Less than one percent of the land in Alaska is held privately – the remainder is owned and administered by the State, the federal government (Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service), and Native organizations. A good overview can be found at http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/factsht/land_own.pdf
For researchers, this land ownership translates into needing permits and permission, often from multiple entities for the same land area.
This process can take many months and is best begun as soon as you receive funding.
Air carriers, especially helicopters, may ask that you give the pilot a copy of your permit before they will proceed with your work.
The Barrow Arctic Science Consortium (BASC) is the point of contact for North Slope Borough (NSB) scientific land use permits. BASC is also an excellent reference point for other permits and clearance necessary on the North Slope. Refer to http://www.arcticscience.org/ or contact Glenn Sheehan (basc at arcticscience.org).
If local people or communities are impacted by your science (or the logistics it takes to support your work e.g. helicopters), it is very appropriate to seek permission and to encourage local understanding.
Please contact CPS if you have any questions on whom to contact, or permits needed:
Marin Kuizenga
CPS Alaska Logistics Manager
2325 King Road
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Office: 907.455.4214
FAX: 907.455.4126
Frequent contacts include:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
http://www.r7.fws.gov/
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Tevis Underwood
101 12th Ave. Room 236
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Bureau of Land Management
http://www.ak.blm.gov/
National Park Service
http://www.nps.gov/akso/
State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources
http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/
Pictured above: Brooks Range and the North Slope.