America's Salmon Forest
  • The Tongass
    • See the Tongass
    • Watch the Tongass
  • The Issues
    • Public Lands
    • Canadian Mining
    • The Tongass 77
  • Take Action
    • Roadless Rule
    • Canadian Mining
    • Steelhead
    • Community Science
  • News
    • News
    • Blog
    • Press Releases
  • Donate
    • Stickers
  • Contact Us
    • About Us

Blog

Repealing the Roadless Rule Makes no Sense

10/26/2020

 
by Austin Williams, Trout Unlimited Alaska's Director of Law and Policy
As early as this week, the U.S. Forest Service will announce it is exempting the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule, and in the process removing protections for more than 9 million acres of the nation’s top salmon-producing forest.  This will be the latest effort by politicians catering to a failing old-growth logging industry that refuses to adapt to the changing global economy, fails to recognize the Tongass is much more valuable for its wild salmon than as a source of timber for foreign markets, and that persists only because of massive government subsidy.
​
With any luck, this short-sighted decision won’t be on the books for long.
Picture
​My introduction to the Tongass was as a Forest Service employee on Prince of Wales Island—where industrial logging’s heyday was its most intense and most severe.  I’ve slogged through more than my fair share of clear cuts—where logging stretched onto such steep slopes it caused landslides that caved into and smothered salmon spawning streams, where roads were constructed and maintained so haphazardly they diverted entire streams out of their natural channel, and where once-cut landscapes grew back with stunted trees so dense the forest was entirely uninhabitable for wildlife like deer.  One memorable logging road I surveyed was so derelict it failed to have a single functioning culvert despite crossing numerous salmon streams.  
Picture
These examples are not extraordinary or a thing of the past.  As of March of this year, more than 1,100 bridges and culverts across fish streams on the Tongass failed to meet state or federal standards for fish migration.  These failed bridges and culverts impede fish access to nearly 250 miles of salmon and trout streams. 
​
Yet, despite the spiderweb of tangled roads crisscrossing the landscape, causing erosion and sedimentation that clogs salmon streams, blocking fish migration, and costing taxpayers many millions annually to construct and maintain, this upcoming decision sets the stage to prolong and extend the mess into some of the few remaining unspoiled landscapes in southeast Alaska.
Picture
Take Action
More than 96% of public comments on this proposed decision favored keeping the roadless rule in place.  See Page 2.  In some Alaska communities, every single comment submitted to the Forest Service wanted roadless areas protected.  Tribes, small business owners, hunters and anglers, subsistence users, scientists, and people from all walks of life spoke up in favor of fish, wildlife, beautiful scenery, and for putting an end to unsustainable clear-cut logging of our best remaining old-growth forest. 
​
Recognizing how unpopular clear-cut logging of old-growth forest has become, some individuals have taken to claiming this decision isn’t about logging at all.  Don’t buy what they’re selling.  
Picture

Great American Outdoors Act

10/22/2020

 
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) passed in August, and we can’t be more excited about what that means for the public use areas we use and love in the Tongass National Forest! The Great American Outdoors Act permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation fund, meaning improving recreation areas, creating more jobs, and increasing protections for fish and wildlife areas. With more time spent cooped up indoors, and desperate for fresh air after endless Zoom meetings, there could be no better time to celebrate the projects that are coming our way!  ​
Picture
Atop the list of exciting projects in store for Alaska are trail, cabin and campground projects. These recreation infrastructure projects are all desperately needed on the Tongass. A sample of what’s included for National Forests in Alaska include: Yakutat Cabin Maintenance, Juneau Ranger District Strike Team, Pack Creek Trail Reconstruction and Thayer Lake Shelter Repairs, and the El Cap Recreation Area improvements.  

For Southeast Alaskans, marine access and transportation for guiding, fishing, hunting, subsistence, and getting to and from other communities is essential. GAOA funding will be used to address deferred maintenance issues on multiple docks and marine facilities, gangways, pads and piers throughout the Southeast Alaska region.  
Picture
As you know, an alarmingly large number of the culverts and bridges on the Tongass fail to meet applicable standards for fish passage. More than 30% of all instances where forest roads cross fish streams on the Tongass—1,120 instances in total--fail to meet applicable standards for fish migration and disturb fish access to nearly 250 miles of salmon and trout streams! Poorly maintained or degraded forest roads make travel difficult or dangerous, increase erosion and degrade nearby streams, block fish passage and migration, and are expensive to maintain.  This is one of the main reasons we are excited about road improvements being added to the priority with new GAOA funding.  

It’s no surprise that outdoor recreation and recreation access is on the rise and continues to be one of the most important public services provided by the Forest Service. We are excited about the variety of maintenance and infrastructure projects that are planned for the Tongass.    

10 Reasons Why the Roadless Rule Should Stay in Place

10/16/2020

 
​Clear cut logging the Tongass’ old-growth trees affects fish, wildlife and the landscape on many levels, and that is why the Roadless Rule should stay in place on the Tongass. 
Take Action to Keep the Roadless Rule

Here are 10 reasons why: 

1. Recreation. 

​Outdoor recreation opportunities are endless in the Tongass. Areas within the Tongass National Forest are public lands, and they can be enjoyed by everyone. The forest provides high quality hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, camping, skiing, the list goes on…

2. Salmon, Trout and Steelhead. 

Fish need trees. Salmon, trout and steelhead depend on the clean fresh water flowing through river systems. With more roads comes more sediment in watersheds, and with less trees, comes less shade and habitat for rearing. 

3. Road Building is Expensive.

With backlogs of roads that already demand repair and maintenance, the industry cannot keep up with the demand of additional new road maintenance. Creating new roads while we cannot pay to fix existing ones does not make sense. 

4. Economics. 

​The fishing and tourism industries contribute more than $2 billion annually to Southeast Alaska’s economy. The timber industry is unsustainable and heavily subsidized, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over the past decade. Industrial logging accounts for less than 1% of Southeast Alaska’s jobs while harming the fishing and tourism industries that account for 26% of all regional jobs. 

5. Oil, Gas, and Mineral Development.

Oil, gas, and mineral exploration and development is allowed under the Roadless Rule. The Forest Service has approved every single request for such projects in roadless areas in Alaska. 

6. Community Development. 

Community development projects such as highway projects, community infrastructure, and energy projects are also allowed under the current Roadless Rule. 

7. Scenery. 

The Tongass is a lush, wild, a beautiful place that visitors and locals want to enjoy. Tourists do not travel to see massive clear-cuts where forested areas once stood. Visitors come to Southeast Alaska to see the wild landscapes and wildlife. 

8. Wildlife and Bird Habitat. 

Wildlife including deer, bear, and birds thrive in high canopy areas. The Tongass provides prime habitat for migratory, breading, and winter habitat. Reducing or damaging fish and wildlife habitat by cutting down trees on an industrial scale eliminates food sources, reduces available shelter from threats and predators, and ultimately diminishes populations.  After heavily logged areas reach the closed canopy stem exclusion state, the area becomes essentially a desert to wildlife. 

9. Local Support. 

​A majority of Alaskans support the Roadless Rule, which conserves undeveloped lands in our National Forests. Overwhelmingly, voters support efforts to protect salmon, the salmon industry, and high-value salmon streams in the Tongass such as those included in the Tongass 77. Maintaining the Roadless Rule and preventing industrial clear-cut logging is the best way to do this.

10. Climate. 

The Tongass’ trees absorb more carbon than any other U.S. Forest, which in turn works to slow climate change and keeps habitat intact. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
All photos by Brandon Hill
Take Action Today

​In less than 10 days the U.S. Forest Service could release its final decision and fully repeal the Roadless Rule on the Tongass National Forest. Speak up today and tell federal decision makers that you want the Roadless Rule intact on the Tongass. 

The Salmon Forest

4/30/2020

 
Picture
We can all agree that the Tongass National Forest is America's Salmon Forest. 

Today, our friends at Sitka Conservation Society released "The Salmon Forest," a beautiful video celebrating one of the few places in the world where wild salmon and trout still thrive.

When you're done watching the video, sign your name to help conserve our Salmon Forest.
Sign on for Public Lands

Important salmon-producing areas threatened in proposed rollback of Tongass National Forest Plan Amendment

11/20/2017

 
Contact: Austin Williams, Trout Unlimited, (907) 227-1590

PRESS KIT AVAILABLE: including b-roll footage, photos and interview footage about the Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan at this link.
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Important salmon-producing areas threatened in proposed rollback of Tongass National Forest Plan Amendment
New measure by Sen. Murkowski (R-Alaska) would undo public process for conservation measures within country’s largest National Forest
 
JUNEAU, AK – Today, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) included a rider on the Senate Interior and Environment appropriations bill to roll back the Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (TLMP) and repeal important measures for conserving more than 70 salmon and trout streams within Southeast Alaska’s 17 million acre Tongass National Forest. 

“The Tongass plan amendment is the product of several years of collaboration by Alaskans from across the political spectrum that were able to overcome their differences and form a shared vision for the Tongass based on tourism, fishing and sustainable young-growth forest products,” said Austin Williams, Alaska Legal and Policy Director for Trout Unlimited. “It is disheartening that Senator Murkowski is turning her back to the thousands of Alaskans that support the Tongass plan amendment and threatening to return the region to the conflict and divisiveness of the past. The Tongass plan amendment was created by Alaskans that decided to work together and cooperate so that all could benefit, and should not be cast aside through a closed-door process in Congress.”

The Tongass plan amendment is the culmination of a multi-year, community-supported process in which more than 7,200 Alaskans voiced support for protecting high-value fish and wildlife habitat. It is based on the unanimously-adopted recommendations of the Tongass Advisory Committee (TAC), which was comprised of representatives from the logging industry, the State of Alaska, Alaska Native tribes and corporations, municipal leaders, and conservation organizations convened to move the Tongass National Forest away from the conflict around old-growth logging and work toward sustainable harvest of young-growth timber. 
 
“The Tongass plan amendment is central to ensuring the region’s important fishing and tourism industries continue to thrive and grow into the future,” said Mark Kaelke, Southeast Alaska Program Manager for Trout Unlimited. “We commend the Forest Service for developing a plan amendment that balances the diverse interests at play in the region, and encourage Senator Murkowski to respect the public process, years of dialogue, and compromise that went into this plan by allowing it to remain in effect.”

This bill has not gone through a committee mark up. It will likely be included in the debate over the delayed Congressional decision on how to fund the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year 2018. Trout Unlimited and our salmon conservation allies will be working hard to ensure that it does not become law, along with several other harmful riders that were included in the bill.

The Tongass is the nation’s largest National Forest, producing hundreds of millions of wild salmon each year that support thriving commercial and sport fishing industries. Salmon fishing accounts for 10% of all regional employment and contributes $1 billion annually to the local economy. Visitors from all over the world come to see the Tongass and support a booming travel industry accounting for another 15% of regional employment and another $1 billion in economic activity.
 
###
 
Trout Unlimited is the nation’s oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization. In Alaska, we work with sportsmen and women to ensure the state’s trout and salmon resources remain healthy far into the future through our local chapters and offices in Anchorage and Juneau. Follow TU’s Tongass efforts on Facebook, and visit us online at tu.org. Learn more about our work to conserve key areas of the Tongass National Forest at www.americansalmonforest.org
<<Previous
    Submit your own story!

    Categories

    All
    People Of Southeast
    Public Lands
    Roadless
    Timber Sale
    Tongass 77

    Archives

    January 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    July 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

    RSS Feed

AMERICA'S SALMON FOREST 

is a coalition of sport, commercial, and subsistence fishermen, business owners and operators as well as private citizens working together to conserve high-quality salmon and trout spawning and rearing habitat in the Tongass, America's largest national forest.

CONNECT
JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Join Us!
  • The Tongass
    • See the Tongass
    • Watch the Tongass
  • The Issues
    • Public Lands
    • Canadian Mining
    • The Tongass 77
  • Take Action
    • Roadless Rule
    • Canadian Mining
    • Steelhead
    • Community Science
  • News
    • News
    • Blog
    • Press Releases
  • Donate
    • Stickers
  • Contact Us
    • About Us