The largest tract of public land in the United States is a wild expanse of tundra and wetlands stretching across nearly 23 million acres of northern Alaska. It\u2019s called the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, but despite its industrial-sounding name, the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, or NPR-A, is much more than a fuel depot.<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands of caribou feed and breed in this area, which is the size of Maine. Migratory birds flock to its lakes in summer, and fish rely on the many rivers that crisscross the region.<\/p>\n
The area is also vital for the health of the planet. However, its future is at risk.<\/p>\n
The Trump administration, in a final rule dated Nov. 17, 2025, is repealing protections on more than 13 million acres of the 23-million-acre reserve, including some of its most ecologically sensitive areas. The move follows the administration\u2019s decision in October to also open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.<\/p>\n