About two percent of Alaska's state-owned land is in two designated state forests. In 1982, the legislature established the 270,410-acre Haines State Forest in the Chilkoot , Chilkat, and Ferebee river drainages. The next year, it created the 1.8 million-acre Tanana Valley State Forest that stretches from Manley to Tok. In addition to these two designated state forests, much of the state's public domain land is available for multiple use, including forest management.

State Forest Management

DNR manages the state forests for a sustained yield of many resources. The primary purpose is timber management that provides for the production and utilization of timber resources while allowing other beneficial uses of public land and resources (AS 41.17.200). State forests provide fish and wildlife habitat, clean water, opportunities for recreation and tourism, and minerals.

Haines State Forest

The Haines State Forest contains 286,000 acres that include the watersheds of the major tributaries to the Chilkat River. Located in a transition zone between the moderate and wet coastal climate and the dry cold interior, the forest provides suitable conditions for a diversity of vegetation. The rugged topography ranges from sea level to over 7,000 feet.

The forest is composed mostly of two forest types; western hemlock/Sitka spruce, and black cottonwood/willow. Lodgepole pine and paper birch occur as minor species throughout the forest. About 15 percent of the state forest (41,831 acres) is dedicated to timber harvest with an allowable harvest of 5.88 million board feet per year. Although natural regeneration occurs readily, all large commercial sales have been replanted since the 1970s.

Prospecting and mining have occurred in this mineral-rich area since the turn of the century and continue today. Backcountry logging roads, rivers, and hiking trails provide access to remote areas and abundant recreational opportunities. Hunting, fishing, berry-picking, camping, hiking, snow machining, and skiing are popular activities. Several commercial operators provide tours in the forest.

Photographers and hunters pursue the forest's wildlife such as moose, black and brown bears, and mountain goats. Wolves, marten, lynx, wolverine, porcupine, beaver, river otter, and many small mammals live in this forest region. Trumpeter swans, geese, ducks, and a variety of songbirds are also present. The State Forest surrounds the 45,000-acre Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, which is managed by Alaska State Parks.

Map of the Haines State Forest (PDF)

Tanana Valley State Forest

The Tanana Valley State Forest 's 1.81 million acres lie almost entirely within the Tanana River Basin, located in the east-central part of Alaska. The forest extends 265 miles, from near the Canadian border to Manley Hot Springs. It varies in elevation from 275 feet along the Tanana River to over 5,000 feet in the Alaska Range. The Tanana River flows for 200 miles through the forest. Almost 90 percent of the state forest (1.59 million acres) is forested, mostly with paper birch, quaking aspen, balsam poplar, black spruce, white spruce, and tamarack. About half of the Tanana Basin's productive forest land (1.1 million acres) is located within the state forest. About 85 percent of the forest is within 20 miles of a state highway.

The forest is open to mining, gravel extraction, oil and gas leasing, and grazing, although very little is done. Timber production is the major commercial activity. The Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest, a 12,400-acre area dedicated to forestry research, is also located within the state forest.

The Tanana Valley State Forest offers many recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, hiking, dog mushing, cross-country skiing, wildlife viewing, snow machining, gold panning, boating, and berry-picking.

The TVSF Management Plan was updated in 2001. The update included recommendations for changes to the boundaries of the State Forest. As a part of that package, the plan recommends some of the deletions from the State Forest to be added to the Minto State Game Refuge. These proposals were thoroughly reviewed by the public and agencies during the planning process, and the proposals in the final plan were non-controversial. There were no comments on these proposals during the final comment period. Links to a map and briefing paper summarizing the proposed changes are listed below.

Map of the Tanana Valley State Forest (PDF)

Tanana Valley State Forest Citizens' Advisory Committee

Map of proposed changes to boundaries of the Tanana Valley State Forest and Minto Flats State Game Refuge

Briefing paper on Senate Bill 229: Proposed changes to the Tanana Valley State Forest boundary

A DNR management plan guides the use of each state forest. Plan guidelines determine how to manage different uses to complement each other. In Haines, since the state forest surrounds the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, DNR closely coordinates the forest and preserve plans.

Haines State Forest Management Plan

Tanana Valley State Forest Management Plan

Homer Demonstration Forest Management Plan (PDF)