In 1980, Jimmy Carter signed a law protecting more than 104 million acres of Alaska, locking away 57 million acres as wilderness before large-scale development could reach them
In a landmark move for conservation, President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in 1980, protecting over 104 million acres of federal lands and designating nearly 57 million acres as wilderness. This groundbreaking legislation created national parks, wildlife refuges, and wild rivers, balancing environmental preservation with the needs of local communities.