Doyon, Limited Connected to the Land and Strengthening Shareholders' Lives.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy

Doyon, Limited has a deeply rooted commitment to responsible land management and enhancing the well-being of its shareholders and region. Based in Fairbanks, Doyon was incorporated on June 26, 1972 and has more than 20,400 shareholders mainly of Northern Athabaskan descent in Interior Alaska. One of twelve Alaska Native Regional Corporations created under the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act {ANCSA), Doyon is the largest private landowner in Alaska and one of the largest in North America. Under ANCSA, the corporation is entitled to approximately 12.5 million acres across the Interior. Doyon has selected 11.5 million acres to date, primarily around the thirty-four villages within its region.

Doyon's corporate and cultural values are inextricably tied to having astute--and sustainable--land management practices. The corporation views itself as a "trustee" of the lands and other resources it oversees on behalf of its shareholders, according to President and CEO Aaron Schutt. "That frames the way we view lands and the core nature of our existence," he says. "At its core, we are stewarding the lands that were entrusted to our ancestors."

To exercise good land stewardship, Doyon employs effective material site management, management strategies, and other practices to ensure cultural and historical sites are protected. It also participates in projects that benefit shareholders and villages while prioritizing the local and traditional use of resources. Schutt credits Doyon's "incredible" early leaders for creating a successful legacy in Alaska. "They were really intelligent and forward-thinking in creating opportunities for shareholders," he says. "They did so much with so little back then."

Collaborating with Partners

Doyon's land management strategy concentrates on local uses, providing education and employment opportunities, and the responsible economic development of resources. To Jamie Marunde, Doyon's Vice President of Lands and Natural Resources, a crucial facet of land stewardship is appreciating its serious--and enduring-impact. "The most important aspect is the understanding that we will own these lands forever," she says. 'So the activities we conduct on these lands take that into consideration."

Take, for instance, Doyon's sand. gravel, and rock interests. The corporation manages more than 100 materials sites across the region, and these resources are integral to enhancing community infrastructure, Marunde says. These locations...