Facing the challenge of the young, the small, and the dead: Alaska's new frontier.

Abstract

Mandates to harvest, beetle infestations, log export restrictions, pulp mill closures, high transportation costs, ecological versus economic effects--the litany of challenges in the Alaska timber markets is sufficient to stymie land and timber managers. For decades, they have had to confront and make decisions about these conflicting issues without sufficient data about land management alternatives. To improve their decisionmaking capacity, the Ecologically Sustainable Production of Forest Resources Team at the Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Portland has completed 13 wood product recovery studies, most recently assessing timber quality and value for young-growth and insect-infested stands in southeast and south-central Alaska, respectively.

With more substantial data available, Alaska managers are better prepared to contribute to both the ecological integrity and economic health of the region.

Citation

Duncan, Sally. 2000. Facing the challenge of the young, the small, and the dead: Alaska''s new frontier. Science Findings. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. December (30): 1-5