As part of the organizations' ongoing partnership to protect key waterfowl habitats in Canada's boreal forest, Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall and The Pew Charitable Trusts CEO Rebecca Rimel teamed up to write a special report for CNN.com addressing the new strategic plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) announced on Aug. 13 by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

This special report outlines the 50-50 split of the NPR-A between oil and gas exploration and waterfowl and wildlife habitat conservation, identifying the plan as a "win-win" rather than a trade-off at the expense of wildlife.

Follow the link at the end of this preview to read the full article.

Alaskan oil and wildlife: It's not either/or

By Rebecca Rimel and Dale Hall, Special to CNN

(CNN) - Who says we can't strike a balance between energy exploration and wildlife protection? For years, a false either/or argument has stalled progress in Washington on energy development. But now we have a chance to both develop and protect one of our nation's natural treasures.

Lying west of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and roughly the size of Indiana, the nearly 23 million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska supports a stunning diversity and abundance of wildlife considered globally significant by scientists. The region also contains hundreds of millions of barrels of oil.

Given today's polarized politics, is it possible to protect these lands while tapping their resources?

Emphatically yes. For proof, look no farther than the August 13 announcement by U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar of a strategic plan that provides a responsible and equitable approach to managing the reserve…

Read the full story at CNN.com