WWF’s Alexis Will on Arctic conservation
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Local pride
I was born in Alaska and grew up in Sitka, a community with an ocean-centered culture. I was raised paddling kayaks in the nearby waters until I left for college—determined to find a way to work for the ocean I love. Now, at WWF, I collaborate with people throughout Alaska to respond to the challenges facing the Arctic marine environment.
A changing Arctic
Sea ice drives Arctic ecosystems. But it’s melting fast, affecting everything—polar bears, walruses, seabirds, and people. I hear from community members how things have changed, that the multiyear ice no longer arrives and that there are no longer algal blooms to feed fish and returning seabirds in spring. Young people have had to teach their elders to eat unfamiliar foods as new species arrive north—some years, families are unable to find traditional food.
By working together, we can better understand how marine ecosystems are changing, protect community access to marine areas, and build capacity within our communities to shore up their resilience and adaptability. Coastal communities describe the ocean as their garden, and we’re working together to protect it.
© Ram Papish
Studying seabirds
My first summer as an undergrad, I interned for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge monitoring seabirds. I was so captivated by the birds and how they provide a window into marine ecosystem health that I eventually went back to school to earn a PhD.
Since joining WWF in 2021, my role has evolved. I still do some seabird research, but I also work on Arctic shipping in the Bering Strait and support communities on strategic conservation initiatives that put the needs of local people first.
Community collaboration
Throughout Alaska, coastal communities are tied to the ocean—for food, recreation, livelihoods, and continuity of language and culture. My work with seabirds brought me to the Bering Sea and the communities that share their islands with the seabirds. I found we shared a mutual interest in ensuring that local seabird populations are healthy and stable. And it has been the people who have kept me returning to the same places again and again to build relationships, trust, and projects that advance our shared priorities.
Next generation
One thing I love about my job is that I get to help shape the next generation of Arctic conservationists. At the direction of community leaders who want more young people included in science, I support science and seabird camps on the islands I first visited as a seabird biologist. I hope the art, science, and hands-on learning offered in camps and through mentored projects help us pass the baton to the next generation.
© Juozas Cernius / WWF-UK
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