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APPENDIX 



Sitka Black-tail Deer 



Sitka black-tailed deer are the most popular geune animal in 

 southeast Alaska, and are an important food source for 

 recreational and subsistence hunters. Deer populations are 

 decreasing because of the logging of high volume (30,000 mbf/acre 

 and over) old-grovrth stands vital to the winter survival of the 

 deer (ADFG, 1985) . The canopy of the old-growth forest catches 

 the heavy winter snowfall creating open vegetation patches on the 

 forest floor which provide forage for the deer. The open canopy 

 of a second-growth forest simply cannot provide cover adequate to 

 allow this forage to exist. 



Also, younger trees as well as numerous other species of 

 plants grow in the understory of the old-growth and provide 

 forage for the deer throughout the year. Although forage is 

 abundant immediately after clearcutting, the second-growth forest 

 quickly out-competes other vegetation and leaves little suitable 

 forage in the understory or on the ground. 



The clearcutting of old-growth forests, which the timber 

 harvest levels of ANILCA requires, results in the permanent loss 

 of deer habitat. Under the current logging plan, the Alaska 

 Department of Fish and Game estimates there will be a 50 percent 



