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The Future of an Arctic Resource

Barrow Arctic Research Support Workshop Report

Dear Colleague,

The Future of an Arctic Resource: Recommendations from the Barrow Area Research Support Workshop, a report from arctic residents and the arctic research community to the National Science Foundation, is now available.

Scientific research has been conducted in the area of Barrow, Alaska,for more than a hundred years. Few places in the world, and fewer still in the Arctic, have witnessed a similar concentration of research over an extended period or such outstanding community support for both the research and the researchers. In December 1998, at the request of the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs, the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) organized a community workshop to consider means and priorities to support science activities in the Barrow area. The Barrow Area Research Support (BARS) workshop included 67 research scientists, Barrow residents, federal agency representatives, logistics providers, and regional government officials.

The resulting report was developed with extensive comments and review from the workshop participants and other interested parties. The organizing committee, chaired by Henry Huntington, thanks all those who contributed to the development of the report for their ideas and expertise. The ultimate goals of the report's recommendations are to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and extent of research taking place in the Barrow area. The recommended investments will build upon the rich history and resources of Barrow for the benefit of future research in the area.