THE FORESTS OF ALASKA 



27 



northwestern portion of the belt within Alaska has a 

 smaller development than the southeastern extremity. 

 The bulk of the timbered area of the south coast of 

 Alaska is included in two National Forests, the Tongass 

 Forest, comprising the principal timber areas southeast of 

 Cape St. Elias, while the balance is incorporated in the 

 Chugach Forest. 



The fact that there are only two National Forests in 

 Alaska and these confined to the south coast has given 



tonwoods, and is an extension westward of the north 

 Canadian forest. 



THE TONGASS FOREST 



The Tongass National Forest, comprising an area of 

 about fifteen million acres, contains one of the most 

 extensive bodies of timber remaining in the United 

 States. Its great extent, its enormous volume of useful 

 products, and its accessibility give to this Forest far 



■* AN INDIAN LOGGING CAMP ON TIllv To.XoAbS NATIONAL FOREST 



The National Forest timber sales furnish labor to native tribes and will be an increasing factor in forwarding the prosperity of the Indians. For- 

 merly the cutting of timber was confined for the most part to material near the shore which could be "Iiand-logged," tliat is, cut and put 

 into the water wholly by hand labor. Modern logging appliances are now being introduced and the work in the lumber woods becoming more 

 highly organized. 



rise to a popular impression tliat there is little or no 

 timber elsewhere in the Territory. It is true that the 

 heaviest timber is within the area already described. But 

 it is also a fact that a large part of interior Alaska was 

 originally covered with a natural forest growth. Taking 

 the Territory as a whole, about 40 per cent of the total 

 area was originally wooded ; and that is almost as great 

 a percentage as the original forest area of the States. 

 The forests of the interior of Alaska are, however, of a 

 totally different type from those on the south coast — 

 different species, smaller trees, smaller yield ; a forest 

 v\'hich will not play much, if any, part in the supply of 

 the general lumber markets of the country, but which is 

 of enormous importance for building up and maintaining 

 local industries and domestic needs. It is a forest 

 chiefly composed of white spruce, white birch, and cot- 



more than local im])ortance. It will be a great factor in 

 the industrial upbuilding of Alaska. As a reservoir of 

 forest supplies it has an importance that makes its prob- 

 lems of national interest. 



The favorable climatic conditions have produced a 

 forest of large yield of valuable timber. Not uncom- 

 monly individual spruce trees contain over l.j,000 feet 

 cf lumber. During the last year a single log was brought 

 iiito a mill in Ketchikan that scaled 1<S,000 feet. It was 

 154 feet long and 41 inches in diameter at the top end. 

 Many stands yield 50,000 board feet per acre, and 

 restricted areas run as high as 100,000 feet per acre. 

 There are now on the Tongass Forest fully eight to ten 

 million acres carrying merchantable timber wdiich will 

 average, over the entire area, not less than T.OOO to 

 !),000 feet at a conservative estimate. This does not 



