FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2026
CORDOVA, AK – Last week, NDN Collective, through our community development arm, NDN Holdings, finalized a LANDBACK deal with the Eyak Community Land Trust (ECLT) in Alaska, transferring title to a parcel of land on an island commonly known as Sea Otter Island near Hawkins Island and Cordova, Alaska.
In 2023, NDN Collective was made aware of the opportunity to purchase the land in Orca Inlet by the Native Conservancy that had cultural access to the private inholding for the last 25 years. NDN Holdings purchased the land and began working with the Native Conservancy to transfer ownership. NDN helped Native Conservancy incubate the ECLT formation so the land would stay with the Eyak people and be protected for future generations.
The Sea Otter Island land and property are now wholly owned by Eyak Community Land Trust. The site will host cultural and ecological education workshops and retreats.NDN Holdings facilitated the passing of this sacred land into the hands of the Eyak Community Land Trust. NDN Holdings offers power building support, project management services, and technical assistance to help propel projects like this forward for our Relatives. The Sea Otter Island Orca Inlet deal demonstrates the success of NDN Collective’s LANDBACK projects, returning sacred lands to Indigenous Peoples.
This deal follows a 2024 exchange in which NDN Holdings facilitated the return of a two-acre property along Eyak Lake back to the Eyak people.
“Through multiple deals facilitated by NDN Holdings over the last couple years, the Eyak people now have land and waterway access back – which will ensure the ecology and biodiversity in the area is stewarded in a good way,” said Nick Tilsen, founder and CEO of NDN Collective. “LANDBACK deals like this are essential in protecting Mother Earth, Indigenous sovereignty, and the reconnection to our cultures, ceremonies, and lifeways.”
“Securing our Eyak land back is critical, because our land has been taken and exploited since Territorial Days in the mid-1850’s, with land issues exacerbated by Statehood in 1959, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971,” said Dune Lankard, an Elder and Trustee with Eyak Community Land Trust. “Our Eyak lands have continued to be divided up by individuals, the state, the federal government and private corporations. NDN Collective’s support of our Eyak Community Land Trust and Native people’s LANDBACK efforts allows Native people time to build a safe harbor to prepare for these earth changing times. Through having our land back, we have hope and our dreams remain alive, and now we can continue our cultural restoration, gatherings, healing ceremonies and building resilience for the future.”
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NDN Collective is an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. Through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building, and narrative change, we are creating sustainable solutions on Indigenous terms.
