The North Slope study area is almost entirely treeless arctic tundra, hosting numerous ecological resources and phenomena that are not found elsewhere in the state or country. The extremely cold climate, long dark winters, and short nightless summers have a major influence on the landscape and resident organisms. Approximately 10,000 people live in ten communities in the study area,
with Barrow being the largest community with over 4,000 that serves as the regional hub for goods and services. Approximately 2,000 individuals in the region are transient workers associated with the largest oil field in the United States, Prudhoe Bay, its surrounding oil field industrial complexes, and associated support services. The BLM (39%), the State Department of Natural Resources (20%), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (18%), and the National Park Service (NPS) (12%) manage approximately 89% of the North Slope study area. Please see the Technical Supplement for a more complete description of the physical, ecological, and socio-economic setting.