I have participated with Friends of McNeil River since the first formalized meeting at Tony Dawson's home in 1990. I currently work as a land law specialist for the Chugach National Forest. My background includes a BS degree in Forest Land Management and professional experience developing unique recreation opportunities on public lands within the National Forests where I have been employed.
I first visited McNeil River in 1986 and recognized it as the site of the most significant human-wildlife interaction that occurs in the United States. I also recognized its significance as proof to the world that humans and wild, potentially dangerous animals, can co-exist.
In 1990, the Paint River fish ladder brought to light the likelihood that this interaction was at risk due to development or politically driven management objectives. Along with the other members of Friends of McNeil River (FOMR), I felt the only way to insure that McNeil was not changed on a whim, was to have legal statutes or regulations passed. Since 1990, I have worked with FOMR members toward that end-- the establishment of the McNeil River Refuge. Because the legislation that established the refuge left it open to hunting, my wife Dorothy and I led a campaign to close the area to bear hunting. The efforts of that campaign drew national attention and were aired twice on CBS News "Eye On America". It also was shown throughout Europe and featured in Europe's version of National Geographic.
I feel that it is now time to gain a better understanding of the needs of the bears and their interactions with humans and to share that information. I hope that FOMR can be a major influence in that effort. Through sharing lessons learned at McNeil, bear management can be better coordinated with human activity.
Photographer, writer and bush pilot, Tony Dawson is a 20-year resident of Alaska. Born in Washington state, he earned Zoology and Veterinary Medicine degrees at Washington State University, practiced in Idaho for two years, then moved to Alaska in 1975. For three years, he flew in Alaskan "bush" communities attending pets and sled dogs, and served two stints as Chief Veterinarian for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
Tony began photographing nature as a college hobby, and soon published his work in national magazines. Eventually, photography and writing became a profession. A past Field Editor at Alaska Magazine, and now a full-time freelancer, his publication list includes Life, Newsweek, Time, Audubon, Outside, Wilderness, Sierra, National Wildlife, National Geographic WORLD, Outdoor Life plus books from the National Geographic Society, National Wildlife Federation, Simon & Schuster and others.
Tony flies his Piper Super Cub across Alaska and has traveled widely while lecturing Holland America cruise passengers. Concerned about environmental issues, he was assigned to photograph the Exxon Valdez oil spill for Audubon, and is now documenting the beauty of the threatened Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Tony first visited McNeil Sanctuary in 1977, and has returned seven times. In 1990, he was a founding member of Friends of McNeil River. As a board member and spokesman, he wrote articles defending the sanctuary against conflicting commercial development and helped file a federal lawsuit that forced safeguards and spurred creation of the new 130,000 acre refuge adjacent to McNeil Sanctuary.
I live in Anchorage with my wife and 11-year-old daughter. I was a founding member of Friends of McNeil River. I moved to Alaska in 1981, and one of the first things I did was to visit the McNeil River Sanctuary. During the 1980's, I made seven visits there to photograph and observe the bears, and in the process established many long-term friendships with humans as well as bears.
I am a professional nature photographer, as well as a physician, and belong to fifteen different national environmental organizations. A love of wildlife and the outdoors has been central to my existence for most of my adult life.
After the tremendous victory in getting the Refuge established and closed to hunting, I hope to help guide the next phase of development of Friends of McNeil River.
Before meeting the McNeil River bears, I spent 15 years in award-winning fund raising, public relations and strategic planning, and raised more than $192 million for nonprofit agencies. I have provided consulting services to business, government and educational institutions in community relations, strategic development and program planning.
I served as Expansion Campaign Director for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, Development Vice President for the United Way of Bay Area, Campaign Vice President for the United Way of the Plains, and unit Director for the United Foundation. I've provided training, consulting and management services to CASA, California Educational Initiatives Fund, Emory University, Fairmont Hospital Foundation, Independent Charities of America, the Marshall McLuhan Center on Global Communications, the National Welfare Rights Organization, New Detroit, Inc., Planned Parenthoods of Northern California and the U.S. Department of Education.
Then I met Dorothy and Leo Keeler, volunteered to help with McNeil, met the bears and fell in love. Now I fly back and forth from California to Alaska to facilitate strategic planning, fund raising and communications for Friends of McNeil River. I want to continue to protect the Sanctuary and the bears that make this area so unique.
I am also a poet and certified diver who loves opera. I have a 21-year-old son, three goddaughters, a little white dog named Wookie and a sense of humor.
Even though I have only been a resident of Alaska for a short time, I am quite aware of many of the state's issues. Before moving to Anchorage, I found myself becoming increasingly more involved with several environmental groups and topics involving Alaska. While still back home in southern California, I was constantly writing letters, making phone calls and helping to spread awareness on issues such as: the Magnuson Act, predator control plans, the Tongass, and, of course, the McNeil River bears! When I wanted to do more than my geographical location would allow, I knew that moving to Alaska was the next logical step in my environmental endeavors.
Being involved in my community has always been a predominant part of my life, as my mother stimulated my "addiction to volunteering" at a very early age. I have more than 20 years background working in numerous community and non-profit organizations. During the past 10 years, I obtained extensive experience with these groups in the planning and coordination of fund raisers and special events, program management, volunteer development, and education and leadership in youth programs and schools. I earned a B.A. in Social Ecology, a B.S. in Biology and finished a year of postgraduate work in Psychology.
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