wild lands. These conservationists, including Olaus and Margaret Murie, sought to protect this unique American landscape. In 1980, under President Carter’s leadership, the area was renamed the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and expanded to further recognize and protect the variety of wildlife found in the area.
Fonte: White House