January 28, 2002

Re: Nomination of "Tundra" Tom Faess's 'Great Canadian Wilderness' for the WWF International Arctic Programme's Arctic Award for Linking Tourism and Conservation:

Last year I was assigned by one of the world's leading tourism magazines, Conde Nast Traveler, to write about North America's largest nature refuge, northern Canada 's Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary. I traveled there with "Tundra" Tom Faess, whose Great Canadian Wilderness has been taking visitors into this remote, untouched Arctic landscape, sometimes called the Serengeti of the North, for three decades. The trip was as magnificent as advertised, replete with the expected wildlife, vistas, and aurora borealis. But it was also far more:

Along with his passion for that extraordinary setting, Tom deepens his guests' experience with his comprehension of mounting human and economic forces that will determine the Thelon' s future. For me, the result was an article that embraced not just the beautiful journey; but also the historic and present challenges that face native peoples who, as the result of recent Canadian judicial and political events, will now control the Thelon -even as the biggest mining boom in Canadian history (for diamonds) encroaches on it. Tom, who knows all the players, has courageously defended this land, vexing some but inspiring the trust of many others. As you may know, Conde Nast Traveler isn't particularly noted for dwelling on environmental politics: Beaches and dining are more its style. Nevertheless, the magazine's editor-and chief, Thomas Wallace, was so compelled by this commitment to ecological equilibrium in the Arctic that he devoted his lead essay in the December, 2001 issue to my article. The resulting multitude of reader responses I've received are particularly gratifying, because the power of this tale has been able to touch all audience far beyond the usual environmental true-believers.

That essay is now posted on the internet, and I invite you to have a look. Both the photographer who accompanied me, Pulitzer-Prize-winner Jay Dickman, and I have worked throughout the world, but we've rarely been so touched as by this incomparable Arctic setting and this man 's relationship to it and to its indigenous people and wildlife. I hope you give "Tundra" Tom Faess and his organization the consideration for this honor that both he and his beloved Thelon deserve.

Sincerely,

Alan Weisman

“I've worked all over the world, including Antarctica, and the Thelon is one of the most unforgettable places of all.  It touches a human deeply and originally - not just to know that such an intact, alive landscape still exists, but to actually feel it. Thanks for providing such a beautiful, memorable, and expert entry into that exalted space."

Alan Weisman / Journalist
      Conde Nast Traveler Magazine
Tuscon, Arizona