Arctic grazing systems and industrial development: can we minimize conflicts?

The industrialized world is expanding its search for energy, minerals, timb er and other resources into the Arctic and adjacent higher latitudes. Up to now, large-scale development projects in the Arctic and sub-Arctic have be en few. We can, however, profit from experiences gained from several of the se, including oil and gas exploration and development in Alaska and on Russ ia's Yamal Peninsula, the Norilsk metalurgical complex of Siberia, Alaska's Red Dog mine and others. Conclusions drawn from these experiences are that industrial impacts on Arctic grazing systems can be minimized if the follo wing considerations guide their planning: 1) most of the large development projects that have been undertaken in the North have lacked adequate backgr ound information on the grazing systems that they might impact; 2) there ne eds to be recognition by industry and governments for the amount of time re quired to gather such information and provision made for this; 3) because t ypes of impacts on northern grazing systems that may result from developmen t projects vary depending on whether they involve mining, oil or gas, hydro electric or other activities, each proposed project must be assessed indepe ndently; 4) cumulative effects of multiple projects, often sequentially dev eloped, are seldom addressed by the responsible governments, thus planning for development of an individual project should be within the context of re gional and long-range development planning; and 5) types and sources of con taminants entering northern ecosystems, threatening the health of northern residents, must also be a major focus of project assessment.