The Tongass National Forest in the U.S. state of Alaska is a special place for conservation biologist Dominick DellaSala, even after decades of traveling the world to study temperate rainforests. “The trees are enormous,” DellaSala, chief scientist at the Earth Island Institute’s World Heritage project, told Mongabay. “It’s like being in a cathedral. It’s an […]
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WASHINGTON, DC, July 19, 2021 (ENS) – Across the entire 16.7 million acres of the Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska, full Roadless Rule protections are being restored and there will be an end to large-scale old-growth timber sales, the Biden administration’s Department of Agriculture, USDA, announced on Thursday.
The Tongass National Forest is the world’s largest remaining intact coastal temperate rainforest and the country’s largest forest, too, with some of the oldest trees in the United States, some more than 800 years old.
“We look forward to meaningful consultation with Tribal governments and Alaska Native corporations, and engaging with local communities, partners, and the State to prioritize management and investments in the region that reflect a holistic approach to the diverse values present in the region,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announcing the new policy.