Forestry

Journey on the Wild Coast

Looking up into the trees

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Alaska includes over 126 million acres of forests. Fire-dependant sub-arctic boreal forests of the interior thrive on the extreme summer-to-winter oscillations in temperature and daylight. Dense, temperate coastal rainforests in southeastern Alaska host massive trees and complex ecosystems.  More than three-quarters of Alaskans live in or near forests. Many Alaskans living subsistence lifestyles depend on the forests for part of their basic needs for food, fuel and shelter. Forests provide economic and ecosystem benefits to all of Alaska, such as spawning habitat for salmon.  Forests are also an important economic resource for a number of communities associated with the commercial timber harvest.  However, the timber industry in Alaska has been in decline for over 20 years, and several mills have recently closed.

Forests in Alaska are managed by the Federal government (51%), local governments (25%), Native Corporations (24%) and private landowners (.4%).  Debate continues over priorities for the use and reasonable regulation of this resource, and who benefits most from current standards.  The logging industry points out the need for timber and the employment brought by logging, but forest conservation is supported by salmon fishermen, hunters, subsistence users, and the tourist industry. 

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry has outlined 5 key issues 5 MB framing discussions of forestry management:

Forest painted by fire

Fire left this forest a tapestry of colors... black charcoal, red and yellow singed leaves, and green untouched forest.

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Fire represents both a critical aspect of forest health and, at times, a significant danger to human habitation.  Over a million acres of forest burns every year in Alaska. The number and intensity of fires has been growing over the last few decades, due primarily to a combination of deadfall from the spruce beetle epidemic, and the effects of climate change.

Sustainable forest products includes not just timber for construction, but wood and biomass for fuel on both an industrial and personal use scale. Timber production has ranged between 8 and 61 million board feet annually over the last decade, and currently represents about 1.6% of the Alaskan economy.  Logging, particularly clear-cutting, can have significant negative impact on salmon habitat, erosion control, water quality, and general ecosystem quality.  However, selective logging can minimize these impacts.

Forest health concerns disease, pests such as the spruce bark beetle, and the effects of climate change on forest ecosystems.

Community benefits from forests include recreation, tourism, hunting/fishing, and subsistence.

Ecosystem services provided by Alaskan forests include water and air quality, and fish and wildlife habitat. Forests are critical for maintaining salmon spawning habitat, which in turn has large economic, social, and ecological value.

Date Created: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:34:40 -0800

Last Modified: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 20:58:44 -0800