Management Issues

A marine debris clean up crew waits for pick up
The marine debris clean up crew awaits pick up from the beach in Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve.

NPS/Janet Bering

Natural resource management issues are critical to park protection. We apply the best science to management decisions and act on issues that threaten natural resource protection in our parks. Here are some examples.

Learn More

Geohazards

Geological hazards (or geohazards) are the results of natural, active geologic processes. They can be hazardous to people or infrastructure, or they may be occurring naturally in remote areas with no hazardous impact. Geohazards include: volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, mudslides or landslides, avalanches, glacial surges and outburst floods, tsunamis, and other land collapses due to thawing permafrost.

Hunting in National Preserves

Sport hunting in national preserves was established under ANILCA and continues today. Learn more about Alaska's wildlife regulations and view an interactive story map to help plan your trip.

Invasive Species Management

Invasive species are a threat to natural ecosystems. Learn more about invasive species management in Alaska here.

Marine and Coastal Issues of Concern

The oceans are undergoing rapid change. There are numerous ecological and management issues of concern, from ocean acidification, to seabird die-offs, to increasing marine vessel traffic.

Seabird Die-Offs

Die-off events are fairly common for seabirds, but an unusual, massive die-off event of Common Murres occurred the winter of 2015/2016. Seabird die-offs have occurred every year since then. Learn more about what happened and why.

Learn More

Wilderness

Wilderness areas support diverse wildlife populations, protect archaeological resources, provide a setting for wilderness recreation, and support the continuation of a subsistence lifestyle for local communities.

Last updated: February 3, 2021