Are We Protecting Streams and Fish Habitat?

Streams and wildlife in Alaska's forests enjoy layers of state and federal protection unsurpassed in the world.

All fish-bearing streams and their tributaries are protected under the Alaska Forest Practices Act of 1979 and 1990, the Tongass Land Management Plan of 1979 and the Tongass Timber Reform Act of 1990. Under this strict body of law, hundreds of thousands of acres of tree corridors and buffers are set aside along streams and beach fronts to preserve water temperatures, safeguard wildlife and protect fish habitat. Strict policies regulate road and bridge construction, and required management practices minimize stream siltation and other impacts on anadromous fish.

State foresters, state and federal fish and game officials, along with U.S. Forest Service timber managers, work with the forest products industry on sale design. Regular inspections continue through harvest and regeneration. These ongoing inspections ensure the protection of streams and beach habitat.

Road construction on public lands must conform to a rigorous standard and inspection process. Before harvest units are selected, biologists, landscape architects, archaeologists, and forest engineers walk through the forest with industry managers to determine construction specifications and harvest unit placement. Roads are designed and constructed to preserve original stream flow and prevent siltation that could clog streams and spawning beds. These stringent guidelines ensure that the impact to streams is minimal.

Fish populations are healthy in Alaska. The fish and game census over several years confirms that timber harvests in Alaska can occur without negative effects. This is the result of comprehensive planning to ensure

that water quality and habitat are not diminished by logging. The proof lies in record fish harvests enjoyed by Alaskans over the last decade.

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Last Updated: 20 Oct 96