| Native Alaskans have seen many changes in the | | | | the years, such as motorized vehicles to get |
| last century. Many have been converted by | | | | around, and government assistance to augment |
| Christian missionaries. Their hand-made | | | | their meager existence. But they say global |
| canoes have been replaced by motorboats. And | | | | warming is changing the environment itself. |
| their meager existence has been supplemented | | | | Seventy-seven year-old James Willie says even |
| by government assistance. Despite these | | | | the snow is not the same. "It was a |
| outside influences, Alaskans have been able | | | | different cold. Snow wasn't, you know, it's |
| to maintain reliance on their traditional way | | | | just like feather. When it got a little bit |
| of life. But that could soon change. As | | | | warm it melted away fast." |
| VOA's Brian Padden reports, conditions | | | | |
| attributed to global warming are now | | | | Williams describes Katie Kernak as his wife's |
| threatening the environment itself. | | | | grandmother. She says the biggest change |
| | | | brought on by the warmer, dryer climate has |
| Mike Williams has spent much of his life on | | | | been forest fires in recent years. "When she |
| the Kushokwim River in the western region of | | | | was growing up she never used to hear about |
| sub-arctic Alaska. He says rising | | | | any fires at all. But now in the summer it |
| temperatures during the last decade have been | | | | is smoky and there are all kinds of fires." |
| melting the permafrost layer of Earth, | | | | |
| causing increased erosion. Bethel, Alaska and | | | | Williams says what may seem like small |
| other towns have had to constantly reinforce | | | | changes are having a major impact. The |
| their sea walls. | | | | forest fires threaten delicate ecosystems. |
| | | | The warmer snow and thinner ice are making |
| "Millions and millions of dollars have been | | | | crossing the river more dangerous. And |
| spent on this erosion control program for | | | | climate change is also affecting the |
| Bethel, Alaska." | | | | wildlife, altering migration routes and |
| | | | feeding habits. |
| Nipaciak and other smaller villages had to be | | | | |
| totally relocated. Mr. Williams points out | | | | "It has a huge impact and little changes in |
| where the villages once stood. "This used to | | | | climate makes a whole lot of difference on |
| be a village here and because of the erosion, | | | | our lives. " |
| it had wiped it out and people are moving way | | | | |
| back." | | | | Williams says unless action is taken on a |
| | | | global scale, this way of life in the Alaskan |
| Williams is a leader of the Alaska | | | | wilderness could end. |
| Inter-Tribal Council, which represents 229 | | | | |
| native Alaskan tribes. He is a Yupiaq | | | | Note: Not all scientists agree that global |
| Eskimo, a tribe of native Alaskans who have | | | | warming is connected to the extreme weather |
| survived here on the outskirts of the tundra | | | | changes we showed you in the story ... or |
| for thousands of years. Most still rely on | | | | that rising temperatures will have |
| hunting and fishing done in the summer months | | | | catastrophic effects. Some dispute the rate |
| to sustain them during the winter freeze. | | | | of rising temperatures and sea levels and say |
| | | | the scientific community should refrain from |
| The Elders of the tribes have witnessed many | | | | making premature and alarmist predictions. |
| changes to their traditional way of life over | | | | See our other reports in this series. |