After reviewing comments on the public review draft, the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) adopted the plan September 2001.

The complete text of the Plan is available online:

Tanana Valley State Forest Management Plan: 2001 Update
Final Unit 2 Amendment to the TVSF Plan (PDF)

Changes to the Tanana Basin Area Plan

During the revision process for the Tanana Valley State Forest Management Plan, some changes were also made to the Tanana Basin Area Plan (TBAP), specifically, a parcel in the Gerstle River area. A 160-acre parcel has been added to the State Forest's Volkmar Lake Research Natural Area (the northeast ¼ of Section 28, Township 9 South, Range 13 East, Fairbanks Meridian).

Tanana Basin Area Plan Amendment: Volkmar Bluffs RNA
Map of TBAP Amendment

Why write a plan?

By law, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) must prepare a management plan for the State Forest that allows many different uses to occur in the forest. The Tanana Valley State Forest is rich in natural resources, and there are many different ideas of how these natural resources should be used. Although some uses directly conflict with each other, many uses can occur on the same piece of land if the uses are carefully managed. The planning process openly reviews resource information and seeks public input before long-range decisions are made on state land use issues. The planning process tries to resolve conflicting ideas on land use and lets the public know what choices were made and why. Because the plan is designed to promote multiple use, it establishes rules or guidelines aimed at allowing various uses to occur with minimal conflict.

Other documents

The following documents contain information that can help you understand the Final Plan.

Legislative Citations

This document lists the laws that are cited in the plan. When the plan refers to a statute, you can find the exact language of that statute in this document. For example, Chapter 1 refers to Alaska Statute (AS) 41.17.200. When you look at the citation document, you can read that the primary purpose in the establishment of state forests is "multiple use management that provides for the production, utilization, and replenishment of timber resources while perpetuating personal, commercial, and other beneficial uses of resources."

Citation (PDF)

Sustained Yield Report

Sustained Yield is the amount of timber that can be harvested periodically without exceeding growth. Areas that are not commercially viable are deleted from the timber base. In the TVSF, for example, black spruce forest types are deleted from the timber base.

Parson & Associates, a forestry consulting business, calculated sustained yield levels of timber for each of the four management areas of the State Forest. This work was reviewed by DOF and by two certified foresters, one from academia and the other from the forest industry. In order to achieve consistent and coordinated management of timber harvest on a landscape level within each management area, the sustained yield on nearby state land that is classified for forestry use is consolidated with that of the TVSF. Sustained yield has been calculated to achieve a high level of periodic output and to maintain long-term productivity of the land. Since sustained yield is based on variable factors such as forest age, site productivity, reforestation, fire occurrence, and harvest levels, the sustained yield will be recalculated on an ongoing basis as new data are acquired.

Cover (PDF, 1 MB)

Table of Contents and all text within SY Report (PDF, 185 KB)

Appendix A - Location Map (PDF, 964 KB)

Appendix B, page 1 - photos (PDF, 1.15 MB)

Appendix B, page 2 - photos (PDF, 1 MB)

Appendix B, page 3 - photos (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Entire Sustained Yield Report in one file (PDF, 5.6 MB)

Annual Allowable Cut Report

The annual allowable cut modifies the sustained yield estimate to reflect the guidelines and objectives in the Tanana Valley State Forest Management Plan. First, not all of the State Forest is available for harvest. For example, the six research natural areas, the Chatanika River corridor, and the Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest are not included in the timber base. Second, other reductions may be made from time to time as it is determined that an area should not or cannot be harvested.

The annual allowable cut for the TVSF is incorporated in the DNR Division of Forestry & Fire Protection's Tanana Valley Allowable Cut Determination. This report is written by DOF staff and includes the allowable cut for the TVSF and state lands in the Tanana Basin Area Plan that are available for timber management.

Annual Allowable Cut Report (PDF)

Forestry Roads, Illustrations and Construction Standards

This document, still under construction, describes in detail each type of forestry road utilized by DOF. A brief description of standard road construction techniques will precede each road category. The road categories include:

a. Primary all-season roads
b. Secondary all-season roads
c. Spur roads
d. Primary winter roads
e. Secondary winter roads

The document also includes photos of each of the different road types.