Abstract
This study details the reduction in the timber production of Southeast Alaska in the 2000s and the future outlook of timber production in the region. The study includes both national and private forest lands.
The following four points were clarified in this paper:
1. In Tongass National Forest, timber production was reduced from 146 million board feet (MMBF) in 1999 to 36 MMBF in 2010 (it was 471 MMBF in 1990).
2. In Sealaska Corporation forest lands, timber production was reduced from 106 MMBF in 1999 to 70 MMBF in 2010. Thus, in both national and private forest lands, timber production was reduced sharply in this 10-year period.
3. The Forest Service (Alaska Region) is undertaking the Forest Stewardship Program to partner with private forest land owners (which are mostly Alaskan native people).
4. Both the Forest Service and Sealaska are committed to future sustainable forest management utilizing second-growth forest. However, the market for second-growth timber is not currently well-defined.
