Lands Overview

Nunagiksuq – a good land

KIC’s Lands Department oversees all aspects of the Corporation’s surface entitlement, which encompasses approximately 208,000 acres of tundra, waters and seacoast in Northwest Alaska. KIC’s land stretches from the Aggie on the Noatak River, to the Riley Wreck on the Baldwin Peninsula, and to Cape Espenberg and the Kobuk River Delta.

KIC chose these lands based on the traditional subsistence needs of our Alaska Native shareholders, whose ancestors hunted there thousands of years ago. Our rich surface estate supports abundant wildlife, including moose, caribou, fish and waterfowl, and shareholders are encouraged to utilize the region for recreation as well as subsistence activities.

The geography of KIC land is heterogeneous, and encompasses towering mountains, lush tundra and prolific coastal and riverine environments. The Corporation currently owns approximately 208,000 acres in Northwest Alaska, with additional conveyances to be made in the future based on subsistence priorities.

KIC owns the surface acreage of these lands and NANA Regional Corporation owns the subsurface estate. For more information on NANA, visit nana.com.

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KIC assets include our land in Northwest Alaska, conveyed to the corporation in 1972 as a result of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. This area is the historical home of Inupiat people who have inhabited this area for an estimated 10,000 years. Local archaeological finds substantiate this claim, including excavations in the Cape Krusenstern area, where ancient settlements have been identified and extensively researched.

Abundant local subsistence resources helped support our ancestors’ lifestyle and influenced the traditions that have shaped our culture and our beliefs. Today, many of our shareholders continue to practice a tradition of subsistence, passing Inupiat knowledge from Elder to youth — sustaining and nurturing our unique way of life.

Protecting the land is vital to ensuring our traditions are safeguarded for future generations, and to maintaining the vital subsistence resources that our shareholders depend upon.

KIC Lands Department

373 A Second Avenue
P.O. Box 1050
Kotzebue, AK 99752-1050
Phone – 907-442-3165
Fax – 907-442-2165