Land Commitments in Alaska

ABSTRACT. The Federal government of the United States has, over a number of years, entered into provisional commitments with various owners and agencies in respect to areas of land in Alaska which, in aggregate, exceed the land area of the State by 22%. It is now under pressure from sundry agenciw and interest groups to bring additional areas into existing systems of conservation without due study of the problems involved. There will be a consequent lessening in the chances of the State and its Native peoples achieving economic self-sufficiency within a programme of planned land use and protection of the environment. There is need for a single manager of Federal lands, unaffiliated with any existing agencies. &UM & Engagements concernant les terres d’Alaska. Le gouvernement fédéral des Etats-Unis, au cours de plusieurs a d e s, a pris des engagements provisoires avec diff6rents propriétaires temens et agences en ce qui concerne certaines 6tendues de terrains en Alaska. Ces terrains, globalement, d6passent de 22 % la surface des terres de l’Etat. Divers groupes de pressions et agences poussent maintenant le gouverne-ment féd6ral B inclure des surfaces additionnelles dans les systhmes de conservatio