Tongass Odyssey is a biologist’s memoir of personal experiences over the past four decades studying brown bears, deer, and mountain goats and advocating for conservation of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. The largest national forest in the nation, the Tongass encompasses the most significant expanse of intact old-growth temperate rainforest remaining on Earth. Tongass Odyssey is a cautionary tale of the harm that can result when science is eclipsed by politics that are focused on short-term economic gain. Yet even as those problems put the Tongass at risk, the forest also represents a unique opportunity for conserving large, intact landscapes with all their ecological parts, including wild salmon, bears, wolves, eagles, and other wildlife. Combining elements of personal memoir, field journal, natural history, conservation essay, and philosophical reflection, Tongass Odyssey tells an engaging story about an enchanting place.

Large-scale use of the timber resource of southeast Alaska began in 1953 after long efforts to establish a timber industry. Development and present status of the industry and present management of the timber resource are summarized, stressing the biological basis for timber management activities in southeast Alaska today. Ecological and silvicultural considerations related to timber harvest, reforestation, and stand development are discussed. Published and unpublished information are brought together. Current management practices are discussed as a basis for a better understanding of how this information can be helpful in managing the timber resource and to point out where research is needed.

One of the most striking characteristics of southeast Alaska is the abundance of water. Large glaciers, icefields, and thousands of streams result from heavy precipitation throughout the year. Published and unpublished data on water regimen, temperature, sedimentation, and chemistry are combined. These serve as a basis for understanding how this valuable resource may be used and protected so that high quality water may always be abundant and available. A brief section on needed research is included.

Southeast Alaska has 11.2 million acres of forest land, of which 4.9 million acres are considered commercial. This commercial acreage supports 166 billion board feet of sawtimber. These primarily old-growth stands of Sitka spruce and western hemlock are supporting a growing wood products industry that ranks first in the southeast economy and third in the State. This report summarizes current knowledge of the timber resource (areas, volumes, growth, mortality, quality, productivity, and trends) from the initial inventory, a partial remeasurement, and a second inventory now in progress. Historical data of wood products use, output, value, and markets are given and discussed. The report gives sources for much published and unpublished information for those who need to pursue these subjects more completely.