The proposed Ambler Road has garnered significant attention following President Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.”
As the former lead biologist for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) from 1988 to 2016, I have been studying this herd for 36 years.
I am deeply concerned that advancing the Ambler Road project disregards crucial caribou science and poses a threat to subsistence users in the region.
Recent commentary by Simon Collins and Tony Giardini supporting the project inaccurately claims that the Biden administration ignored years of scientific research in its no-action determination regarding Ambler Road.
In reality, when it comes to caribou, the opposite is evident.
Data collected on caribou movements near the Red Dog Mine—a site with a 52-mile road and a small port—is critical for understanding potential impacts of the proposed road on this herd.
Historical data reveals that during fall migrations, when over 5% of the WACH approached Red Dog Road, tens of thousands of caribou experienced delays of up to two months in their attempts to cross.
Such delays have adverse effects on subsistence hunters, as caribou frequently arrive in hunting areas well after optimal ice conditions have passed.
This shifts not only the timing of hunts but also affects the quality of the caribou, as bulls become unpalatable due to rut.
Construction of the Ambler Road would initiate an extensive industrial expansion in Northwest Alaska.
With an estimated $1 billion investment from the state for building the 211-mile road, there will be immense pressure to expedite the permitting of mines to maximize returns.
An increase in mining activities would lead to heightened infrastructure, greater disturbances to caribou, fragmented ranges, and impacts on subsistence lifestyles.
The fragmentation of the herd’s habitat warrants serious concern.
Caribou require ample options every year to find the best areas for food, predator avoidance, and coping with insect annoyance and other changing environmental factors that can vary in both time and space.
If the Ambler Road obstructs or destroys segments of the caribou’s migratory routes, the herd may not rebound to its previous population levels.
A diversion of even a small portion of the herd could significantly impact local communities reliant on those caribou for sustenance.
Residents of Northwest Alaska express growing anxiety that building Ambler Road would open subsistence areas to an influx of non-local sportsmen.
In response to community concerns, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) argues that access would be limited to mining vehicles and a minimal number of commercial vehicles connected to nearby villages.
However, historical precedents, such as the Dalton Highway, suggest that this limitation may not hold.
The WACH has seen a dramatic decline of 67% between 2003 and 2023, with the reasons for this decrease still not fully understood.
As of 2025, the herd has shown no signs of recovery, with my observations indicating that increasing winter icing events caused by climate change may play a role.
Visible changes in the vegetation across Northwest Alaska may also be exacerbating the herd’s decline.
The introduction of a significant road through key migratory and winter regions, alongside multiple mining projects, could further jeopardize the already dwindling caribou population and the traditional subsistence practices of local users.
A Northwest Alaska devoid of abundant wildlife, including the caribou, would fundamentally alter the landscape and life of its communities.
Jim Dau, a long-time biologist, currently resides in Kotzebue, where he remains dedicated to the welfare of the WACH and the people it supports.
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