Trimble Gilbert, an elder of the Gwich'in Indian tribe and a minister, lives in a log cabin on a snowy hill in Arctic Village that is dotted with spruce trees and looks out on the Brooks Range. His people are fighting to keep the oil interests out of the refuge on the other side of the mountains, fearing that drilling would disrupt the migratory path of the 129,000 caribou through the region in late July. The herd has provided food, clothing and shelter for the Gwich'in for centuries, and the tribe has long held the philosophy that those who extract the oil will be here only a brief time, while the land and its animals are here to stay. They're not going to stay around. We're the only ones who are going to be left with the junk.
Oil companies say new technology leaves little imprint on the fragile tundra.
Environmentalists counter that the industry's impression is indelible. Harvesting the towering trees means jobs for a struggling industry. But protecting them provides a million-dollar view for passing cruise ships.