336 



-10- 



CHDCK RIVER PROPOSAL. 



DESCRIPTION: An important forested addition to the existing 

 Tracy Arm Wilderness Area, located on the mainland along southe- 

 ast Alaska's Coast Range. Described by the Forest Service as 

 "...one of the last northern mainland stands of riparian spruce 

 forest along a major river not entered with roads and logging 

 activity." Major features are the Chuck River Valley, Windham 

 Bay and surrounding lands. Elevations range from sea level to 

 5000 feet along the Tracy Arm Wilderness boundary. A significant 

 producer of four kinds of salmon. Among the highest pink salmon 

 producers in the region, valued at $1 million per year. Good 

 habitat for black bear and mountain goats. A popular destination 

 and stopover for small tour boat operators and recreationists. 



HISTORY: First visited by John Muir in 1880. The State of 

 Alaska, the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association and other 

 commercial fishing groups, and environmentalists successfully 

 opposed a Forest Service logging project here in August 1984. 

 Proposed for protection by United Fishermen of Alaska and 

 Sealaska Corporation in 1988. The area has zones with unstable 

 soil conditions which have caused landslides into the upper 

 reaches of Chuck River on Goldbelt Corporation land. Research 

 Natural Area proposal by Forest Service in 1988. Five year 

 moratorium on logging approved for the area by U.S. House of 

 Representatives in 1988. 



LAND STATUS: Not in either 50-year contract. The area is LUD 

 III and LUD IV. The very upper reaches of the west branch of the 

 Chuck River are now being logged by Goldbelt Native Corporation. 

 The remainder of the Chuck River / Windham Bay area is slated for 

 Forest Service road building projects in 1990. 



ACREAGE: 12 5,233 acres. 



SCHEDULED TIMBER BASE: 3.51 million board feet per year. 



