220 



The Alaska Department of Fish and Game predicts that under current harvest schedules 

 and long-term average weather patterns, deer would decline by 50 to 75 percent in over 

 half of the watersheds scheduled for logging in the next 100 years. Habitat models 

 developed jointly by ADFG and the Forest Service for the TLMP revision predict similar 

 declines as a result of timber harvesting in important winter ranges, and indicate that 

 current and future human demands for deer would not be met in many Southeast Alaska 

 communities. 



I have used deer as an example. Problems also exist with other species such as brown bears 

 who rely heavily on river and stream-bottom habitat for foraging and cover. Reading, 

 increased human activity, and improper garbage handling and disposal are inimical to the 

 welfare of these large carnivores. 



The old-growth forest of Southeast Alaska supports a unique and still largely pristine 

 fauna. This forest habitat is nonrenewable on a 100-year rotation. That is, old-growth 

 conditions require centuries to develop, and there is little or no evidence that old-growth 

 conditions can be recreated through intensive management of second growth. In the 

 future, wildlife diversity and abundance in Southeast Alaska will depend on the extent to 

 which representative high-quality habitat is retained. It is generally not possible to 

 maximize wildlife production and timber production on the same acre of ground. 



