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Northeast Chichagof Island

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Northeast Chichagof Island NORTHEAST CHICHAGOF ISLAND PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION sedimentation, and altered hydrologic Part of the Alexander Archipelago, regimes. Road-building associated with Chichagof Island lies across the straits timber harvesting has caused over- from Glacier Bay National Park, about 50 hunting of brown bears, as previously miles southwest of Juneau. A 300-yard- inaccessible areas were opened. wide land bridge connects the northeast sector to the rest of the island. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Anadromous fish streams run to the This initiative is a joint research project of Location: island’s bays and estuaries. The lime- the Alaska Department of Fish & Game Southeastern stone ridge that splits the island is a (DFG) and the USFS. The Department of Alaska demonstration of the underlying karst Fish & Game has provided input to USFS topography. on timber projects since harvesting began in the mid-1980s. The realization that Hemlock, Sitka spruce, muskeg, and logging was occurring at an unsustainable Project size: blueberrry cover the island. The sub- rate and threatening wildlife populations 275,000 acres alpine forests consist of yellow cedar and sparked the formation of a four-member shore pine (a dwarf type of lodgepole team of DFG and USFS personnel in 1993. pine). Over 233,000 acres of Northeast Chichagof are Tongass National Forest Northeast Chichagof Island is being used Initiators: lands. Timber harvesting has occurred on as a demonstration project for ecosystem- U.S. Forest 23,000 acres. Patented claims for gypsum based approaches that can be exported to Service, Alaska and silver mining exist, but none are other parts of Tongass National Forest. Department of Fish currently active. The north end of the The goal of the project is to provide & Game island contains the bulk of native and information needed to make landscape- native over-selection lands (42,000 acres). scale predictions concerning silvicultural practices and wildlife habitat needs over ECOSYSTEM STRESSES the length of the timber rotation period. Timber harvesting is the most prominent Previously, all timber projects were stress on the ecosystem. Native analyzed individually; cumulative effects corporations, not subject to the same laws were not assessed. and restrictions as the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), have been logging more heavily The team is conducting a woodpile than the Forest Service, resulting in analysis to determine sustainable yields unsustainable harvesting levels on some for the Northeast Chichagof Island. The native lands. All 18 of the island’s analysis begins with the 200,000 acres of watersheds have been entered for USFS lands. Buffer zones for fish streams, logging. Although heavy equipment was areas with hazardous soils, and areas driven up some streams to access timber where timber is broken up by muskeg are in the Tongass, this did not occur on subtracted to determine the total area Northeast Chichagof Island. Yet, 250 where harvesting could occur. Habitat kilometers of roads have been built in the Conservation Areas (HCAs) to region since 1980. In some areas, road layout, poor drainage control, undersized and unaligned culverts, and the lack of a realistic road maintenance program have contributed to fish passage problems, ____________ 197 Ecosystem Management in the United States: An Assessment of Current Experience NORTHEAST CHICHAGOF ISLAND -- continued support minimum viable popula- other state and federal agencies fore, the findings in the final report tions of species with the largest participating in various review may never be applied to ranges are also withdrawn so that roles were invaluable assets to the management of the Tongass, as harvesting activities do not project. Geographic Information there is no planned follow-up for negatively impact wildlife. With System data allowed information to implementing recommendations. growth rates for the forest in hand, be communicated more quickly Finally, the planning process has the project team can determine the than with past projects. not included the general public at sustainable yield for 100-year any step of the project’s develop- rotations. Obstacles to Progress ment. As a result, there are no Gathering information has been advocates for the project aside PRESENT STATUS & expensive due to inter-island travel. from the agency personnel OUTLOOK Technical concerns include not involved. Implementation of the research having a control area for the project is coming to a close. A project due to the previous Contact information: final report was scheduled to be disturbances to all of the island’s Mr. Phil Mooney developed in mid-1995. watersheds. Some scientists are Habitat Biologist concerned that basing HCAs on Alaska Department of Fish & Factors Facilitating Progress minimum viable populations is Game The public’s acceptance of eco- risky to the long-term survival of Habitat and Restoration system-based approaches was certain species. The Forest Division cited as a factor facilitating pro- Supervisor has unilaterally 304 Lake Street gress, although the public has not disbanded the eco-team assigned Room 103 been involved directly as a partner. to the project before the final Sitka, AK 99835-7563 The expertise and technical season of data analysis and some (907) 747-5828 capability of the 85 resource spe- on-the-ground implementation of Fax: (907) 747-6239 cialists within the DFG, USFS, and the findings could occur. There- ____________ 198.
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