Looking across an Alaskan tundra towards Nome and Norton Sound. Small lakes and mining 



operations in middle distance 



averages twenty per cent of the stand 

 and western hemlock about seventy-five 

 per cent. The spruce reaches a large 

 size, and occasionally attains diameters 

 of more than six feet and a height of 150 

 feet. Diameters of three to four feet 

 are attained by western red cedar. While 

 by far the most abundant species, w^cst- 

 ern hemlock does not produce as large 

 individual trees as the spruce or the 

 cedar. The heavy rainfall causes an 

 undergrowth of moss and brush which 

 completelv covers the surface except 

 where it is too rocky or too steep. 



Practically the entire forest of the 

 coast region is over-mature. It has been 

 accumulating for ages, uninjured by fire 

 or cutting. Shallow, rocky soil, steep 

 mountain slopes, or poor drainage often 

 prevent thrifty growth, and on such 

 sites "stag-headedness" and decay are 

 common. In favorable situations the 

 rate of growth of the coast trees is 

 fairly rapid. 



The forests of interior Alaska are 

 practically all included within the drain- 

 age basins of the Yukon and Kusko- 

 wim rivers. They are chiefly of the 

 woodland type, and are estimated to 

 cover approximately 80,000,000 acres, 

 but probably not more than 40,000,000 

 acres bear timber of sufficient size and 

 density to make it especially valuable 

 for either cordwood or saw logs. 



The white spruce is the most impor- 

 tant, since it furnishes the only saw 

 timber of the region, and is also much 

 used for fuel. White birch is extremely 

 abundant, as are also poplar and aspen, 



in manv localities. Black spruce is of 

 general occurrence and abundant. ]\Iixed 

 forests of all species are common, 

 though there are occasional pure stands 

 of each species." 



Obviously, all the forests of Alaska, 

 whether on the coast or in the inte- 

 rior, should be protected and made of 

 the utmost permanent use. The coast 

 forests, which include most of the saw 

 timber of the territory, and by far the 

 heaviest stands, are nearly all pro- 

 tected by inclusion in national forests. 

 They have not been damaged by 

 fire, aufl are but slightly reduced 

 by cutting. They are over-mature. 

 Carefully planned cutting should 

 take place as soon as possible. 

 Every efifort should be made to 

 have them utilized for lumber, and es- 

 pecially for pulp. They should be so 

 managed as to increase the stand of 

 spruce and decrease that of hemlock. In 

 the interior forests, situated entirely upon 

 public lands, unregulated cutting and 

 devastating fires are going on. The 

 coast forests were reserved before they 

 were impaired. Those of the interior 

 have already been seriously damaged. 

 Their protection cannot begin too soon. 

 While the products of the coast forests 

 need a foreign market, the interior 

 forests with the best of treatment are 

 not likely to supply more than a part 

 of the home demand. If protected, they 

 will continue to furnish logs for cabins, 

 low-grade lumber, and fuel indefinitely. 

 Higher grade lumber required by the 

 interior must always be imported. 



705 



