A national forest that's also the largest intact temperate rain forest in the world is again under federal protection from road construction and timber harvests, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced late last month.
The USDA's final protections for Alaska's Tongass National Forest were announced Jan. 25. The ruling includes the repeal of the 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule, which removed the forest from roadless protections established under the 2001 Roadless Rule. The 2001 rule "prohibits road construction, reconstruction, and timber harvest in inventoried roadless areas, with limited exceptions," the USDA announcement states.
"USDA determined that the underlying goals and purposes of the 2001 Roadless Rule continue to be a critical part of conserving the many resources of the Tongass," the agency states, "especially when it comes to the values that roadless areas represent for local, rural communities, Alaska Native peoples, and the economy of Southeast Alaska."
The final ruling on the Tongass National Forest was reached after several months of consultation between federal officials and representatives from Tribes and local communities, the USDA reports, and is founded on cultural, ecological, economic and social values that roadless areas support. The majority of the approximately 112,000 comments received by the U.S. Forest Service supporting restoring roadless protections to the Tongass, according to the USDA.
“Protecting the Tongass will support watershed protection, climate benefits, and ecosystem health and protect areas important for jobs and community well-being," USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources & Environment (NRE) Homer Wilkes said in the announcement, "and it is directly responsive to input from Tribal Nations.”
The 16. million acre Tongass National Forest is crucial for carbon sequestration and storage to help combat climate change, and is a significant contributor to the absorption by U.S. forests of carbon dioxide equal to more than 10% of yearly greenhouse gas emissions in the country, according to the USDA.
“As our nation’s largest national forest and the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass National Forest is key to conserving biodiversity and addressing the climate crisis,” USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack said in the announcement.
“Restoring roadless protections listens to the voices of Tribal Nations and the people of Southeast Alaska while recognizing the importance of fishing and tourism to the region’s economy,” Vilsack said.
