Lisa Eckert: “History of Alaska’s National Parks”

On the historical national park (NP) timeline in Alaska, 1980 is a pivotal year. That year, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) was signed into law.  Considered the Louisiana Purchase of the American conservation movement, it more than doubled the size of the National Park and National Wildlife Systems. Beginning in 1910, the establishment of Sitka National Monument, as it was called at the time, and four other units set up the foundation of what was to come.