Forest Research Problems and Program— Taylor 17 



climax. We want to be able to say that if the climax to be cut 

 for pulp is site 3 the new stand will be of a certain site-index. 

 Small areas of second-growth bordered by climax forest are 

 compared. The site index of the second-growth, its soil depth 

 and horizon characteristics are compared with the site class of 

 the climax adjoining it or interspersed in it. So far correlations 

 are not high, but we need only an approximation. The tests 

 so far are mostly near our Kasaan Bay work area on the Ketchi- 

 kan pulptimber unit. If results are obtained they will be tested 

 over larger areas. The ability to relate site class of the climax 

 with site index of second-growth will allow more than merely 

 predicting future growth. The climax site classification is partly 

 based on number of 16-foot logs and other data (6) that a timber 

 cruiser normally gets. From his data we may be able to say 

 whether an unmerchantable stand would regenerate to a mer- 

 chantable stand. How to get an unmerchantable stand logged 

 is another matter. 



The Impact of Logging on Salmon Streams 



The Forest Service must know whether pulptimber logging 

 is likely to damage salmon streams and if so how to prevent it. 

 There is no doubt about the importance of the salmon to South- 

 east Alaska. Fishing is the main industry and there is much 

 concern even though protective measures are already included 

 in Forest Service timber sales contracts (11). These protective 

 clauses specify that logging is not to be allowed to interfere 

 with the passage of salmon to spawning grounds and there must 

 be no injury to spawning areas in any way. This deals mostly 

 with physical obstructions or damage to the water course and 

 these can be prevented. However, it is thought that logging on 

 the watershed might affect the stream in other ways. Siltation, 

 turbidity, water temperature, flash floods and other factors must 

 be considered. Hence the Research Center is engaged in studies 

 of certain test streams selected on the east coast of Prince of 

 Wales Island. Cooperation of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service and the Fisheries Research Institute takes care of fish 



