Natural Resourcesbackground

Alaska Department of Natural Resources

Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation

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At the Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation, we are truly passionate about our mission to provide outdoor recreation opportunities and conserve and interpret natural, cultural, and historic resources for the use, enjoyment, and welfare of the people. The people are YOU, Alaskans and visitors to this great state. We manage Alaska State Parks and treat our land as if it were our own backyard because it is.

Our Division manages an impressive network of 157 parks, recreation areas, marine parks, and historic sites that span 3.6 million acres. This extensive system includes 76 campgrounds, 900 miles of maintained hiking trails, 52 picnic shelters, 90 public-use cabins, 24 developed boat launches, and 41 marine park units.

When fully staffed in the summer, we have up to 122 employees, encompassing six regions and 8 sections. Our regions are the Chugach, Northern, Mat-Su / Copper Valley, Kenai / Prince William Sound, Kodiak / Wood Tik-Chik and Southeast. Our sections are primarily based in the Director’s Office in downtown Anchorage and include The Office of Boating Safety, The Office of History & Archaeology, Design & Construction, Interpretation & Education, Law Enforcement, Operations, Grants & Administration and Community Engagement. 

Leadership

Photo ofRickey Gease

Rickey Gease

Division Director

Photo ofMatt Wedeking

Matt Wedeking

Division Operations Manager

Quotes

Katie Ringsmuth

Katie Ringsmuth

State Historian

“Working as Alaska’s State Historian is my dream job. With each project, I have the opportunity to help communities statewide protect places that matter, preserving places that still hold 15,000 years—from the Pleistocene to the present—of extraordinary history.”

Kosette Seibert

Kosette Seibert

Instructor, Office of Boating Safety

“I love this job because I work with really amazing people, I get to travel to interesting and beautiful parts of Alaska, I get to spend time both in the office and out at schools and pools, and I know what I’m doing is making a difference.”

Chet Fehrmann

Chet Fehrmann

Environmental Impact Analyst

“Outdoor recreation is an essential part of my lifestyle. I enjoy being able to get out into our parks for my job and knowing that what I do for Alaska State Parks (Design & Construction Section) contributes to the enhancement of recreational opportunities within our parks.”

Sam Braband

Sam Braband

Chief Ranger

“Alaska is known for its natural recreational resources, and I really like being able to be a part of protecting those natural resources and the people that use them. It is really rewarding to be out and about in our parks seeing people make lasting memories and experiences enjoying the parks. It also doesn’t hurt that part of my job includes boats, ATV’s, snowmachines and riding around in helicopters occasionally. And when people make poor decisions, it is nice to know that I can do something about it whether that is making an arrest, issuing a citation or providing education on why it is important that we use our recreational resources responsibly.”

Stuart Leidner

Stuart Leidner

Superintendent, Park Operations

“Being selected as Superintendent for the Mat Su Region of the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation has been the capstone of my career. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work every day with a team of dedicated park staff, from our summer seasonals to law enforcement, who are committed to providing Alaskans and visitors to this state with opportunities to get out and explore. No day is the same, but everyone is focused on making sure the public has a great experience. I especially love the fact that in the Mat Su, we have something for everyone to enjoy from the history of Independence Mine, amazing lakes to explore in Nancy Lake SRA to the wilds of the backcountry in Denali State Park. It’s hard to envision something more fulfilling than the opportunity to work for Alaska State Parks.”

Shawna Popovici, Unit Manager

Shawna Popovici, Unit Manager

Interpretation & Education

“I’ve worked in outdoor education from Washington, to Romania, and back again…but nothing beats the parks and outdoor spaces we have here in my home state of Alaska!”

Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation Sections

  • Field Operations 

    Field Operations play a crucial role in preserving and promoting Alaska's natural beauty and recreational opportunities. As community recreation hubs, state parks offer a wide array of activities, such as picnicking, hiking, camping, walking, bicycling, skiing, snowmobiling, ATV riding, fishing, hunting, and environmental education. Field Operations plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting the natural beauty and recreational opportunities of Alaska.

     

  • Design and Construction Section 

    The Design & Construction Section manages state park capital projects from inception to closeout. Led by licensed engineers and interpretation professionals, it performs planning, cost estimating, preliminary design, design, permitting, and construction activities to develop park facilities.

     

  • Interpretation and Education 

    The Interpretation and Education Unit of Alaska State Parks works to support the department’s mission to interpret the state’s natural, cultural, and historic resources. This small unit employs certified interpreters and graphic artists to create a purposeful approach to educational materials, signage, and graphics that are relevant for today’s park users.

     

  • History and Archaeology 

    The Office of History and Archaeology is Alaska's primary office for knowledge and expertise in historic preservation, and it is dedicated to preserving and interpreting Alaska's past.  The office works with local governments, the public, and educational and not-for-profit organizations to identify, preserve, protect, and interpret the state's cultural, historical, and archaeological resources, ensuring that our heritage is passed on to future generations.

     

  • Community Engagement 

    We are a small but mighty team in the Director’s Office, supporting staff throughout the state in various ways. We manage multiple contracts as well as our Parks Website, Social Media (find us on FB or IG!), Reservation System, Merchandise Program (Parks Store), Annual Decals, Artist-In-Residence (AIR) Program, Families to Parks, outer Spatial App, and GIS Data Hub.

     

  • Law Enforcement 

    Our Park Rangers are law Enforcement Officers who are trained at the Alaska Trooper Academy and undergo 6-8 weeks of field training before becoming commissioned officers. They are the front-line personnel for the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. They work to deter crime, promote public safety, and protect public resources.

     

  • Administration and Grants 

    Grants is based in Anchorage and manages all of our grant programs, doling out close to 5 million a year in Outdoor Recreation grants throughout the state. The Administrative section develops and manages the operating and capital budgets. Our administrative team is primarily in Anchorage, but we also have one or two staff members in each region.

     

  • Office of Boating Safety 

    Our mission is to promote safe and enjoyable boating in Alaska. We provide safety Education around water sports for all ages across the state and manage the following programs: Kids Don’t Float, Life Jacket Loaner Board, Alaska Water Wise, and Pledge to Live.

     

Our Land and People

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Chugach Regional Office

Potter Section House

18620 Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA

Kenai Regional Office

Morgan's Landing Campground

Sterling Hwy, Soldotna, AK, USA

Kodiak Regional Office

Ft Abercrombie SHP

1400 Abercrombie Dr, Kodiak, AK 99615, USA

Mat-Su Regional Office

Finger Lake SRS

7278 E Bogard Rd, Wasilla, AK 99654, USA

Northern Regional Office

3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709, USA

Southeast Regional Office

400 Willoughby Ave, Juneau, AK 99801, USA

Director's Office

550 W 7th Ave suite 1380, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA