Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Aklavik (Aug 04/00) - A journey to protect the birthing grounds of the porcupine caribou has received a boost on the eve of its beginning.

The Porcupine Caribou Management Board recently received an $18,000 U.S. grant from the Commission for Environmental Protection (CEC). The money is to go towards the Millennium Trek, a journey by the Gwich'in to Arctic Village within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

For more than a decade, groups have pressured the U.S. government to have the refuge permanently protected, while other groups want the area opened up to oil and gas development. Those opposed to development fear it would force the caribou to calve outside the range, where they would be more susceptible to insects and predators like grizzly bears and wolves.

The board was one of 16 groups from Canada, Mexico and the United States to receive funding through the CEC's North American Fund for Environmental Protection.

Those involved in the Millennium Trek have an evening ceremony in Aklavik on Aug. 10. The next day they boat to Fort McPherson and will have an evening ceremony there.

On Aug. 12, they will fly to the Bell/Porcupine confluence and the next day participants will spend a day on the land at Bell River. They boat to Old Crow on Aug. 14 and have an evening ceremony there.

The trekkers have evening ceremonies at Fort Yukon and Venetie on the 16th and 17th, respectively. The Millennium Trek wraps up on Aug. 19 with a final evening ceremony at Arctic Village.