Private Lands

Privately owned lands require permission from the landowner to use legally in any fashion, whether for access or for as location to hunt or fish from. Alaska’s Native Corporations are the largest private landowners in the state. The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) created 12 regional corporations and 224 village corporations. Each of the corporations received a land entitlement, collectively totaling 45.5 million acres. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the federal agency responsible for issuing the conveyance documents to the Native corporations.

These lands are private lands, and using them without permission is trespassing. However, under ANCSA Section 17(b), easements can be reserved across these private lands to access public lands and waters. Since the mid-1970s, ADF&G has reviewed proposed conveyances to Native corporations and recommended public easements to BLM that provide access to public lands and waters. The easements are typically trail and road easements or site easements. Site easements are provided for the public to camp for less than 24 hours, park a vehicle, or change modes of transportation. These easements only allow specific methods of access defined in the land records for the conveyance. Hunting, fishing, or any other kind of recreation is not allowed on a 17(b) easement because the underlying land belongs to the Native corporation. To recreate on Native Corporation owned lands or any other private lands you must secure permission from the landowner.

17(b) Easements

Links to additional information about 17(b) easements