Obtaining a Research Permit

Permit Requirements & Timeline

Western Arctic National Parklands (WEAR) welcomes research projects designed to enhance the understanding of resources for park management and the advancement of broader scientific understanding. A Scientific Research and Collecting Permit is required to conduct research on all National Park Service lands, including the collection of novel data, the deployment of research equipment, and/or the collection of research samples.

• For projects to take place during the summer season (May 15 through September 15), submit your application/renewal by February 28.

• For research conducted outside the summer season, submit your application/renewal a minimum of 3 months prior to your anticipated start date.

Permit Application Process

Submit your permit application or renewal in the NPS Research and Permit Reporting System. Include a full research proposal uploaded with the application. Be aware of the Curatorial Responsibilities of Researchers. After you submit your application and proposal in RPRS, you will receive a compliance questionnaire from us.

Application FAQs:

• If WEAR consists of three different NPS units, how many permits do I have to apply for? One. If your fieldwork will occur in just one of the units (KOVA, NOAT, or CAKR), in RPRS you submit an application for that specific unit. But if your fieldwork will occur in two or three of the units, in RPRS you submit an application for WEAR.

• Can a student be the Principal Investigator? No. The application must be submitted in RPRS with a professor as the PI if sponsored by a university. Students, including MS/PhD students, can be listed as Co-Investigators. The permit must be under the name of someone who can legally bind the organization. Include a CV for the PI.

Key Points to Include in Your Application

• Type of transportation you will use within the boundaries of the park (wheeled plane, float plane, helicopter, boating, hiking, etc.). If possible, estimate flight hours and number of landings.
• Study sites, field dates, number of days and people at each camp, and camp locations with information including how you will deal with human waste and trash.
• If known, provide the coordinates for study sites and campsite locations.
• Any type of motorized equipment that will be used (outboard motor, chainsaw, etc.).
• Information regarding establishment of permanent plots or installations (size, location, and type of marking).
• Whether your study requires ground disturbance (e.g. digging, soil collection).
• Does your study require the collection of specimens? Will those specimens be destroyed through analysis? All specimens collected that are not destroyed through analysis require cataloging into the NPS Automated National Catalog Program. Learn more about collection of specimens.
• Whether your study involves conducting surveys or interviews. This may require additional clearance from the Office of Management and Budget, OMB. Learn more here.

Additional Useful Information for Putting Together Your Permit

1. Guide to Conducting Wilderness Research in Alaska’s National ParksPortions of WEAR lands are designated Wilderness. In addition, most of the remaining lands are eligible for Wilderness designation. Management restrictions apply to all Wilderness and Wilderness-eligible lands and affect approval of transportation methods, field work timing and frequency, group size, and the use of mechanized or motorized tools.

2. NPS GIS Data and Information ClearinghouseThis site has all of the publicly available NPS GIS data which can be searched for by park. Most of our information will be found under the Alaska Region and under the park code "WEAR". Some information can be found under the "Alaska-wide themes". You can find airstrips, roads, conservation boundaries (Wilderness, Park, Preserve, etc.), and much more.

3. NPS Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)If your permit request includes handling of vertebrates, your project must be reviewed by the above committee.

4. Bureau of Land Management mapNumerous Native allotments exist throughout WEAR lands. Be aware that allotments are private land. An NPS permit does not authorize access to or use of these lands. This BLM website provides a useful tool for gathering provisional land status information. Researchers are responsible for obtaining permission to access or use inholdings outside of NPS jurisdiction from respective owners. Furthermore, researchers are responsible for obtaining permission to access or use privately-owned Native Allotments through a 'revocable use permit' which is a consultation process mediated through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Allow 30-90 days to complete the process.

Application Review Process

Proposed projects will undergo compliance review by an interdisciplinary team to assess the scientific integrity and appropriateness of research activities. The primary compliance requirements that must be addressed prior to project approval are:

• Whether it is necessary for this project to occur within the park and is the project in line with the NPS mission and the enabling legislation of the park (see applicable laws & policies).

• Potential environmental impacts as required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

• Potential impacts to cultural resources and historic sites within the park as required by the National Historic Preservation Act of 2001 (NHPA, Section 106) and the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA).

• Potential impacts to subsistence activities or the resources upon which they depend as required by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA, Section 810).

• Potential impacts to Wilderness as required by the Wilderness Act of 1964.

The Research Coordinator at the park will contact you to clarify any details or alert you to problems that might arise. The coordinator will meet with the park compliance interdisciplinary team and shepherd your proposal through the evaluation process. The coordinator will provide you with updates periodically and is the person ultimately responsible for issuing your permit. In general, you can expect this process to take up to 3 months.

Safety

Safety is our first concern at Western Arctic National Parklands. Fieldwork in these remote parklands involves inherent risk, especially with regard to aviation, inclement weather, and brown bears. Personal safety and protection of park resources always take priority over research goals and objectives. All researchers are required to review and follow safety guidelines.

Share Your Research with Us

If you are conducting research in the park, we want to hear the results of the work, stories from the field, and see pictures of fieldwork. The only way park managers can apply research results towards science-based management of the park is if those results are available. There is a multitude of ways to share your information (reports, posters, brown bag talks, seminars, guest lectures, brochures).As a condition of the research permit, you are required to complete an Investigator’s Annual Report and send us final reports and publications.

For more information, please contact us at [e-mail].