1. The “Far” North & Alaska

2. Physical Geography Three physiographic provinces: The Northwest
An extension of the high mountain Cordillera and the Pacific coastal mountains
The Laurentian Shield
Gentle relief; few hills
The Arctic, including Greenland
Gentle relief; few hills; Expansive views

3. Physical Geography Terrain Permafrost Laurentian Shield Arctic
Ice-scoured plain; low-lying relief
Arctic
Includes LOTS of different landforms
Many lakes
Greenland
Craton > 3 billion years old!

4. Physical Geography Basic characteristics of the Region: Climate
Cold temps, long winters, thin soils, poor drainage, low precipitation
Climate
Subarctic (Dfc), Tundra (ET), ice cap (EF)
Long winters, short & cool summers
Variable precipitation
 distinct biogeographic characteristics

5. } Physical Geography Biogeography Taiga Tundra Global climate change
Boreal forests
Tundra
Lichen, mosses, tiny things
Global climate change }
Defined by treeline

6. Historical Settlement
Aboriginal Peoples
Four main cultural groups:
Algonquin-speaking Crees and Ojibways
Athabascan cultures
Aleut
Inuit (eskimos)

7. Historical Settlement
Early Europeans
Scandinavian Norse (“Vikings”)
Igaliko, Greenland (built on 1000 year-old Viking ruins!)

8. Historical Settlement
Early Europeans, Fur and Fish
French fur traders and trappers in the Northeast (16th & 17th centuries)
The Hudson Bay Company focused on the Northwest
Both used water transport and built military forts to protect their interests
Alaska’s purchase

9. Current Settlement
Aboriginals no longer rely totally on hunting, fishing and gathering
Often occupy bottom rung on the social and economic ladder
Native American = in the interior; Inuit = along the coasts and in the Arctic
Native land settlements key issues

10. Traditional Political Economy
Aboriginal people lived off the land, rivers, and the sea, relying on hunting, gathering and fishing to achieve sustenance
Euro-Americans looked for three things: animals, minerals, trees
Farming available, but very slim
Fishing

11. Current Political Economy
Logging/Forestry
The largest area of uncut forest in North America
Lumber, pulp and paper operations dot the region from Quebec to Manitoba
The spruce forests south of Hudson Bay are the prime source for most paper mills

12. Current Political Economy: Mining

13. Current Political Economy: North Slope Oil
Alaskan
Pipeline

14. Current Political Economy
Hydroelectricity
Provides 70% of all Canada’s power
Cheap & abundant
Sells surplus to New York and New England states, competing with the coal-burning power plants of the Ohio Valley

15. Current Political Economy
Denali, National Park
Tourism
Major attractions
Parks and national forests
Wildlife (big game)
Sport fishing
The areas closest to the US border receive most of the pressure
Fly Fishing, Denise Lake
Grizzly Bear Relaxing

16. Alaska, a Political “Island”

17. Relative Location

18. Struggle for Alaska’s Land
Continuous controversies:
Developing natural resources
Safeguarding the last frontier
Protecting and preserving traditional native population’ way of life
State’s rights to pursue economic development through exploitation of its natural resources

20. Chronology of Key Events
1867: US acquires Alaska from Russia
1884: Alaska Organic Act: victory for Aboriginal People
1959: Year of statehood
1959: Alaska Statehood Act annexation of 104 million acres, without regard of Aboriginal claims
1968: Petroleum discovered at Prudhoe Bay
1971: Alaskan Native Land Claims Settlement Act, providing one billion dollars and 44 million acres
1980: Conservation Act: 104 million acres of parks and refuges and 57 million acres specified as wilderness

21. Integrating Alaska into North America and the World
Aleutian Islands

22. Resource Management Strategies
Preservation:
Removing from or limiting use, saving it for the future
Conservation:
Balancing use with protection
Exploitation:
Full or unlimited use
Multiple Use
Wilderness
Boom and Bust Economy
Cyclical rapid growth and catastrophic decline

23. Final Thoughts
Transportation
(Eco)Tourism
Retirees?

24. Readings San Francisco Chronicle: Greenland likes global warming
Mayer, Audrey, Pekka E. Kauppi, Per K. Angelstam, Yu Zhang, and Paici M. Tikka “Importing Timber, Exporting Ecological Impact,” Science 15 (April): 359–360.
An intriguing cultural & political ecology of the Far North.
Rundstrom, Robert A “A Cultural Interpretation of Inuit Map Accuracy,” The Geographical Review 80 (2): 155–168.
Very cool article on how Inuit peoples use “maps” with incredible accuracy!

25. Discussion Questions
How does continued Euro-American settlement influence the once-balanced lifestyle of the Inuit people?
The Arctic Explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson says the “Far” North & Alaska will become a densely settled and fully-integrated region. Why would he say this? Is it really possible? How and why (or why not)?
What kind of effects will occur in the “Far” North & Alaska as the Earth attempts to balance its temperature? Will they be beneficial? Disastrous? Non-effective? Why (or why not)?

26. Related Books
Berton, Pierre The Arctic Grail: The Quest for the Northwest Passage and the North Pole, 1818– New York: Viking.
The elusive 100-year search for the Northwest Passage.
Bone, Robert M The Geography of the Canadian North: Issues and Challenges. Don Mills, Ont.: Oxford University Press Canada.
A geographical look at life and landscape of the region.
Haycox, Stephen Alaska: An American Colony. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
Divided nicely into Russian exploration and the American period of settlement.

27. WebSources All Things Arctic Greenland!!
Greenland!!
Extreme Points of North America
Tourism, Parks and Recreation
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada