'Hidden Alaska': Bristol Bay Threatened By Mining & Development (PHOTOS)

Can you put a pricetag on nature? Perhaps $350 billion?

National Geographic's book "Hidden Alaska: Bristol Bay and Beyond," photographed by Michael Melford and written by Dave Atcheson, captures a fragile region's unspoiled nature. Bristol Bay is home to the largest salmon spawning ground in the world -- it is also home to countless other creatures. But the bay is threatened by mining and resource development projects. Although the development has up to $350 billion to gain, it would be at the cost of one of the world's natural beauties.

All photos and captions are courtesy of Michael Melford/National Geographic.

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The eerily majestic northern lights, or aurora borealis, blaze above Twelvemile Summit on the Steese Highway. Photos by Michael Melford/National Geographic

The eerily majestic northern lights, or aurora borealis, blaze above Twelvemile Summit on the Steese Highway.

Photos by Michael Melford/National Geographic

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Comments

[SilentSolidarity]

03:29 AM on 02/28/2011

Beautiful place, but all Republicans see is the oil underneath.

[Twrexx]

11:17 PM on 02/26/2011

I can't believe Sarah Palin had the nerve to name a bay after her daughter. Such chutzpah!

[RyanRugbyTighthead]

01:16 PM on 02/25/2011

I live in Alaska and let me tell you there is nothing hidden about it's beauty. Everywhere you look it is beautiful. Unfortunately for the people who have lived here for generations I think that beauty is lost on them and they see dollar signs all over the landscape. The moto seems to be in Alaska 'drill it and kill it.'

[SukiTheCat]

08:24 AM on 02/25/2011

nothing more beautiful that nature...please don't let Sarah Palin see this, she'll gear up in her helicopter and start shooting

[myea]

12:13 AM on 02/25/2011

That bear slide is so great! When I was younger I wanted to live in Alaska(still do, maybe one day), I even met this great family that invited stay with them if I came to visit. Alas, it never happened. I hope that the mining does not happen. Can we keep some of our natural beauties?

[saskatoonie]

02:24 AM on 02/27/2011

Canada is also beautiful and we don't have Sarah Palin to contend with!

[Vodou]

12:07 AM on 02/25/2011

Beautiful photos.

[LegalMomma]

10:17 PM on 02/24/2011

Thank you. Those are gorgeous. I may have to continue to to make due with photos for the rest of my life. Although I have never been to Alaska, I'm afraid you-know-who has put such a bad taste in my mouth about it, that I don't think I'll ever be able to go.

[pene]

08:52 PM on 02/24/2011

it will be lost. we will not, cannot stop our breeding or our destructive ways. we can only hope that whoever or whatever comes after us will be better stewards of this planet.

[paddy523]

10:02 PM on 02/24/2011

there's a big rock in the Kyper belt with our name on it !!!!!

[pene]

12:58 AM on 02/25/2011

oh, paddy, if we get off this rock, it is goodbye to this universe.

[Packattack]

05:29 PM on 02/24/2011

WOW nice ....... There is more to Alaska than SP.

[democritus]

04:28 PM on 02/24/2011

Strangely enough, I just this morning was watching the video the bear slide was taken from: "Over Alaska"--put out by KCTS video. Fantastic video.

[Skaterx999]

04:25 PM on 02/24/2011

Liar! Sarah showed me this side of Alaska!

[tribal sovereignty]

04:06 PM on 02/24/2011

Could not see Russia; I guess I need new glasses.

[eddie4196]

03:09 PM on 02/24/2011

Ahhh Bristol Bay once unspoiled and scenic .. look what happens after they let the Alaskan come in.. fat and frumpy and will never be the same

[LazloTu]

04:14 PM on 02/24/2011

Do you have a point??

[Danilo-11]

02:09 PM on 02/24/2011

Palin made me hate Alaska, is Russia still wanting to buy Alaska back?

[SukiTheCat]

08:26 AM on 02/25/2011

doesn't me hate Alaska, just hate her for representing such a beautiful land and destroying it

[saskatoonie]

02:25 AM on 02/27/2011

Uh it should have been Canada's..........