Background
A Forest for Wildlife
Only 94,000 acres of the Chugach – less than 2% - are classified as ‘suitable” for commercial timber production. The other 5.5 million acres of the Chugach are wild and scenic terrain, filled with rugged mountains, spectacular tidewater glaciers, and mile after mile of undisturbed tundra and wetlands. These rugged lands and waters are home to rare and sensitive wildlife, including wolves, brown bears, lynx, northern goshawks, marbled murrelets, harlequin ducks, orcas and sea otters. The Chugach also supports some of the richest salmon runs on the planet, including the
Copper River red salmon, known to connoisseurs around the world.
A Forest for Recreation
Though the Chugach is wild, it is not overlooked. Millions of people come to visit annually, pumping money into
Alaska’s economy. Kayakers and boaters cruise along tidewater glaciers, fiords and rookeries of
Prince William Sound. Hikers, skiers, and bikers travel the rustic trails of the
Kenai Peninsula. Anglers flock to the world-famous Russian and
Kenai Rivers. Rafters enjoy the solitude of the Copper River.
Ninety-eight percent of the Chugach – 5.4 million acres - is roadless and qualifies for wilderness protection under federal law, but Congress has never designated a single acre as wilderness.
A Forest for Economic Livelihoods
Unlike most national forests, the Chugach does not have a significant timber industry. Communities do not depend on supplies of Chugach timber to sustain their economies, but rather on recreation, tourism, and commercial and sport fishing dollars.
A Forest for the Future
The Chugach could be the Forest Service’s shining example of new management for the 21st century, where fish, wildlife and recreation are the top priorities. The wildness of the Chugach deserves long-term protection so it can continue to nurture the
Alaska spirit.
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