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Question 5 Do roads associated with timber cutting on 

 the Tongass pose any significant threats to 

 wildlife? 



Historically, much of southeastern Alaska, 

 excluding the marine shorelines, has been 

 inaccessible to most humans. This situation 

 has changed significantly in the last three 

 decades as logging roads have penetrated the 

 interior of many of the region's islands. As 

 a result of increased human access, 

 populations of some wildlife species (e.g., 

 marten, deer, bear) have been exposed to much 

 higher harvest pressures. 



On the 4 00 mi peninsula of northeastern 

 Chichagof Island, for example, about 150 mi 

 of logging roads have been built in the last 

 decade and over 4 00 mi of roads are scheduled 

 to be completed over the life of the timber 

 sale. The total kill of brown bears on this 

 portion of Chichagof Island has increased 

 substantially in recent years. From 1961 

 through 1979, the mean annual harvest of 

 brown bears in this area was 5.5. Since 

 1980, during which time most road building 

 and logging has occurred, the mean annual 

 harvest has more than doubled (11.8). From 

 1985 through 1988, the total harvest was 13, 

 15, 23, and 19, respectively. The hunting 

 season for brown bears on northeastern 

 Chichagof Island was closed by emergency 

 order of the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game on 

 30 September 1988. During that year, 6 of 

 the kills were in defense of life or 

 property. Even in the absence of legal 

 hunting, many bears will likely be killed in 

 future control actions around camps or 

 communities, or by deer hunters scattered 

 over the area's extensive road system. 

 Additionally, an unknown number of bears will 

 be killed by poaching. Only legal hunting 

 can be managed, and it is now being managed 

 very conservatively. 



Considering the amount of reading and habitat 

 change scheduled for northeastern Chichagof 

 Island in the future, the long-term viability 

 of this small (approximately 125 bears) 

 relatively isolated population is in 

 question. There are very few areas of the 

 peninsula where an individual bear's home 

 range will not be penetrated by a road. Thus 

 the opportunity for human-bear interaction 



