t’s officially my favorite time of year. I know that far more people get excited about the Midnight Sun than the (what’s the opposite of a midnight sun?) long, cold days of winter. But come on, what’s not to love about the Northern Lights against a velvet-black night sky? Or a fresh blanket of untouched snow glistening in the noon sunrise? Year after year I find myself bedazzled by winter here and continue to be grateful that I get to experience all that Alaska has to offer by just stepping outside.

And over the past several months I’ve found myself revisiting again and again the idea of gratitude and resilience. To be resilient, by definition, requires a challenge to overcome—and right now we all face one of the most demanding, impactful challenges of our lifetime. As taxing as 2020 has been—and no doubt, it has been exhausting—I’m also deeply grateful to be here still, helping to support businesses in our communities with news and information about the industries important to you.

One of those industries is mining, featured prominently in this month’s Natural Resource Development special section. Accounting for some 9,400 jobs (direct and indirect) and more than $700 million in payroll taxes annually, mining is a key economic driver in Alaska. As the year progressed and COVID-19 made its way to even the most remote corners of the state, the mining industry, already known for stringent safety protocols, had to quickly put in place additional protective measures.

To keep their workers safe—and the seventy communities from which they travel and to where they will return—companies dug deep to find solutions. How well are their operations doing? Find out in this issue’s mining review. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. And what would a natural resource development special section be without a little drama? So this month we’re including a Pebble Mine update. You may not be as surprised by that story.

For our cover story we dive into the world of aquaculture and examine the vast range of markets out there for items cultivated from the sea. Pickled bull kelp anyone? Sounds like a new holiday tradition in the making to me.

Happy reading,