Tongass National Forest, located in the southeastern region of Alaska spans over 500 miles and boasts the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world. It is also the largest national forest in the United States. Alaska natives have lived in this area for 10,000 years along-side bear, wolves, eagles, whales, and salmon.
In 2001, the National Roadless Area Conservation Rule was adopted to protect and preserve large undisturbed areas for intact habitats of wildlife, contribute to healthy watersheds, clean drinking water, and tourism. This rule was to provide protection for the Tongass National Forest and the Chugach National Forest in Alaska.
Now the Tongass National Forest is being opened by the Trump administration for logging and development. To go into this vast wilderness for logging is incomprehensible. It will not only disrupt native people living in this region, ecosystems, wildlife, and the viability of tourism, it is also one of the world’s largest carbon sequesters. Logging will allow large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions to be released, affecting our climate. Logging accounts for a mere 1 percent of jobs in southeastern Alaska. This is in direct opposition to the $1 billion dollars that tourism brings into the region EACH YEAR!
To defend Tongass National Forest from logging and development, please sign the petition in the link below telling Congress to protect this region and keep it roadless!!!!
https://earthjustice.org/features/tongass-old-growth-climate-change
With gratitude,
Nicole @WildForChange
Resources:
1. https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tongass/about-forest
4. https://earthjustice.org/features/tongass-old-growth-climate-change
