Tongass National Forest, a 17 million acre park in Alaska, occupies at least 80% of the southeast portion of the state. With a predominance of temperate rain forest, it is the biggest of all American national forests. The U.S. established the Tongass National Forest. On September 10, 1907, Theodore Roosevelt was in office. Roosevelt later added to it, and then President Calvin Coolidge did so once more. Environmentalists have been keeping an eye on the Tongass National Forest because of the logging practices and the fact that 60% of it is still accessible for commercial logging, as per plans laid out by the Forest Service.
The Tongass Clan of Tlingit Indians inspired the naming of Tongass National Forest.
Around 75,000 people live in 32 communities within the Tongass National Forest and depend on its resources to survive.
Along 11,000 miles of the coastline, the Tongass National Forest is located. Its forest is the largest temperate rainforest in the world, and it is home to islands, mountains, bays, forests, fjords, glaciers, and significant salmon streams (intact).
Tongass National Forest is home to Juneau, the state capital of Alaska.
The canopy of the Tongass National Forest is made up primarily of hemlock, spruce, and yellow cedar. Ferns and moss cover the ground, and between the canopy and the earth’s surface, evergreens and shrubs proliferate.
Even though Tongass National Forest contains the largest intact temperate rain forest in the world, half of it is made up of rock, wetlands, ice, and water rather than trees.
The Tongass National Forest is home to Alaska’s biggest and most valuable logging trees.
The Tongass National Forest’s old growth trees are protected from logging by the Forest Service in about 25% of the total area, but this only amounts to 241,000 acres.
Black bears, wolves, brown bears, moose, mountain goats, porpoises, humpback whales, killer whales, sea otters, hair seals, and bald eagles are among the animals that can be found in the Tongass National Forest.
More bald eagles are found in Tongass National Forest than any other place on earth.
In addition to halibut and other fish, the Tongass National Forest’s waters are home to all five species of Pacific salmon.
In the Tongass National Forest, Fish Creek, Anan Creek, Park Creek, and Steep Creek are among the frequently visited bear viewing locations.
A common tourist activity is whale watching, which can be done on organized tours on charter boats or on ferries along the Alaska Marine Highway, where staff members help passengers spot wildlife along the way.
Tongass National Forest has a total of 19 areas designated as wilderness areas. In comparison to other national forests, this is the same amount of wilderness areas. These include the Kuiu Wilderness, the Kootznoowoo Wilderness, the Endicott River Wilderness, the Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness, and others.
Tongass National Forest receives about one million visitors each year. Travelers arrive at the park most frequently on cruise ships.
Renting out remote cabins that require floatplanes, boats, or hiking trails is an option for visitors to the Tongass National Forest.
