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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. 
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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. 

Forest Service poised to repeal roadless areas protections on the Tongass National Forest

9/24/2020

 
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Austin Williams, Trout Unlimited, (907) 227-1590 or awilliams@tu.org 

Forest Service poised to repeal roadless areas protections on the Tongass National Forest 
 
JUNEAU, AK — A final environmental impact statement released today indicates the Forest Service plans to exempt the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule despite overwhelming public comment in support of the rule and its long-standing protections for fish and wildlife. 

If finalized, the rule would repeal conservation measures for more than 9 million acres of the forest, making currently protected lands available for expanded industrial clear-cut logging of old growth trees and construction of expensive and highly subsidized logging roads. 

“This is the wrong call for the Tongass,” said Austin Williams, Alaska Director of Law and Policy for Trout Unlimited. “It’s clear the State of Alaska, the old-growth clear-cut logging industry, and others behind this short-sighted new rule want a return to the days of reckless clear-cut logging that sacrifices our fish, wildlife and forests without regard for the costs to Southeast Alaska’s fishing and tourism economy, subsistence users, recreationists, or the long-term health of the region. It’s far past time we recognize fish, wildlife, tourism, subsistence, and recreation are the most valuable uses for the Tongass.” 

The Tongass produces more salmon than all other national forests combined, and the fishing and tourism industry supported by the intact forest account for more than 26 percent of local jobs in the region. Science shows clear-cut logging pollutes streams, and harms salmon and deer populations. 
Every single project (more than 80 in total) proposed in a roadless area in Alaska has been granted an exemption and allowed to move forward, typically within a matter of weeks. These projects include mining projects, energy and utility projects, transportation roads, and community infrastructure development. 

“We should conserve our remaining roadless areas instead of rolling back the protections for fish and wildlife that make businesses like mine possible,” said Keegan McCarthy, owner of Coastal Alaska Adventures and Custom Alaska Cruises. “Our livelihoods and the future of our families depend on this forest. Sacrificing more of the Tongass to expanded and unsustainable clear-cut logging ignores the economic and social realities of today, and threatens to destroy thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses just like mine.” 
 
A statewide 2019 poll commissioned by Trout Unlimited found a majority of likely voters in Alaska opposed efforts to repeal the Roadless Rule and strongly supported efforts to protect salmon, the salmon industry, and high-value salmon streams in the Tongass such as those included in the Tongass 77.  96 percent of all public comments submitted to the Forest Service supported keeping the Roadless Rule. 


### 
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. Learn more about our work to conserve key areas of the Tongass National Forest at www.americansalmonforest.org 

TU Alaska Photo Contest: Scenes from Alaska

9/10/2020

 
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Happy Public Lands month! Alaska is full of beautiful and diverse places, people and public lands. Share your best photo with us that captures life and recreation on public lands in this great state. Your best photo of the season is out there. Now, go get it!
PHOTO CONTENT SUGGESTIONS: 
  • Fishing: Sport, Commercial, Subsistence, Personal Use, Etc.  
  • Hunting: Sport, Subsistence, Personal Use, Etc.  
  • Your favorite way to recreate: fishing, hiking, biking, paddling- or anything else! 
  • My Way of Life 
  • Alaska landscapes 
  • Anything, creativity is encouraged! 
Submit Photo
PRIZES:
  • Salmonscape Tshirt 
  • Sticker Bundle 
  • Koozie 
  • Sockeye Sumatra coffee from SalmoJava ​
TERMS & CONDITIONS:​
  • Send photo submissions by email to kroys@tu.org. 
  • All photos must be submitted by October 9, 2020. 
  • All photos must be titled with photographer's name and the photo location (general location is totally fine), all photos must be your own. 
  • All photos must be taken in Alaska. 
  • Two entries per person are allowed. 
  • Top photos will be chosen by Trout Unlimited Alaska staff, and prizes will be dispersed following. 
  • By submitting your photo, you grant permission for Trout Unlimited Alaska campaigns to use your photo, credited to your name on social media after the contest period has ended. If we wish to use your photo in print, we will contact you for further permission. 
  • Winners will be notified the week of October 16, 2020 via email. ​

Send photo submissions by email to kroys@tu.org. 

British Columbia mining along the transboundary rivers of Southeast Alaska

8/14/2020

 
As the locals are busy preparing and repairing our nets, tying flies, climbing mountains, harvesting berries and smoking our salmon; the vibration of salmon season can be felt throughout Southeast Alaska.
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In the Southeast Alaska region, the Taku, Stikine, and Unuk Rivers form the backbone of the salmon culture. All are un-dammed, largely pristine and support significant commercial, sport and customary and traditional fisheries in Southeast Alaska. The Taku River is often Southeast Alaska’s largest overall salmon producer, with the region’s most prolific runs of coho (silver) and king (Chinook) salmon and the Stikine River is usually a close second. The Unuk river is one of Southeast’s top five king salmon producers and its hooligan (eulachon, or candlefish) run provides an important customary and traditional fishery.
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The thing that these three major watersheds have in common is that they are transboundary watersheds, meaning their headwaters begin in British Columbia in Canada, and they flow into the Pacific Ocean in Alaska. Currently, B.C. is in the midst of a mining boom. There are now 15 large-scale mines in various stages of exploration, development and operation in watersheds that flow from Canada into the U.S.
Lax mining regulations and low standards for financial bonding have encouraged the industry’s expansion in the region, but at what cost? These mine sites sit within the Taku, Stikine and Unuk watersheds, that all have high fisheries values.

Currently, there are no enforceable, comprehensive policies for upstream transboundary large-scale development, which means the U.S. wild salmon and trout, clean water and the jobs they support remain unprotected. Alaska bears nearly all the environmental risk and burden of these mines, with none of the economic reward.

The Taku, Stikine, and Unuk rivers are prime examples of the vast and wild country that sportsmen and women love and cherish. Because of this, it is imperative to speak up for these natural areas that Southeast Alaska depends on.
Please support the long-term health of the Taku, Stikine and Unuk rivers by adding your name to this letter.

Tongass Protections Advance in Congress

7/10/2020

 
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives took steps to protect fish and wildlife in the Tongass by working to stop federal subsidies for road-building for timber sales. 

Members of the House Interior Appropriations committee recognize that timber sales are costly to taxpayers in the Tongass - to the tune of hundreds of millions lost in recent years. If enacted into law, the provision could save taxpayers money while safeguarding habitat for fish and wildlife.

Representative Newhouse (R-WA) introduced an amendment to strip various provisions, including the Tongass language.  Representatives McCollum (D-MN) and Quigley (D-IL) gave strong rebuttals before the amendment failed on a party line vote.

Thank you to Reps. Quigley, McCollum, Blumenauer and Gallego
 for watching out for Alaskans and Americans, and hunters and anglers, rather than the timber industry!

Here's a bit of what Rep. Quigley had to say (or, you may watch by clicking the video below):
“One of the provisions in the bill that this amendment seeks to strip would end millions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies to the timber industry in Alaska and stop the irreparable damage to the Tongass National Forest, a treasured part of our unique national heritage.  The Tongass attracts hunters and sportsmen from around the world, is home to diverse ecosystems, and numerous Alaska Native Communities.  And it is one of the most important natural carbon sinks on the planet, playing a critical role in slowing man-made climate change.  But by some estimates taxpayer subsidies for logging in the Tongass cost taxpayers $31.6 million per year and yield $1.7 million in return, a loss of nearly $30 million per year that I hope alone would be enough reason for my friends across the aisle to oppose the continuation of this wasteful policy.  The provision that this amendment seeks to remove would save taxpayers money and protect our natural resources.  For that reason I urge a no vote.”
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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.

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