The boreal forests of Alaska and western Canada contain huge expanses of intact wildlife and fish habitat. There has also been a long history of human uses on these lands, and recent increased pressure to develop some areas for transportation corridors and extraction of mineral resources. How does society balance these needs and are they mutually exclusive? Mike Spindler will discuss some examples of collaborative conservation, including pro-active land use planning, and designated wildlife corridors. He’ll also provide an overview of a controversial development EIS (Ambler Road), and two land use plans, one from interior Alaska and one from the central Yukon Territory.

Mike Spindler serves as the U.S. Co-Chair of the Northwest Boreal Landscape Conservation Cooperative. This partnership includes over 30 organizations, such as government agencies, tribes, first nations, and NGOs in Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. Mike lives in Fairbanks, and previously lived in Northway, Kotzebue and Galena. Presently retired, Mike spent most of his career working at seven of Alaska’s 16 National Wildlife Refuges: Alaska Maritime, Arctic, Selawik, Koyukuk/Nowitna/Innoko, and lastly at Kanuti.