Spanning nearly 23 million acres across the western section of Alaska’s North Slope, the National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska (Reserve) is the largest single unit of public land in the nation. The Alaska Native communities that live near the Reserve have maintained a subsistence lifestyle for thousands of years based on the Reserve’s living resources. The educational materials we have developed will introduce you and your students to Alaska’s hidden gem, the Reserve.
The name National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska is unfortunate because it fails to invoke the true images of the Reserve, which include wilderness quality lands and abundant wildlife. The Reserve contains some of our nation’s most treasured natural resources, plus millions of acres of critical habitat for migratory birds, grizzly bears, caribou, polar bears, walrus, wolves, whales and many more. Download Introducing the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (PDF) here.
Watch this short video to visit and learn about the Reserve: