Resident Joe Ordonez doesn’t duck conflict in his new book, “Where Eagles Gather: The Story of the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, Haines, Alaska.”

In an interview this week, the photographer, naturalist and tour operator said conflict is inseparable from the story of the 48,000-acre preserve.

A proposed iron mine led to recognition of a “critical habitat area” for eagles in the early 1970s. Controversial plans for logging the surrounding area resulted in creation of the state-managed preserve about 10 years later.

In the past 25 years, the preserve was central to debates over the proposed Windy Craggy mine and Connelly Lake hydroelectric project. And it could be at the forefront again, if Constantine Metal Resources opens a mine under exploration near the headwaters of the Klehini River, Ordonez said.

“If you tell the story of the eagle preserve, you tell the story of Haines,” he said.

The self-published, 130-page hardback prominently showcases wildlife and landscape photos Ordonez has captured since coming here in 1986. Glossy, color images range from eagles in midflight battle, portraits of Native leaders, and local rivers choked with eulachon.

Fifty pages of text in the book – providing a natural history of the preserve and its recent, political history – include a portrayal of the Constantine mine as a threat to the preserve. Text ends with a verbatim statement from Klukwan’s governing council that a Constantine mine would threaten the village’s culture, way of life and subsistence resources.

Ordonez said he used the statement because he didn’t want to try to paraphrase the tribe’s concerns, and he believes that the village has a compelling argument. “That takes the discussion of a mine from a pollution issue to one about the cultural survival of the village.”

While tribes elsewhere are operating casinos, Chilkat villagers are still living on salmon as they did thousands of years ago, he said. “They’re still eating the same food. There’s a poignancy to that.”

Ordonez hopes his book will return a national spotlight to the preserve, noting that interest by national leaders in a federal eagle refuge here in the late 1970s helped build support for a state-managed preserve.

The book is introduced by former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart, an Ordonez tour client who pushed for a federal eagle refuge.

“I want the book to be a rallying point for national attention…but I know there are people who will never read the 30 pages of text no matter what. They’ll just look at the pictures. No matter what you think about Constantine, you can enjoy this book,” Ordonez said.

Plus, he said, the history of the preserve’s creation is one of people coming together. “Haines had a reputation for conflict. I think we’re learning to discuss things in a more civil way, so I think there are some points of discussion here to be considered.”

Bald eagle foundation founder Dave Olerud this week said he hadn’t read the new book but was disappointed that a presentation Ordonez made about it at the eagle festival Tuesday included statements against Constantine.

Olerud said his worry for the preserve is that the Chilkat chum run that feeds its annual eagle migration has never recovered to historic numbers. He’s also concerned that federal biologists no longer monitor eagles here and that studies – including of the preserve’s unique hydrology – haven’t been done.

“I’d like to have someone just mention those birds have to eat. The birds are dwindling and the amount of food they have is less and less,” Olerud said. “We have a decline in the chum run every year.”

Olerud pointed out there were large mining operations above the Klehini during the heyday of the Porcupine mining district. He called the preserve’s advisory council “a bureaucracy” and scoffed at recent concerns that cutting down trees for Haines Highway expansion along the preserve would hurt the eagles.

Ordonez said he has lived in Haines long enough to realize not everyone will agree with some of the points in his book. Publishing it himself allowed him to speak from the heart, he said. “I think I’ve produced something that’s valuable and beautiful. I’m proud of it. I really love the preserve and I want to share it with other people.”

Ordonez said he has seen some of the world’s wildest places in travels on all seven continents, and the Chilkat Valley ranks among them. “Haines really isn’t recognized for what it has. We’ve got this intact, pure water and wild salmon runs and we’re all connected to it. It’s the most incredible place. People come to Haines and it blows their minds.”

Ordonez’ book is available at the Babbling Book. He said he’ll be traveling to other cities in the region to promote it.