Historically, the EVOS Habitat Protection Program was divided into "large" and "small" parcel projects. Large parcels typically were more than 1,000 acres, and most large parcels acquired utilizing EVOSTC trust funds were owned by Native corporations. The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA) provided for Native villages to select 44 million acres of public lands in Alaska and set up corporations to manage those lands and provide economic benefits for their Native shareholders. Lands were selected by Village and Regional corporations for proximity to villages, current and historical uses, and future development opportunities. Large blocks of land were selected under ANCSA, including some of the finest forested tracts, most productive estuaries and bays, and valuable salmon streams and watersheds. These lands also provide critical habitat for many of the fish and wildlife resources injured by the 1989 oil spill and can aid in their recovery and future sustainability.
Federal and State agencies, and a few local governments, have received title or interests in lands from Native Corporations participating in the Habitat Protection Program. Negotiations with landowners have resulted in creative habitat protection measures, including fee-simple purchases, conservation easements, no-harvest timber easements, and also include retention of important shareholder interests, including subsistence and other rights. The Trustee Council works only with willing sellers to craft protection packages that provide the highest benefit for the resources, Native shareholders, and the public. Most agreements allow public access for camping, hunting and fishing, restrict development, and maintain subsistence uses, while protecting injured resources and providing economic benefits to Native corporations. To date, the habitat protection acquisitions have been strongly supported by Native shareholders of the Corporations that have participated. In most cases, shareholders were required to approve the agreements by a two-thirds vote or better. Shareholder approval has ranged from 81 to 88 percent.
Following are highlights of the large parcel program organized by the three sub-regions within the spill impact area: Prince William Sound, the lower Kenai peninsula, and the Kodiak Archipelago, including Kodiak, Afognak, and Shuyak Islands. The table lists the parcels protected, and a map showing these parcels' locations. Both the table and the map are linked to more detailed information on each large parcel.
Parcel Description | Acreage | Total Price | Trustee Council's Share |
Afognak Joint Venture | 41,376 | 73,966,348 | 73,966,348 |
Akhiok-Kaguyak | 113,388 | 46,000,000 | 36,000,000 |
Chenega | 60,001 | 34,000,000 | 24,000,000 |
English Bay | 32,470 | 15,156,790 | 14,128,074 |
Eyak / Orca Narrows | 78,138 | 48,576,704 | 48,576,704 |
Kachemak Bay State Park | 23,701 | 22,000,000 | 7,500,000 |
Koniag (Fee) | 59,674 | 26,500,000 | 19,500,000 |
Old Harbor | 31,609 | 14,500,000 | 11,291,000 |
Seal Bay/Tonki Cape | 41,549 | 39,549,333 | 39,549,333 |
Shuyak Island | 26,958 | 42,000,000 | 42,000,000 |
Tatitlek | 72,129 | 34,719,461 | 24,719,461 |
TOTAL: | 576,947 | 397,243,410 | 341,250,065 |