Winner: 2004 Environment category "Top Prize," Independent Publisher Book Award
Subhankar Banerjee was drawn to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to photograph polar bears in the wild—and fell in love with the land the Gwich’in people call "The Sacred Place Where Life Begins." He devoted fourteen months over two years to documenting the landscape, its wild species, and its native peoples. With Iñupiat guide Robert Thompson, Banerjee traveled 4,000 miles on foot and by raft, kayak, and snowmobile to prove that the refuge pulses with live year-round—and that leaving the biological heartland free from commercial development is vital to the survival of this unique ecosystem.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land emerged in 2003 as the first comprehensive photographic portrait of the refuge in fall, winter, spring, and summer.
Braided River partnered with Alaska Wilderness League and The Wilderness Society on the Seasons of Life and Land project. Founded in 1993 and based in Washington, DC, Alaska Wilderness League works to further the protection of Alaska’s public lands in the nation’s capital. Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society protects American wilderness through the potent combination of science, advocacy, and education. It works to inspire Americans to care for our wild places.
On March 19, 2003, the book was held up on the Senate floor during a debate about oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The provision to open the land to development—tacked on to a budget bill—was defeated by a vote of 52 to 48. Soon after the vote, Banerjee received notice that the Smithsonian Institution, which depends on Congress for its funding, had decided to move his exhibit from a prominent space near the museum’s rotunda to the bottom floor. The exhibit’s captions were also expunged of quotes from President Jimmy Carter, and attorneys for the museum insisted that Banerjee remove all mentions of the Smithsonian from his book. The museum later denied making any decisions due to political pressure.
Drawing significant media coverage, that controversy launched the book—and the Arctic Refuge—into the public spotlight. Its success sparked the inspiration for Braided River.
For the latest on Arctic Refuge conservation, click here.
For more information on Subhankar Banerjee, click here. For more information on the contributing essayists, click on their names above.
