325 



Bald eagles 56 percent 



Sitka Black-tailed deer 58 percent 



Pine martin 59 percent 



Black bear 39 percent 



River otters 45 percent 



Hairy woodpeckers 69 percent 



Does the Forest Service agree or disagree, and why? 



Answer: We disagree, as discussed in the answer to the previous question, 

 habitat changes do not translate directly to changes in population. However, 

 we acknowledge that timber harvest changes wildlife habitat. Site and 

 vegetation changes result from timber harvest; therefore, habitat capability 

 changes for some wildlife species. 



Question 11. At page 5 of their testimony, SEACC says that "the vast majority 

 of wilderness designated in the Tongass by the 1980 Alaska Lands Act was rock, 

 ice, scrub timber, or marginal forest lands." Does the Forest Service agree 

 or disagree, and why7 How much commercial forest land is in wilderness and 

 how much is scheduled for harvest during the 100-year rotation period? Does 

 the Forest Service consider this a balance? 



Answer: We disagree with the statement that the vast majority of wilderness 

 designated is rock, ice, scrub timber, or marginal forest lands. The 5.4 

 million acres designated wilderness are comprised of: 



3 million acres (54 percent) are forested. Of that, 1.5 million 

 acres are classified commercial forest land and 1.5 million are 

 noncommercial forest land. 



0.8 million acres (16 percent) are non-forest (beach, muskeg, rivers, 

 streams, lakes, and landslides). 



0.8 million acres (15 percent) are rock. 



0.6 million acres (11 percent) are ice and snow. 



0.2 million acres (4 percent) are alpine. 



None of the 1.5 million acres of commercial forest land within wilderness is 

 scheduled for harvest during the 100-year rotation period. 



The broad variety of land forms and vegetation in the Tongass are represented 

 within the designated wilderness. There is at least one designated wilderness 

 within each geographic province on the Tongass. They contain a wide range of 

 ecosystems and types of geology including ocean bound Pacific islands, unique 

 glacial geology, complete land bodies with the full range of vertical 

 ecosystems, major rivers of international significance, and areas of high 

 energy marine-coastal land interface. 



