238 



Senator Murkowski. That was very interesting. So your analysis 

 is that by taking the old growth forest and utilizing that carbon by 

 transferring it into the lumber or whatever. It is still in a carbon 

 form until it is burned or something? 



Dr. Franklin. The greatest amounts of carbon stored in the 

 system are actually not stored in the tree. They are stored in soil 

 organic matter, litter in humus layers, coarse, woody debris, snags 

 and downlogs and in the foliage, branches and twigs. 



So most of the carbon remains behind as other organic material 

 and is more rapidly decomposed then following the opening of the 

 forest. 



The harvested material is also mostly converted to CO2 in the 

 short and midterm because of the fact that paper and fiber prod- 

 ucts are generally not long-term storage compartments for carbon. 



Senator Murkowski. Thank you. Dr. Franklin. I think we have 

 done reasonably well with the panel in the time that we have had 

 here. 



I have one question. I wonder, Mr. Edwards, does Sealaska have 

 any position on the wilderness area that they feel is desirable in 

 the Tongass? 



Mr. Edwards. I am sorry. Senator. I did not catch the question. 

 Would you repeat it, please? 



Senator Murkowski. SEACC, I meant to say. The next panel is 

 coming up. I am already anticipating it. 



With regard to the wilderness area that SEACC would like to see 

 in the Tongass, assuming that we are saying one-third is in wilder- 

 ness now, one-third is set aside for fish and game, and one-third is 

 being logged as a commercial forest, I just wondered if you have a 

 position. 



Mr. Edwards. I did not catch the question. Could you start from 

 the beginning, please? 



Senator Murkowski. Yes. Again, does SEACC have any position 

 on how much of the commercial timber in southeast Alaska they 

 would like to see in wilderness? 



Mr. Edwards. We do not have a position on how much commer- 

 cial timber we would like to see in wilderness. We have a position 

 on how much habitat we would like to see in wilderness. I might 

 have a figure here for you on that. 



At present, about 7 million acres of the Tongass is in designa- 

 tions three and four, which is available for timber. That is about 40 

 percent of the forest. 



Senator Murkowski. Is it 5.3 that is in wilderness? 



Mr. Edwards. Yes, 5.3 million acres is in wilderness; however, as 

 Mr. Anderson said earlier, that includes vast quantities of rock, ice 

 and scrub timber, and the actual amount of commercial timber 

 that is involved in that is actually quite small. 



Senator Murkowski. It is about 1.7. 



Mr. Edwards. Million acres you are talking about? 



Senator Murkowski. Yes. 



Rather than confuse the witnesses, because I am sure you want 

 to spend some time on it, if you would like to submit for the record 

 a position that SEACC may have with regard to what they would 

 like to see in wilderness, why we would be happy to have that for 

 the reflection of the committee. 



