Tongass National Forest

Spanning about 80 percent of the Southeast Alaska panhandle, the Tongass is a complex landscape of islands, glaciers, and rugged mountains. It is recognized as one of the world's largest intact temperate rainforests. The forest provides essential habitat for all five species of Pacific salmon, which are central to the region's commercial fishing industry and the broader ecosystem. The relationship between salmon, bears, and the forest is a defining feature of the Tongass. During spawning runs, brown and black bears consume large quantities of salmon, often carrying carcasses into the forest. This process transfers marine-derived nutrients, such as nitrogen, from the streams to the forest floor, which fertilizes the vegetation and supports the growth of ancient trees. The management of the Tongass has been the subject of intense and ongoing policy debate, primarily centered on the logging of old-growth trees. Conservationists and many local stakeholders advocate for protecting these forests for their role in climate mitigation, wildlife habitat, and watershed health. Conversely, some timber industry groups have historically pushed for increased access to old-growth timber, arguing that forest management plans should prioritize meeting market demand for wood products. Legal and administrative battles over logging rights remain frequent. While some federal court rulings have upheld the Forest Service's discretion to limit old-growth harvesting, the forest's management status continues to shift with changing federal administrations and evolving regulatory priorities. These debates highlight the ongoing tension between industrial resource extraction and the preservation of one of the nation's most significant ecological assets.