406 



-2- 



The old growth rain forest is characterized by stands of 

 Sitka spruce, hemlock, and cedar 250 years old and older, and a 

 productive understory which supports numerous species of 

 wildlife. The water runoff from the forest feeds the streams, 

 rivers, and estuaries which support millions of fish. This 

 ecosystem is delicately balanced and, if it is destroyed, can 

 never be replaced. 



High volume, old growth stands with over 30,000 board feet 

 of timber per acre exist in only about four percent (650,000 

 acres) of the Tongass, yet it is these important wildlife 

 habitats which are being cut in an ecologically and economically 

 unsound manner. The effects of Tongass timber management on 

 several important species: the Sitka black-tail deer, brown bear, 

 salmon, and the bald eagle are detailed in an appendix to this 

 statement. These several wildlife species represent only a small 

 number of the hundreds of species which live on the Tongass, and 

 timber harvesting has different impacts on each one. 



To guarantee biological and ecological integrity, these 

 impacts need to be considered when determining harvest levels. 

 The 4.5 billion board feet per decade harvest mandated by ANILCA 

 forces timber harvests from areas where such harvests are 

 detrimental. The time has come to redirect the harvest of timber 

 on the Tongass National Forest and end the resulting degradation 

 of fish and wildlife habitat. 



