Offices in the Arctic

International Coordination

WWF’s International Arctic Programme was created in 1992 as a co-ordination office to serve as a focal point for arctic conservation issues and to promote WWF’s activities in the Arctic, whether they be in the US, Canada, Russia or Scandinavia.

As well as lobbying arctic governments to accelerate conservation strategies and sustainable development in the Arctic, the Programme is also responsible for running a number of its own projects on, for example, the impacts of climate change in the arctic and ecotourism.

Meet the arctic team »

WWF works in the Arctic through seven offices:

Canada

WWF-Canada's arctic projects are related to the Endangered Species and the Endangered Spaces Campaigns. Because many of the projects are conducted in areas occupied by indigenous peoples, special efforts are made to identify areas of common ground and to work together. An example of such a project is the establishment of a Bowhead whale sanctuary in Isabella Bay, which was a proposal originating from the Clyde River Inuit community on Baffin Island.

Peter Ewins
Director, Species Conservation
WWF-Canada,
Toronto, Canada
T: +1 416 484 7711

Denmark & Greenland

Greenland is a picture of pristine, scenic arctic beauty. It is a land of glaciers, icebergs, reindeer, polar bears, foxes, seals, whales and Inuit people. Greenland has other natural treasures including the largest amount of fresh water in the northern hemisphere. It can also boast the world largest national park! To keep this environment safe and to raise awareness about some existing resource-use problems, WWF-Denmark works together with Greenland's local people in the areas of education, nature tourism and other species-use projects.

Anne-Marie Bjerg
Conservation Officer
WWF-Denmark,
Copenhagen (DK)
T: +45 35 24 78 32

Finland

It was on the initiative of Finland that the eight arctic countries launched the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy in 1991 in Rovaniemi. The political work of the WWF International Arctic Programme aims to strengthen the governmental cooperation established by the AEPS, as well as to raise public awareness of the strategy (and of the Arctic), and to help implement environmental protection measures. WWF-Finland links to the programme with projects designed to save boreal forests and endangered species such as the Lesser White-fronted goose.

Jari Luukkonen
Conservation Director
WWF-Finland,
Helsinki (FI)
T: +358 9 77401045

Iceland

More than in any other arctic country today, the cultural identity and economy of Iceland are based directly on renewable resources. Energy comes primarily from thermal- and hydropower. Fish are by far the most important trading commodity. Through political action and projects, such as the creation of the Breidafjordur Marine Park, WWF is working to ensure that these resources, as well as the natural state of Iceland's magnificent landscapes and ecosystems, are secured for tomorrow.

Arni Finnsson
Iceland Nature Conservation Association
Hringbraut 121, The Reykjavik Academy, 107 Reykjavik
T: +345 551 2279
F: +345 551 2279
email: arnif@mmedia.is

Norway

There is no place closer to the North Pole where so many visitors have their first experience with exciting, unspoiled, arctic nature than Svalbard, Norway. This unique high Arctic archipelago is preciously guarded by the Norwegian government who plans to keep it one of the best managed wilderness areas in the world. To support this idea, and to win tourists as ambassadors for nature conservation, WWF is initially focusing on Svalbard in its program to develop Tourism Guidelines for the whole Arctic.

Rasmus Hansson
Secretary General
WWF-Norway,
Oslo, Norway
T: +47 22 036500

Russia

The WWF quest to create a circumpolar network of protected areas is making the fastest progress at present in the Russian Arctic. WWF is cooperating with the Russian federal and regional governments, local communities and indigenous peoples to establish new nature reserves. WWF has been involved in nature protection issues in the Russian Arctic since 1989. In the last 7 years, the territory protected has more than doubled, bringing the total reserve land area to about 35 million hectares today - an area the size of Norway!

Viktor Nikiforov
Regional Programmes Director
WWF-Russia
T: +7 095 727 0939
F: +7 095 727 0938

Sweden

Sweden has the largest wild areas, and the most abundant populations of large carnivores such as bears, lynx and wolverine, remaining in northern Scandinavia. WWF-Sweden conducts a large number of projects on species and habitat protection, including focused programs preserving western Europe's last wild rivers and a joint project with the Saami people on mountain vegetation. Additionally, this organisation funds a number of projects in other arctic countries, in particular in Russia and Iceland. WWF-Sweden is a major supporter of WWF's International Arctic Programme.

Lars Kristoferson
CEO
WWF-Sweden
Solna, Sweden
T: +4686247402

USA/Alaska

The Bering Sea, a treasure of biological richness, links Alaska and Chukotka, Russia. The idea of a connecting Beringia International Park, was promoted by the Audubon Society with support from WWF. The concept of a park in this fascinating wilderness area gained recognition when an agreement-in-principle was signed by the former US and Soviet presidents. WWF-US is actively purchasing land on Kodiak Island to preserve this wilderness area and its Kodiak bears. The organisation is also working to address the adverse effects of overfishing, including its negative impacts in the Bering Sea.

Margaret Williams
Senior Program Officer
Bering Sea Ecoregion Programme
WWF-United States,
Washington DC (US)