Tell the U.S. Forest Service to Protect America’s Rainforest!
The Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska is home to towering old-growth trees, five species of Pacific salmon, and some of the highest concentrations of brown bears and bald eagles in the world. For decades the U.S. Forest Service has managed the Tongass for its timber, but it is enormously valuable as a resource for fishing, tourism, and recreation. With over half of the ‘great giants’ of the Tongass felled, we need you to weigh in on a plan that would protect the remaining old-growth forest for good.
The Forest Service is now accepting public comments on their Tongass management plan. This is an opportunity to ask them to amend the plan to shift away from the unsustainable logging practices of the past and transition towards sustainable diversified economies, prioritizing industries like fisheries, tourism and recreation.
Please submit a public comment asking the U.S. Forest Service to implement the transition plan and move towards sustainable management of the Tongass.
Dear [Decision Maker],
[Your comments will be inserted here.]
The Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska is America’s rainforest and the crown jewel of our national forest system. Historically, the U.S. Forest Service has managed the forest only for the millions of board feet of timber it produces, but the Tongass is more than just timber. It is a living and thriving ecosystem that supports southeast Alaska’s wildlife, people and economy.
In the fall of 2010, your agency announced a transition in the way that the forest would be managed. You said that you would shift away from the unsustainable logging practices of the past and transition towards sustainable diversified economies for southeast Alaska, prioritizing more industries like fishing, tourism and recreation.
It is time to make good on this promise, amend the land management plan, and implement a swift transition from old-growth logging to a more sustainable Tongass.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]