Tongass National Forest

NRCE Projects

Prince of Wales Island is the third largest island in the United States, and is located in the very southern tip of the Alexander Archipelago. It is largely public land managed by the Tongass National Forest. It is a land of towering Sitka spruce and crystal-blue bays. Black bears, timber wolves, and Sitka black-tailed deer are common on the island; while sea otters, orcas, and humpback whales frolic in the surrounding seas. The island also harbors some of the most spectacular cave resources in the United States

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This productive temperate rain forest has also been the focus of the majority of the logging activities on the Tongass National Forest over the last 50 years. The intense logging/clear cutting of the island supported small, scattered, resource-dependent communities throughout the island. In 1997, the Tongass Land Management plan reduced the level of logging on the forest. Subsequent decisions, such as the termination of the long-term timber contracts, a revised 1998 Record of Decision, and the national debate over roadless areas, have virtually eliminated large-scale logging on the island. Island communities are slowly adjusting to the changing economic situation.

In 2003, the Thorne Bay and Craig Districts' efforts made a concerted effort to present a cohesive, integrated conservation education and interpretive program to the greatly underserved children and residents of Prince of Wales Island. A sound, integrated conservation education program is beginning to instill a conservation ethic in the island's children. These programs can provide an appreciation for the unique natural and cultural resources of the island - and it can provide critical thinking skills to help children reach their own conclusions about resource use.