Series: The Changing Human Dimensions of Alaska Parks

This issue highlights human dimensions and includes articles that explore the social, cultural, economic, and psychological aspects of how people interact with and experience Alaska’s parklands. The articles describe dynamic challenges and emerging opportunities for management to ensure that the National Park Service mission is met and visitors have high-quality experiences. We hope you enjoy the diversity of articles and we thank the authors who shared some of their examples and perspectives.

  • Article 1: Managing Alaska’s National Parklands as Resilient Social-Ecological Systems

    A river valley surrounded by mountains and forest.

    National parklands in Alaska are different from parks in other states due, in large part, to the provisions of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act that ensure the continuation of subsistence use of resources. Here parklands function as social-ecological systems. As environmental conditions change, there are opportunities to think explicitly about management for their resilience. Alaska Park Science, 2025 Read more

  • Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

    Article 2: Tribal-Federal Collaboration on Gull Egg Harvest in Glacier Bay

    A ranger and an indigenous woman measure gull eggs to document a nest.

    For the Lingít, egg harvest is not only a means of gathering food, but an opportunity for families to bond, for youth to actively and safely participate in community harvest, and for the intergenerational transmission of Indigenous Knowledge. Glacier Bay was widely recognized as a premier egg harvest site and the Huna Lingít were proud to be the caretakers of this rich resource. After a time of prohibition, it has been returned to them. Alaska Park Science, 2025. Read more

  • Noatak National Preserve

    Article 3: Centuries of Human-Caribou Relationship, Migration, and the Conflict Today’s World Brings

    Two caribou swim across a river.

    World views and hunting practices clash with those of non-resident sport hunters who reside outside of Northwest Alaska. This article highlights some of the reasons for this conflict, predominantly from the lesser-known Iñupiat perspective, and challenges that the National Park Service face when trying to manage for both user groups. Alaska Park Science, 2025 Read more

  • Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

    Article 4: Glacier Changes Drive New Challenges for Balancing Visitor Access and Natural Resource Protection

    Visitors on a cruise ship view a glacier up close.

    Park management decisions must balance protection of resources and allowing access to them. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve has long been able to do this by providing access to one tidewater glacier and protecting another for important seal habitat. But what happens when there is just one tidewater glacier? Can seals share their habitat with cruise ships? Alaska Park Science, 2025 Read more

  • Denali National Park & Preserve

    Article 5: A Data-driven Approach to Transportation Planning in Denali

    A caribou walks along the Denali Park Road with a bus behind.

    A vehicle management plan (VMP) is basically a monitoring program that addresses carrying capacity. It intends to accommodate the most number of people while ensuring high-quality experiences and protecting wildlife. To protect opportunities for wildlife encounters, the VMP established desired conditions for the number of vehicles present at wildlife viewing stops. Alaska Park Science, 2025 Read more

  • Article 6: The Ecology of Visitation

    Two bears in a green field

    Bear viewing in Alaska has rapidly increased in recent years, concurrent with the state’s tourism industry boom and the rise of social media as a preeminent cultural force. Improving our understanding of the intersection between social science, wildlife research, and education, we can make better management decisions for resource protection and visitor experiences. Alaska Park Science, 2025 Read more

  • Article 7: Changing Visitation Patterns Present Challenges and Opportunities for Alaska National Parks

    Two rangers in bright orange float coats wave to passengers on a nearby cruise ship.

    Environmental conditions and recent travel trends—including a longer cruise ship season—are changing how and when people visit parks. This presents some challenges as well as opportunities for park managers to adapt. Alaska Park Science, 2025 Read more

  • Denali National Park & Preserve

    Article 8: What to Do About Number Two? Insights from Decades of Human Waste Research and Management on Mount McKinley

    A mountaineering camp on Kahiltna Glacier on Denali.

    Backcountry waste management poses unique challenges on glaciers at over 14,000 feet. Mountaineering on Denali has a long history, including decades of human waste buried on the most popular climbing route--Kahiltna Glacier. As much as 88 metric tons of human waste is estimated to have been generated by mountaineers on the West Buttress climbing route since it was first climbed in 1951. What happens to this waste and what are the impacts? Alaska Park Science, 2025 Read more

  • Denali National Park & Preserve

    Article 9: Inclusive Conservation in the Denali Region of Alaska: Scenario Planning with Local Communities

    A moose bedded down in Denali frontcountry.

    Public land management requires reflexive engagement, negotiation, and compromise among people who differ in how and why they value nature. The process of balancing visitor and resident interests while sustaining ecosystems is increasingly complicated by global environmental change and the range of relationships that people have with nature. This model of public engagement uses scenario planning throughout the decision-making process. Alaska Park Science, 2025 Read more

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