Tongass National Forest

Sealaska Proposed Comprehensive Tongass-wide Land Exchange

Issue

In August 2002, Sealaska Corporation, a Native regional corporation in Southeast Alaska, submitted a proposal to the Forest Service to exchange approximately 100,000 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands in exchange for Sealaska Corporation lands and selection rights under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANSCA). Sealaska has approximately 22,250 acres of remaining ANCSA entitlement under Sec. 14(h)(8), plus an anticipated additional 40,000 acres or more, from a Statewide settlement of remaining ANSCA entitlement among all regional corporations.

Background

The Tongasswide exchange proposed by Sealaska involves lands throughout Southeast Alaska. The goals of the exchange are to consolidate national forest lands and Sealaska lands and to finalize Sealaska Corporation's remaining selection rights. Resolution of Sealaska’s remaining ANSCA land entitlement will remove these selection rights in existing ANSCA withdrawal areas as part of the exchange. The selections are an encumbrance on the land that restrict Forest Service management on over 171,000 acres of the Tongass National Forest, which are currently selected by Sealaska.

Current Situation

We anticipate this exchange will be very controversial. Much of the national forest land proposed for exchange is in the Tongass National Forest suitable timber base and provides recreation and subsistence uses for local residents.

Some of the parcels are in inventoried roadless areas and old growth reserves. The Forest is currently looking at which land parcels may be appropriate to consider for exchange. If the Forest Service decides to go forward with this exchange, a thorough public review process and tribal consultations will be part of the administrative exchange process.

The Forest Service completed a draft feasibility report in 2003 and is currently negociating with Sealaska to try and develop a proposal that is acceptable to the forest Service and Sealaska.

An earlier feasibility report was reviewed by the Forest Service National Lands Adjustment Team. Among other things, the Teams directed the Forest to reconfigure the federal lands to more closely align to Sealaska's lands, based on resources and public interest considerations, and then through a valuation consultation process, balance the federal land parcels to more closely approximate equal value. In all, the Team addressed 15 action items, covering floodplains and wetlands, subsistence, the NEPA process, title issues, karst resources, threatened and endangered species, old growth, hazardous materials, survey costs, ANCSA limitations, and other issues.

More Information

Scott Fitzwilliams, Recreation, Lands, Minerals, and Heritage Staff Officer, at (907) 747-4236, or
Barbara Stanley, Lands Forester, at (907) 826-1646.

Current as of March 2004

USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest
Last Modified: November 25, 2007