The Environmental Legacy of Jimmy Carter
The 39th U.S. president championed the effort to protect extensive areas of Alaskan wilderness, resulting in a lasting impact on both the state and the National Park Service.
TroibNews 
When Jimmy Carter became an honorary national park ranger in 2016, there was widespread agreement among his supporters that the former president was worthy of the highest civilian honor from the National Park Service (NPS).
Carter's vigorous conservation efforts in the late 1970s led to the establishment of 39 new park sites. On December 1, 1978, he exercised his executive powers to designate 13 national monuments in Alaska, which provided federal protection for 56 million acres of new land and significantly increased the area managed by the NPS.
"That was incredibly, incredibly bold,” said Jon Jarvis, former NPS Director, who traveled to Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia, to present him with a plaque and a wide-brimmed ranger's hat.
Among all U.S. presidents, Carter arguably had the most profound influence on both the park service and the state of Alaska. The nation’s longest-living former president, Carter passed away Sunday at the age of 100.
Carter was aware of the significance of his contributions. Though often seen as a modest individual, he was unreserved in celebrating his environmental achievements during his single term in office from 1977 to 1981.
Two years after utilizing the 1906 Antiquities Act to establish the national monuments in Alaska, he achieved his most significant conservation success during a lame-duck session, after losing the election. Following lengthy negotiations, Congress approved the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, protecting over 100 million additional acres.
“It was the greatest contribution to the state of Alaska I believe that anyone has ever made,” stated David Raskin, former president of Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges. “It was not only the greatest conservation law passed in this nation but probably in the world.”
This expansive measure led to the creation or expansion of 16 wildlife refuges, 13 national parks, two national monuments, two national forests, two conservation areas, and 26 wild and scenic rivers, while designating nearly half of the land—57 million acres—as wilderness, which is the federal government’s highest level of protection.
In 2022, Carter reflected on the law, telling The New York Times that it “may be the most significant domestic achievement of my political life.” He added, “Our great nation has never before or since preserved so much of America’s natural and cultural heritage on such a remarkable scale.”
Evaluating Carter's legacy, Jarvis placed him as the second most significant conservationist president, following Theodore Roosevelt.
While celebrated by environmentalists and green organizations nationwide, Carter also faced considerable opposition from those who disapproved of the federal government’s increasing presence in Alaska.
“He’s a true hero for many of us in Alaska and a true villain to many other Alaskans for sure,” remarked Rick Steiner, a conservation biologist and retired professor at the University of Alaska.
In a 2017 interview with Alaska magazine, Carter recounted how he was “despised” at a state fair during his presidency. "The Secret Service decided to double my protection because of the animosity toward me in Alaska, but I enjoyed getting out in the boondocks and fishing,” he shared.
Following the designation of the monuments, a faction of Alaskans protested, claiming federal overreach that could hurt the local economy; Steiner noted that Carter was even burned in effigy. However, Steiner also highlighted how Carter ultimately succeeded in passing “the most spectacular land conservation deal in U.S. history,” which spurred the development of a multibillion-dollar tourism sector in Alaska and won over many skeptics.
"Without ANILCA, all of these lands and waters that the world considers global treasures would have been probably changed forever, and for the worse,” Steiner said.
Carter continued to focus on Alaska during his nearly 43 years out of office. In 2022, at age 97, he aligned with conservation groups to file a legal brief against a land swap authorized by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt under former President Donald Trump, which proposed an 11-mile gravel road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Concerned that this move could threaten ANILCA, Carter urged the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the decision after a smaller panel had already approved the road's construction. He emphasized his desire to defend “the unrivaled wilderness in the national public lands of Alaska.”
Raskin, whose organization was part of the lawsuit against Bernhardt, noted that Carter’s involvement was crucial in gaining the attention of the 9th Circuit, which subsequently vacated the previous ruling.
Carter’s stance on the Izembek case frustrated road proponents, who argued it was necessary for the Aleut community of King Cove to access medical care. Criticisms came from Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who suggested Carter was “strangely confident” in determining what was best for Alaskans. “Perhaps he should walk a mile in their shoes, by departing his comfortable home and living there for a while, to see what it is like to be without reliable access to emergency care,” she commented.
Highlighting the complexities of conservation in Alaska, the Fish and Wildlife Service, under the Biden administration, approved a land swap plan in November that might lead to road development. This decision followed a visit from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to hear about residents' challenges traveling to the nearest all-weather airport for emergencies.
On Sunday, Murkowski posted a brief tribute to Carter on social media, omitting any mention of their policy disagreements regarding Alaska. "President Jimmy Carter will be remembered for his service to our nation and his post-presidency dedication to humanitarian efforts across the globe," she wrote. "He led a remarkable life and left a legacy of peace."
Before Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy launched his challenge for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1980, Carter famously promised to “whip his ass” if he did. He indeed secured the nomination but lost to Ronald Reagan in a landslide.
Carter's fierce rivalry with Kennedy helped shape his reputation as a fighter, and his confrontational spirit was evident in Alaska, where he took on both Democrats and Republicans. After speaking in Anchorage for the 20th anniversary of ANILCA in 2000, Carter expressed disappointment, labeling Alaska Republicans as the “worst environmental delegation imaginable in Congress.”
Carter's critique extended to Democratic Governor Tony Knowles, who had criticized him for urging then-President Bill Clinton to designate Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a national monument. In response to Knowles’ comments that Carter had used Alaska merely as “a media prop,” Carter rebutted, “The power of big oil and developers in Alaska is overwhelming among public officials.”
Interestingly, while Carter gained recognition for his use of the Antiquities Act to create national monuments, he was unaware of the law's existence when he assumed the presidency in 1977. Prior to the establishment of the NPS in 1916, Theodore Roosevelt had used the 1906 law to create 18 national monuments, some of which later became national parks like the Grand Canyon.
Jarvis, an NPS director under President Barack Obama, noted that Carter's assertive application of the Antiquities Act in 1978 established a modern precedent and opened avenues for future presidents to protect larger areas of land by designating them as national monuments.
Carter elaborated on his decision-making in a 2017 Alaska magazine interview, stating that a staff member from the Interior Department had introduced him to “this ancient law.” He remarked, “Eventually, we designated areas of Alaska, including key and controversial parts, as national monuments, and Congress couldn’t change what I did.”
Reflecting on the early days following the designation of new federal lands in Alaska, Jarvis recounted that the NPS faced significant resistance. “The early days were rough," he said, explaining that there had previously been a lack of regulations in Alaska that now clashed with new federal oversight. As he noted, “The tradition prior to these designations was that it was a free-for-all... get in your bulldozer and just head across the tundra to build a cabin or whatever."
In his recent writings, Jarvis detailed the hostility NPS employees confronted, including refusals of service at local restaurants and gas stations, the burning of a ranger station and NPS plane, and bumper stickers dismissively labeling park rangers as “blood-sucking maggots.” He also remarked that some Republicans in Alaska's congressional delegation opposed even the basic rules of national park management being enforced.
Jarvis elaborated on the unique provisions of ANILCA, which permitted Alaska Natives to use public land for subsistence activities, in stark contrast to practices in other U.S. national parks, where Indigenous populations were displaced.
When Jarvis honored Carter with the title of honorary park ranger in 2016, he noted that the former president embodied “the spirit and principles” of the NPS. Carter’s Georgia home, where he will be buried, was established as a national historic site in 1987 and was designated as a national historic park in 2021.
In pictures taken during the award ceremony, Carter is seen smiling as he accepted the honor, stating it was a privilege and expressing pride in having been “an integral part of the conservation movement.”
As he neared the end of his life, Carter remained remarkably uninvolved in debates surrounding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, including recent moves by the Biden administration to restrict oil development there and plans for an oil lease sale in January mandated by a 2017 law enacted by Congress.
However, Carter consistently praised the remote coastal plain, which he once referred to as “America’s Serengeti,” a habitat where polar bears, musk ox, wolves, and caribou thrive. In 2022, he shared with The New York Times that a visit to the refuge ranked among “one of the most unforgettable and humbling experiences” of his long life. “We had hoped to see a few caribou during our trip,” Carter reminisced. “But to our amazement, we witnessed the migration of tens of thousands of caribou with their newborn calves.”
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
Carter's vigorous conservation efforts in the late 1970s led to the establishment of 39 new park sites. On December 1, 1978, he exercised his executive powers to designate 13 national monuments in Alaska, which provided federal protection for 56 million acres of new land and significantly increased the area managed by the NPS.
"That was incredibly, incredibly bold,” said Jon Jarvis, former NPS Director, who traveled to Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia, to present him with a plaque and a wide-brimmed ranger's hat.
Among all U.S. presidents, Carter arguably had the most profound influence on both the park service and the state of Alaska. The nation’s longest-living former president, Carter passed away Sunday at the age of 100.
Carter was aware of the significance of his contributions. Though often seen as a modest individual, he was unreserved in celebrating his environmental achievements during his single term in office from 1977 to 1981.
Two years after utilizing the 1906 Antiquities Act to establish the national monuments in Alaska, he achieved his most significant conservation success during a lame-duck session, after losing the election. Following lengthy negotiations, Congress approved the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, protecting over 100 million additional acres.
“It was the greatest contribution to the state of Alaska I believe that anyone has ever made,” stated David Raskin, former president of Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges. “It was not only the greatest conservation law passed in this nation but probably in the world.”
This expansive measure led to the creation or expansion of 16 wildlife refuges, 13 national parks, two national monuments, two national forests, two conservation areas, and 26 wild and scenic rivers, while designating nearly half of the land—57 million acres—as wilderness, which is the federal government’s highest level of protection.
In 2022, Carter reflected on the law, telling The New York Times that it “may be the most significant domestic achievement of my political life.” He added, “Our great nation has never before or since preserved so much of America’s natural and cultural heritage on such a remarkable scale.”
Evaluating Carter's legacy, Jarvis placed him as the second most significant conservationist president, following Theodore Roosevelt.
While celebrated by environmentalists and green organizations nationwide, Carter also faced considerable opposition from those who disapproved of the federal government’s increasing presence in Alaska.
“He’s a true hero for many of us in Alaska and a true villain to many other Alaskans for sure,” remarked Rick Steiner, a conservation biologist and retired professor at the University of Alaska.
In a 2017 interview with Alaska magazine, Carter recounted how he was “despised” at a state fair during his presidency. "The Secret Service decided to double my protection because of the animosity toward me in Alaska, but I enjoyed getting out in the boondocks and fishing,” he shared.
Following the designation of the monuments, a faction of Alaskans protested, claiming federal overreach that could hurt the local economy; Steiner noted that Carter was even burned in effigy. However, Steiner also highlighted how Carter ultimately succeeded in passing “the most spectacular land conservation deal in U.S. history,” which spurred the development of a multibillion-dollar tourism sector in Alaska and won over many skeptics.
"Without ANILCA, all of these lands and waters that the world considers global treasures would have been probably changed forever, and for the worse,” Steiner said.
Carter continued to focus on Alaska during his nearly 43 years out of office. In 2022, at age 97, he aligned with conservation groups to file a legal brief against a land swap authorized by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt under former President Donald Trump, which proposed an 11-mile gravel road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Concerned that this move could threaten ANILCA, Carter urged the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the decision after a smaller panel had already approved the road's construction. He emphasized his desire to defend “the unrivaled wilderness in the national public lands of Alaska.”
Raskin, whose organization was part of the lawsuit against Bernhardt, noted that Carter’s involvement was crucial in gaining the attention of the 9th Circuit, which subsequently vacated the previous ruling.
Carter’s stance on the Izembek case frustrated road proponents, who argued it was necessary for the Aleut community of King Cove to access medical care. Criticisms came from Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who suggested Carter was “strangely confident” in determining what was best for Alaskans. “Perhaps he should walk a mile in their shoes, by departing his comfortable home and living there for a while, to see what it is like to be without reliable access to emergency care,” she commented.
Highlighting the complexities of conservation in Alaska, the Fish and Wildlife Service, under the Biden administration, approved a land swap plan in November that might lead to road development. This decision followed a visit from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to hear about residents' challenges traveling to the nearest all-weather airport for emergencies.
On Sunday, Murkowski posted a brief tribute to Carter on social media, omitting any mention of their policy disagreements regarding Alaska. "President Jimmy Carter will be remembered for his service to our nation and his post-presidency dedication to humanitarian efforts across the globe," she wrote. "He led a remarkable life and left a legacy of peace."
Before Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy launched his challenge for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1980, Carter famously promised to “whip his ass” if he did. He indeed secured the nomination but lost to Ronald Reagan in a landslide.
Carter's fierce rivalry with Kennedy helped shape his reputation as a fighter, and his confrontational spirit was evident in Alaska, where he took on both Democrats and Republicans. After speaking in Anchorage for the 20th anniversary of ANILCA in 2000, Carter expressed disappointment, labeling Alaska Republicans as the “worst environmental delegation imaginable in Congress.”
Carter's critique extended to Democratic Governor Tony Knowles, who had criticized him for urging then-President Bill Clinton to designate Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a national monument. In response to Knowles’ comments that Carter had used Alaska merely as “a media prop,” Carter rebutted, “The power of big oil and developers in Alaska is overwhelming among public officials.”
Interestingly, while Carter gained recognition for his use of the Antiquities Act to create national monuments, he was unaware of the law's existence when he assumed the presidency in 1977. Prior to the establishment of the NPS in 1916, Theodore Roosevelt had used the 1906 law to create 18 national monuments, some of which later became national parks like the Grand Canyon.
Jarvis, an NPS director under President Barack Obama, noted that Carter's assertive application of the Antiquities Act in 1978 established a modern precedent and opened avenues for future presidents to protect larger areas of land by designating them as national monuments.
Carter elaborated on his decision-making in a 2017 Alaska magazine interview, stating that a staff member from the Interior Department had introduced him to “this ancient law.” He remarked, “Eventually, we designated areas of Alaska, including key and controversial parts, as national monuments, and Congress couldn’t change what I did.”
Reflecting on the early days following the designation of new federal lands in Alaska, Jarvis recounted that the NPS faced significant resistance. “The early days were rough," he said, explaining that there had previously been a lack of regulations in Alaska that now clashed with new federal oversight. As he noted, “The tradition prior to these designations was that it was a free-for-all... get in your bulldozer and just head across the tundra to build a cabin or whatever."
In his recent writings, Jarvis detailed the hostility NPS employees confronted, including refusals of service at local restaurants and gas stations, the burning of a ranger station and NPS plane, and bumper stickers dismissively labeling park rangers as “blood-sucking maggots.” He also remarked that some Republicans in Alaska's congressional delegation opposed even the basic rules of national park management being enforced.
Jarvis elaborated on the unique provisions of ANILCA, which permitted Alaska Natives to use public land for subsistence activities, in stark contrast to practices in other U.S. national parks, where Indigenous populations were displaced.
When Jarvis honored Carter with the title of honorary park ranger in 2016, he noted that the former president embodied “the spirit and principles” of the NPS. Carter’s Georgia home, where he will be buried, was established as a national historic site in 1987 and was designated as a national historic park in 2021.
In pictures taken during the award ceremony, Carter is seen smiling as he accepted the honor, stating it was a privilege and expressing pride in having been “an integral part of the conservation movement.”
As he neared the end of his life, Carter remained remarkably uninvolved in debates surrounding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, including recent moves by the Biden administration to restrict oil development there and plans for an oil lease sale in January mandated by a 2017 law enacted by Congress.
However, Carter consistently praised the remote coastal plain, which he once referred to as “America’s Serengeti,” a habitat where polar bears, musk ox, wolves, and caribou thrive. In 2022, he shared with The New York Times that a visit to the refuge ranked among “one of the most unforgettable and humbling experiences” of his long life. “We had hoped to see a few caribou during our trip,” Carter reminisced. “But to our amazement, we witnessed the migration of tens of thousands of caribou with their newborn calves.”
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
