216 



good luck. Also, much of the timber harvest had occurred during 

 this time frame. These events combined to create the impression 

 that logging has been good for deer. As canopy closure begins to 

 occur, however, logged areas will become dark, devoid of forage and 

 virtually useless to deer for 150 to 200 years when old growth con- 

 ditions begin to reobtain or develop once more. 



When a severe winter does return, clear cuts will be buried, and 

 deer will seek refuge in the remaining high volume winter range 

 where snow accumulation is low and forage is abundant. 



The Alaska Department of Fish and Game predicts that under 

 current harvest schedules and long-term average weather pat- 

 terns — and that is an assumption in this prediction, and I admit 

 that none of us are soothsayers or prognosticators but we do the 

 best we can as wildlife managers to try to plan for attainable objec- 

 tives — deer will decline by 50 to 75 percent in over half of the wa- 

 tersheds scheduled for logging in the next 100 years. 



I hasten to add to that that our data indicate there are about 461 

 so-called VCUs roughly equivalent to a watershed which will be en- 

 tered. Additionally, there are 191 which have some deer popula- 

 tions that will not be entered. 



Habitat models developed jointly by the Department of Fish and 

 Game and the Forest Service for the Tongass land management 

 plan revision predict similar declines as a result of timber harvest- 

 ing in important winter ranges and indicate that current and 

 future human demands for deer would not be met in many South- 

 east Alaska communities. 



I use deer only as an example. Problems also exist with other 

 species. I will mention brown bears, who rely heavily on river and 

 stream bottom habitat for foraging and cover. 



Roading, increased human activity and the improper handling 

 and disposal of garbage are inimical to the welfare of these large 

 carnivores. 



One last comment in closing, the old growth forest of southeast 

 Alaska supports a unique and still largely intact or pristine wild- 

 life fauna. This forest habitat is nonrenewable on a 100-year rota- 

 tion. By that I mean that old growth conditions require centuries 

 to develop, and there is little or no evidence that old growth condi- 

 tions can be recreated through intensive management of second 

 growth. 



In the future, wildlife diversity and abundance in southeast 

 Alaska will to a large extent depend on the extent to which repre- 

 sentative high quality habitat is retained. It is generally not possi- 

 ble to maximize wildlife production and timber production on the 

 same acre of ground. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



[The prepared statement of Dr. Anderson follows:] 



