A warm welcome to our newest member of the Arctic team!

Let me introduce myself: My name is Erin Goose, and I have just completed my first year of the Environment and Natural Resources Technology Program in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. This summer I will be joining Dan Slavik at the Inuvik WWF office as an intern.

(C) Erin Goose, WWF-Canada

I am from a small community called Ulukhaktok, which is also located in the Northwest Territories. It was originally named Holman, until the locals decided to change it to its Innuinaqtun name in 2006.  Ulukhaktok is a small community of roughly 450 people; the community is surrounded with great scenery and filled with lots of traditional knowledge. The town is very big on hunting, fishing, trapping and preserving culture. Although the recent generation seems to be losing some traditional ways, the elders wear traditional clothing, like parkas made from wolf or wolverine furs outlining the trim and very colorful fabrics that they design with detailed flowers and shapes. The community is also very creative with art. The art shop, located almost in the middle of the small town, has a lot of crafts and prints made by local artists. Ulukhaktok is located in the Amundsen Gulf Lowlands on the Beaufort Sea.
I am very pleased to have this opportunity to work with WWF this summer. I was always curious about the organization from seeing commercials about threatened animals. I have been familiar with the panda logo for as long as I can remember. I think that this organization is great for trying to solve environmental issues surrounding the north, especially because I am from the Arctic.