Wilderness: Good for Alaska Legal and Economic Perspectives on Alaska’s Wilderness

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, 2015

58 Pages Posted: 22 Aug 2015

See all articles by Elizaveta Ristroph

Elizaveta Ristroph

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Anwar Hussain

Auburn University - School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences

Date Written: May 13, 2015

Abstract

This article addresses the legal framework for Wilderness in Alaska, which has more land within the National Wilderness Preservation System than any other state, as well as the economic impacts and valuation of wildlands. Wilderness management in Alaska is subject to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which aims to ensure that rural Alaskans can use wildlife resources to sustain customary and traditional ways of life. The values of Wilderness range from direct economic benefits and revenue generated from recreation to passive values that are measured by the public’s willingness to pay for preservation. While there are challenges to estimating these values, economists and land management agencies can adopt a number of techniques to improve wilderness valuation and decision-making. Given the benefits of Wilderness to Alaska, and uncertainty about the potential consequences of development for unique natural landscapes, land management agencies should consider opportunities to designate additional Wilderness.

Suggested Citation

Ristroph, Elizaveta and Hussain, Anwar, Wilderness: Good for Alaska Legal and Economic Perspectives on Alaska’s Wilderness (May 13, 2015). Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, 2015, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2643870

Elizaveta Ristroph (Contact Author)

University of Hawaii at Manoa ( email )

Department of Urban and Regional Planning
Saunders Hall 107 2424 Maile Way
Honolulu, HI NA 96822
United States

Anwar Hussain

Auburn University - School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences ( email )

Auburn, AL 36849
United States

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