Alaska Region

Alaska’s National Forests offer tremendous opportunities to learn through observation, exploration, and recreation. From the massive tidewater glaciers of Prince William Sound, to the muskegs of Southeast Alaska, to the caves of Prince of Wales Island, the Chugach and Tongass National Forests provide wonderful laboratories for outdoor studies. To enrich your outdoor learning experiences, I encourage you to spend some time looking through this website for interpretive and educational resources. There is a wealth of information here. And I hope you will spend some time in the Tongass, the Chugach, or any other of the nation’s 155 National Forests. Time outdoors in the forests is good for the body, the mind and the spirit. Enjoy!

Beth G. Pendleton
Regional Forester

Alaska's National Forests The two largest forests in the United States are located in Alaska.  The Tongass National Forest at 17 million acres, covers most of Southeast Alaska. The Tongass is part of the largest temperate rainforest in the Northern Hemisphere. The 5.4 million-acre Chugach National Forest surrounds Prince William Sound in Southwest Alaska. Forests, mountain peaks, massive glaciers, rugged coastline and the globally significant Copper River Delta are important features of the Chugach National Forest.

Parents, Teachers and Youth Leaders Adults play a significant role in helping children and youth learn about the outdoors and become environmentally literate.  Most of us know how influential teachers can be.  Parents, camp counselors, youth workers, agency personnel and adult friends are often informal educators who help children enjoy outdoor experiences and learn environmental concepts.  In recent years a number of organizations and agencies have developed excellent resource materials for those who teach children and youth, either as formal or informal educators.

For Children and Youth This page features opportunities and materials for young people up to about the age of 20.  If you are old enough to read, you can find information and activities on this page for you.  For children not yet reading, parents can check out the site and find materials and opportunities appropriate for their children. 

Culture & History People are an important part of Alaska’s national forests. Visit this page for links to some excellent websites where you can learn about the history and pre-history of human habitation of the Chugach and Tongass National Forests and the lands near them, and about the cultures of Alaska’s Native people.

Nature & Science All of the animal, plant and mineral features of Alaska’s National Forests and the interactions among them make these lands special places.  To understand the forests, it helps to understand their component parts. This page provides you resources and web links to do that.

Outdoor Safety & Ethics Are you going to take a group into the Alaskan outdoors to learn?   It is wise to consider safety and outdoor etiquette before you go. For some tips especially helpful in planning a trip in Alaska, check out these resources.

Visitor Centers Visitor centers are learning centers. For information about the Alaska Region’s major visitor centers and the learning opportunities in each, follow the links provided on this page.

Programs and Events If you’d like to get an overview of Forest Service educational and interpretive activities that are coming up, visit this page. And for some interesting and entertaining feature articles about past educational programs and events, take a look at these articles from our Alaska Region Forest Service newsletter “Sourdough Notes.”

Alaska Geographic Association has partnered with the Forest Service since 1980 to expand the education and interpretation programs of the agency.  The association operates 13 bookstores in Forest Service offices and visitor centers. Alaska Geographic donates part of its revenue to support Forest Service interpretive and educational programs.  Alaska Geographic is also the primary partner with the Forest Service in the Chugach Children's Forest. Additionally, along with partners, it offers adult education programs and teacher training.

The Definitions Project - To communicate environmental and conservation messages, the Forest Service and other land management agencies use interpretation and education. Interpretation helps people connect personally with a place, a culture or a historic event. Education is a learning process that helps people gain knowledge, values and skills. Through 2006, representatives from over two dozen federal agencies and nonprofit organizations came together for "The Definitions Project" to agree on definitions and terminology used by interpreters, environmental educators, historians, and others in related fields. This site gives those agreed-upon definitions.

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