Photos and essay by Bryan Gregson Alaska's Inside Passage is one of nature's paramount gifts. It holds many treasures, including one of the remaining salmon forests, the Tongass National Forest. As the largest federal forest, the Tongass is a coastal temperate rainforest concealed in an archipelago of inlets and islands.
From my perch on the back deck of the fishing vessel, the morning air was crisp and the smell of the sea, bold, as we sped across the coastal waters of Southeast Alaska. The fog and mist created a calm sense of importance, engulfing something to be unearthed within the earthy green. Old growth spruce trees towered and glinted like cathedral windows as light broke through the branches. Each pour of maté brought strangers to conversation and an uncluttered, conscious mind, as a good cup of hot tea should. As the boat steamed ahead, so did my appreciation for this isolated corner of the planet: the trees, tumbling vegetation, spirited fish. I had traveled to the Tongass once before, to the north and around the bend in search of salmon. This time, the compass pointed southeast, to rustic townships and untamed wilderness where we would seek out steelhead. To say it’s an inspiring place would be a feeble attempt to capture the respect it warrants. All five species of Pacific salmon, steelhead, bears, bald eagles, humpback, orca whales, and the Alexander Archipelago wolf call this place home. So do First Peoples, fishermen, trappers and loggers. The fishery is the cornerstone in the local economy. In 2011, Southeast Alaska produced the largest sustainable wild salmon harvest in the state, a total of 73.5 million fish worth more than $200 million. Over 17,000 miles of creeks, rivers and lakes run through 16.8 million acres of national forest, offering optimal conditions for spawning. Token measures are in place to safeguard the habitat, and therefore the long-term survival, of salmon and steelhead. But the Tongass is a threatened forest, and its inhabitants are too. There are few places left on Earth where steelhead still thrive, and the Tongass could very well be one of the last. Somewhere amongst the nearly 18,000 miles of streams flowing from a multitude of islands lives this elusive saltwater rainbow. It's an inspiring creature living between two worlds, that of pure, glacially-fed, nutrient-rich freshwater and saltwater of the bordering sea, its source of food and place of growth. They are a robust fish, capable of battling trough many obstacles. But like every good thing on this planet, there is a kryptonite that can cripple even the strongest of the species. This magnificent species is on the decline. Loss of habitat is the top reason for the disheartening demise of these remarkable fish. Deforestation from logging is the primary culprit, stripping banks of cover and degrading stream beds. The location of the fish is not an easy one to reach. As if the landscape wasn’t challenging enough, big tides make things more complex. Anchoring our lumbering boat offshore and using a small zodiac to land on the beach, we explored the wet emerald forest on foot. Soggy muskegs canvased the ground from the water to the tree-lined perimeter. It was a bit of a slow jaunt, balance required. The rivers are lined with thick patches of Devil's club. At times there was no way around them but through. The entire stem and leaf are literally covered in thousands of tiny sharp thorns awaiting any creature that might brush against it. It would seem Mother Nature certainly knows how fragile her ecosystems are, lining Her rivers here with a myriad of challenges: thorny plants, steep rock walls, fluctuating water flows, constant rain, wind, fog, cold temperatures and powerful tides. Within the swirls of clear water, as if with brush strokes, chrome steelhead appeared, revealing a flamboyant masterpiece. Out of the salt and into freshwater they swim, through logjams and root wads, up steep gradients and waterfalls, nothing stops their determination. The fish are fresh from their sea run, with only a short journey to their grounds. At first hook, they take to the air, displaying their acrobatic abilities back-to-back. When least expected, they take off for a big run, leaving the angler vulnerable to sharp rocks that will slice a leader. The footing is slick and difficult to maneuver through swift river currents. These wild fish are a powerful challenge to any level of exploring angler. The more we interacted with our quarry, the more we all appreciated the surroundings in which they lived, their overwhelming struggles, and the raw power of the forest. It’s a simple, yet very complex life, one full of opposition to their survival - something that they can’t control and something they can’t afford to get caught up in it. They have only one job: to exist. So they must press on, regardless. The thought of impending destruction of their life and the forest makes me cringe. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to the mighty Tongass, the last of the salmon forests. But I indubitably want it to remain as I remember it: A profoundly wild place of incredible harmony. ![]() The fish and wildlife of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, as well as the communities and industries that depend upon them, scored a significant victory last week. As you may have read, a federal appeals court ruled that the Bush administration erred in 2003 when it exempted the 17-million-acre rain forest from habitat protections the Clinton White House unveiled in 2001. The decision means the so-called “roadless rule” is back in effect in the Tongass and large swaths of old-growth forest are off-limits to road-building and logging, at least for now. That’s good. But as TU’s Mark Kaelke explains, the roadless rule has an ephemeral history on the Tongass and what the Tongass’ high-value salmon and trout watersheds (called the Tongass 77) need is permanent protection enacted by Congress. By Mark Kaelke In 2001, U.S. Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck instituted what became known as the roadless rule. In an effort to protect important fish and wildlife habitat, the rule prohibited the building of new roads in pristine areas of the country’s national forests. In 2003, the Bush administration chose to exempt the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska, arguing that enough habitat protections already existed in this rare coastal temperate rainforest. The Bush administration move, like the 2001 roadless rule itself, set off a series of legal battles which went back and forth for years. Finally, the Ninth Circuit Court settled the matter on July 29 and the Tongass is now included in national roadless protections. Although the court victory last month was encouraging, many people, myself included, believe the Tongass has enjoyed de facto roadless protection since about 2008 when it became clear the Forest Service budgets could no longer subsidize the large-scale construction of new roads anywhere on the Tongass. That’s when the public finally began to realize timber receipts (or revenues collected from logging) were never going to be enough to pay for those roads either. The roadless rule, whether applied legally or in a de facto manner, is good for the Tongass. More than 6,000 miles of road already exist in the Tongass, along with a substantial maintenance backlog to go with them. At one point not long ago roughly 66 percent of road crossings (culverts and bridges) on those 6,000 miles of road impeded fish passage. Clearly, recreation and tourism businesses, anglers, hunters and traditional gatherers all benefit from pristine, roadless places and the fish, game and forest products found in them. On the other hand, critics cite the need for at least some new roads to access emerging mining and alternative energy projects on the Tongass. This is a valid concern and if these projects are viable, then developing road access to them should be analyzed, planned and decided on a case by case basis. I have no doubt Alaska’s Congressional delegation will find ways to do just that. The biggest issue that remains regarding the roadless rule in my mind though is that although it’s generally a good thing for the Tongass, it could change with the next occupant of the White House. There are high-value fish and wildlife areas in the Tongass that are worthy of strong, durable protection from development, and they should not be subject to legal maneuvering or politics. They’re called the Tongass 77 and you can learn more about them here . Congress and the American people should decide the fate of these areas and should do so in a way that affords them protections for generations to come, not temporary measures that last only as long as an administration is in place or a court has a particular make-up. Trout Unlimited, Alaska Program, is advocating for Congressional passage of Tongass 77 legislation. We hope you’ll join the campaign. Mark Kaelke is TU’s Southeast Alaska Project Director. A 27-year resident of Juneau. Kaelke is a former fishing guide and tourism entrepreneur. ![]() Logging in southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest made news again this week when Sen. Lisa Murkowski questioned Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell about why he isn’t doing more to boost timber harvesting in the 17-million-acre rain forest. Despite fisheries and tourism serving as the centerpiece of the region’s economy, Sen. Murkowski criticized Tidwell at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee budget hearing on Thursday about his efforts to supply enough wood to keep the southeast Alaska timber industry afloat. Tidwell responded that he plans to double the amount of volume coming off the Tongass over the next two years – from an average of 35 million board feet per year to 70 million, noting that the largest Tongass old-growth timber sale in decades, Big Thorne, was approved last year. “It’s not adequate,” Tidwell said. Trout Unlimited, and many other sport fishing and outdoor advocates, disagree. TU opposes the Big Thorne timber sale on Prince of Wales Island, an already heavily-logged part of the Tongass, as damaging to fish habitat and a waste of taxpayer money. We have advocated instead that the Forest Service redirect a portion of its budget that currently goes toward timber harvesting into growth sectors of the economy, such as fishing and tourism that account for more than a quarter of the region’s jobs. In contrast, timber and road building contribute to a less than one percent of Southeast Alaska employment, and yet receive nearly 40 percent of the Forest Service’s Tongass budget, or about $20 million a year. “We think the pace of the Forest Service’s Tongass transition from old-growth logging to second-growth and other industries like fishing and tourism is moving too slowly. The real drivers of Southeast Alaska’s private-sector economy are seafood and visitor services. They are billion-dollar industries that provide thousands of the jobs in the region and yet the Forest Service just pays them lip service while continuing to prioritize its budget and staffing on old-growth logging,” said Mark Kaelke, TU’s Southeast Alaska project director. “Change is hard. It’s even harder when the Forest Service refuses to recognize and embrace it. The agency continues to spend millions every year to subsidize the Tongass timber industry. It’s really fiscally irresponsible. We need a new business model on the Tongass. People don’t visit the Tongass to see clear-cuts. They come to catch huge, wild salmon and see gorgeous scenery. The economy of the region has grown beyond the Forest Service’s continued focus on subsidized timber sales,” Kaelke said. TU would like to see the Forest Service make good on its 2010 pledge to transition away from old-growth timber and diversify its focus to support economic sectors that provide long-term benefits to a stable southeast Alaska economy. “In today’s hearing, Sen. Murkowski referred to recreation and tourism as economic engines of the ‘future’ in need of increased investment. While I’m encouraged she recognizes the industry as an economic driver, the fact is that future she speaks of is now. The tourism industry in Southeast Alaska is the largest private sector employer in the region and the top revenue generator for the Tongass National Forest. Unfortunately, the way the Forest Service prioritizes its budget tourism takes a back seat,” said Laurie Cooper, Alaska Recreation and Tourism Industry Liaison, Trout Unlimited. “There is widespread recognition that Tongass management and budget issues are hindering the agency’s capacity to meet the needs of the Tongass recreation and tourism industry. It’s time for Congress and the Forest Service to prioritize and increase investments in the Tongass recreation program to support the strong and growing industry which depends upon access to and management of wild landscapes,” Cooper said. ![]() We’re excited to share the following announcement from our friends at Custom Alaska Cruises: Custom Alaska Cruises and MV Sikumi are proud to announce our first “Donation Month” of 2015. We will be selecting certain non-profits, charities and conservation organizations throughout the year that we will be making donations to, based on bookings. Each group will get a month, and all bookings during that month will result in a donation to that organization. During the month of February, Custom Alaska Cruises will donate 5% of any standard cruise booked for the 2015 season aboard the small luxury vessel, MV Sikumi, to the Tongass program of Trout Unlimited. Trout Unlimited is the world’s largest cold-water fisheries conservation organization, and in Southeast Alaska their dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to improve protections on high-value Tongass fish and wildlife watersheds, protect trans boundary waterways from the impacts of mineral development in British Columbia, and to improve funding for habitat restoration and visitor programs on the Tongass National Forest. We, the owners of MV Sikumi, believe it is our duty to give back where we can, and through this you can feel good as well knowing your trip to Alaska helped support local conservation efforts. In addition, passengers booking their cruise the week of June 28-July 4 will be joined by Trout Unlimited Tongass staff members who will be available to provide detailed information on conservation issues that affect fish, wildlife and their habitat on the Tongass and to share their knowledge of the amazing array of sport fishing opportunities available along the way. If you’ve been thinking about a trip aboard the MV Sikumi, there is no better time than now and there is no better way to know your money went to help a great cause. Custom Alaska Cruises www.sikumi.com [email protected] (970) 217-6359 ![]() Editor’s Note: This is the third and final installment of a three-part blog series looking at economic trends in Southeast Alaska. The tourism industry in Southeast Alaska is experiencing significant sustained growth, according to a new study. The Southeast Conference, a Juneau-based economic development organization, issued the report recently that found employment in Southeast Alaska’s visitor industry to have added 330 new jobs in 2013, a five-percent gain over the prior years. That follows seven-percent growth between 2010 and 2012 —for a total increase of 730 jobs in the last three years. “When you combine air travel, cruise ships and ferry arrivals, Southeast Alaska hosted just over two million passengers in 2013, a 3.4-percent increase from the year before,” said Meilani Schijvens, the report’s author. Schijvens owns and operates Rain Coast Data, an economic research firm in Juneau. Cruise ships travelling to Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest are driving much of the growth. Between 2010 and 2013, cruise passenger traffic to the Tongass increased by 14-percent, or 124,000 more visitors, according to the report. “2014 has been another good year for Southeast Alaska’s visitor industry, despite a slight decline in cruise ship passenger numbers due to deployment decisions. We are looking forward to a growth year in 2015 which translates into a promising outlook for jobs and business success,” said Kirby Day, manager of port operations and passenger logistics for Princess Cruises in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, French Polynesia and South America. Day also chairs the Visitor Products Cluster Working Group, an initiative to build public-private partnerships to stimulate the regional economy. “The number of visitors looking for an opportunity to experience the Tongass National Forest continues to grow. The visitor industry and the Forest Service are partnering to review and improve access. This partnership is an important opportunity to make sure we’re able to successfully provide additional access in a responsible and sustainable manner. It’s good for business and good for our communities.” Southeast’s visitor industry has also benefited from the entry of Delta Airlines to the market. In June and July of this year, the number of airline passengers arriving in Juneau rose by 12-percent or 8,000 passengers compared to same time last year. The visitor industry continues to be one of Southeast Alaska’s largest private employers. It accounts for 15-percent of all regional jobs and nearly 21-percent of all private-sector jobs. Besides creating employment, tourism also contributes to the economy by way of visitors’ purchasing power. Visitors to Southeast Alaska spent $595 million in 2013, 10-percent growth over the prior year, the report finds, citing research by McDowell Group, a Juneau firm. The industry’s outlook is strong as the country recovers from the Great Recession of 2008. “Now that the U.S. economy is more or less back on track, people have more disposable income and they’re using it on travel,” Schijvens said. |
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