Marketing Recommendations for 

Wood Products From Alaska Birch, 

Red Alder, and Alaska Yellow-Cedar

Geoffrey H. Donovan, David L. Nicholls, and Joseph Roos

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Forest Service

Pacific Northwest

Research Station

General Technical 

Report

PNW-GTR-589

October 2003
Authors Geoffrey H. Donovan is a research forester, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 620 

SW Main St., Suite 400, Portland, OR 97205; David L. Nicholls is a forest products 

technologist, and Joseph Roos is a marketing specialist, Alaska Wood Utilization 

Research and Development Center, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835.
Abstract Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Nicholls, David L.; Roos, Joseph. 2003. Marketing 

recommendations for wood products from Alaska birch, red alder, and Alaska 

yellow-cedar. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-589. Portland, OR: U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 13 p.

Several factors have contributed to a recent decline in Alaska’s wood products 

industry, including reduced exports to Japan and the closure of two pulp mills in 

southeast Alaska. However, higher value niche markets are a potential growth area 

for the industry. In this paper, we consider niche markets for three species that have 

historically been harvested in low volumes—Alaska birch (Betula papyrifera var. 

humilis (Reg.) Fern. & Raup), red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.), and Alaska yellowcedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (D. Don) Spach). The extent of the resource, 

current utilization, and an overview of recent research efforts are examined. Specific 

marketing recommendations are then provided for each species, based on these 

evaluations. Wide-ranging opportunities for a variety of primary and secondary 

wood products exist that utilize character-marked lumber, lower grades of lumber, 

and material from standing-dead sources. This report concludes with a framework 

for future research, identifying key opportunities to differentiate Alaska wood products in the marketplace. 

Keywords: Secondary wood products manufacturing, consumer preferences, Alaska 

birch, red alder, Alaska yellow-cedar, marketing, Alaska, character markings.
Contents 1 Introduction

1 Birch

1 The Birch Resource in Alaska

2 Birch Materials and Utilization

2 Recent Birch Research 

5 Red Alder

5 The Red Alder Resource in Alaska

6 Red Alder Materials and Utilization

6 Recent Red Alder Research 

8 Alaska Yellow-Cedar

8 The Alaska Yellow-Cedar Resource in Alaska

8 Alaska Yellow-Cedar Materials and Utilization

8 Recent Alaska Yellow-Cedar Research

10 Future Research

11 Metric Equivalents

11 References
1

Introduction The Alaska forest products industry has declined significantly since 1990 owing to a 

number of factors. Japan, Alaska’s principal export market, has been in an economic 

downturn since the early 1990s, reducing Japan’s demand for lumber (Eastin and 

Braden 2000). Alaska also has been losing market share in Japan to European and 

Canadian producers (Eastin and Braden 2000). As a result of the downturn in Japan’s 

economy, and increased competition, Alaska’s total solid wood product exports to 

Japan fell 71 percent between 1989 and 1998. Similarly, although markets are smaller, 

there have been significant decreases in exports to South Korea (44 percent) and 

China (90 percent) over the same period. In addition to steep declines in solid wood 

exports, Alaska’s two pulp mills in Sitka and Ketchikan closed in 1993 and 1997, respectively. Consequently, average annual employment by logging companies, sawmills, and pulp mills declined from approximately 4,000 in 1990 to approximately 800 

in 2002 (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development 2003). Although 

the hardwood lumber industry is considerably smaller than the softwood industry, it 

too has faced competitive pressures within Alaska and export markets. There is a relatively small industry for birch products such as kitchen cabinets, custom woodworking, 

and retail lumber. There is currently little, if any, commercial harvest of red alder (Alnus 

rubra Bong.) in southeast Alaska.

Timberland ownership patterns also present problems for the Alaska forest products 

industry. Sixty-five percent of all land in Alaska is federally owned, 24.5 percent is 

state owned, 10 percent is owned by regional and village native corporations, and 

less than 1 percent is in private ownership (McDowell Group 1998). Timber supply 

is, therefore, particularly sensitive to changes in government management practices. 

An increasing number of legal challenges to timber sales on federal land have further 

increased supply uncertainty. Finally, rugged topography and limited infrastructure 

result in higher transportation costs in Alaska than in other competing regions such as 

British Columbia or the Pacific Northwest. 

Declining export markets, increased competition, decreased and uncertain supply, and 

high transportation costs have contributed to a precipitous decline in timber harvests 

from national forests in Alaska, from 472 million board feet (MMBF) in 1990 to 44 

MMBF in 2001 (USDA Forest Service 2001). Several sources have concluded that the 

Alaska industry will struggle to compete in commodity markets (Robertson and Brooks 

2001). However, niche markets may allow producers to better capitalize on the competitive advantages of Alaska species. Niche markets may be especially appropriate 

for species that historically have been harvested in low volumes. Three such species, 

red alder, Alaska birch (Betula papyrifera var. humilis (Reg.) Fern & Raup), and Alaska 

yellow-cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (D. Don)) will be the focus of this paper. 

For each species, we will describe the extent of the resource and current utilization. 

We then summarize recent research and offer species-specific marketing recommendations.

In Alaska, paper birch forests predominate in the interior and south-central regions of 

the state. Alaska paper birch occurs primarily in interior Alaska, whereas Kenai birch 

(Betula papyrifera var. kenaica (W.H. Evans) Henry) is found in south-central Alaska 

as well as in some interior locations (Anon. 1976) (fig. 1). The total volume of sawtimber for all commercial species in interior Alaska is estimated to be 31 billion board feet 

(Wheeler, n.d.). Alaska birch accounts for about 8 percent of this total, a volume of 

about 2.5 billion board feet. The most extensive forests of paper birch occur in the 

upper Cook Inlet region at elevations of less than about 1,640 feet (Wheeler, n.d.). 

Birch

The Birch Resource 

in Alaska
2 

Almost all the birch lumber produced in Alaska is used within the state. Exports data 

from the port of Anchorage show virtually no birch lumber was exported from the state 

from 1995 to 1999, and relatively little from 1987 to 1999 (table 1) (Warren 2001). 

There is a small secondary wood products industry in the state manufacturing products such as kitchen cabinets, office furniture, custom woodwork, and gifts and crafts.

Although the market for hardwood lumber in Alaska is much smaller in terms of board 

feet than the market for softwood lumber, it is nonetheless important because of its potential for adding product value during manufacturing and drying. Several dehumidification and hot water dry kilns have recently been installed in Alaska, indicating a trend 

toward production of high-quality kiln-dried lumber.

Eight sawmills in Alaska are currently manufacturing and drying Alaska birch lumber. 

Because these mills are small, and some only operate intermittently, it is difficult to 

establish precise estimates of lumber production. 

Character marked products—Alaska birch tends to have a high proportion of defects compared to birch from other regions. This may be a disadvantage when birch 

lumber from Alaska is graded under traditional lumber grading rules. However, recent 

research has shown that for visual applications, many consumers prefer birch lumber 

with some degree of defect that adds character to the material (Donovan and Nicholls 

n.d.). This research used kitchen cabinet doors as a representative Alaska birch product to determine what type and level of character consumers preferred and how much 

they were willing to pay for their favorite kitchen cabinet door (fig. 2). Three broad 

conclusions were reached. First, doors with moderate levels of character marking and 

grain variation were preferred to those with higher levels of defect, including doors 

having distinct markings such as spalted patterns. However, when consumers were 

asked to choose among doors with different levels of the same type of character marking, high levels of defect were preferred to intermediate levels. Second, doors with 

Figure 1—Geographic range of paper birch in Alaska 

(indicated in green).

Birch Materials 

and Utilization

Recent Birch Research
3

Table 1—Volume and average value of hardwood lumber 

exports from Anchorage, Alaska, 1987–99

To all countries To Japan

Lumber Average Lumber Average

Year volume value volume value

Dollars per Dollars per

Thousand thousand Thousand thousand

board feet board feed board feet board feet

1987 3,316 699.94 361 761.77

1988 8,767 767.31 2,045 709.54

1989 64 656.25 25 760.00

1990 0 — 0 —

1991 0 — 0 —

1992 210 209.52 0 —

1993 301 548.17 92 1,369.57

1994 11 1,133.14 0 —

1995 0 — 0 —

1996 0 — 0 —

1997 0 — 0 —

1998 26 1,373.03 0 —

1999 51 1,201.04 25 864.12

— = not applicable.

Source: Warren 2001. 

higher levels of defect were more popular among men than women. Third, doors with 

visually striking types of defect, although generally less popular, commanded the highest price premiums. That is, although fewer people preferred doors with more striking 

defect (such as spalting patterns), those who did were willing to pay a high price for 

them. Study respondents frequently commented that they wanted all the doors in their 

kitchen to match. Therefore, it is critical for secondary birch manufacturers to have 

access to birch lumber with similar types, and levels, of defects. 

Figure 2—Selected birch cabinet doors used in consumer preferences study: (A) high level of character marking, (B) clear (defect-free), 

(C) ray fleck, (D) spalted, (E) grain variation.

A B C D E
4 

Marketing strategies for birch lumber—Random-width birch lumber for sale 

through outlets such as Home Depot 1 and other retail centers represents a potentially 

large market for Alaska producers. Given the small size of most birch lumber manufacturing companies in Alaska, focus strategies may be an appropriate marketing approach to use. A focus strategy entails identifying potential types of consumers, 

allowing marketing efforts to be directed at satisfying the specific needs of these 

market segments (Bush et al. 1991). For example, if local woodworkers prefer birch 

for kitchen cabinet projects, then manufacturers should identify the product attributes 

most important to this group of consumers. One disadvantage of focus strategies is 

that the investment in market research required may be too high for some smaller 

manufacturers (Bush and Araman 1990).

An alternative to focus strategies is a product differentiation, or niche market strategy, 

which focuses on developing a product image that is perceived as being unique on an 

industry-wide basis. Unique character markings, color variations, and grain patterns 

are all characteristics of Alaska birch that could help distinguish it from competing 

species. However, product differentiation strategies might be difficult for Alaska’s 

smaller producers to accomplish with limited resources for promotion, advertising, 

and customer support (Bush et al. 1991).

Birch craft distribution—Alaska’s birch craft producers have a tremendous opportunity to capitalize on new product distribution trends. The “new world distribution 

diamond” is a conceptual model of new distribution trends (Roos, n.d.) (fig. 3). The 

diamond encompasses four points. First, recent advancements in express package 

delivery services, such as UPS, FedEx, and Emery, have reduced product delivery 

times from weeks to days while maintaining affordable rates. Second, despite the 

dot-com “melt down” of 2000, Internet sales in the fourth quarter of 2002 were up 28.2 

percent over fourth-quarter 2001, reaching $14.3 billion (USDC Bureau of the Census 

2003). EBay alone sells over 90,000 craft items per week, establishing itself as a 

major craft distribution channel.

Third, direct distribution is increasingly being used to bypass traditional retail outlets. 

Direct distribution has been perfected by Dell Computer, which created a business 

model based on three principles: no inventory, no middlepersons, and tailor products 

to individual customer needs (Jones 2003). Fourth, globalization has opened up export markets more than ever before. United States exports increased 25 percent from 

$584 billion in 1995 to $729 billion in 2001 (International Trade Administration 2002). 

Alaska birch craft producers can leverage all four of these distribution trends. They 

can reach consumers directly via the internet, take orders, and have the product arrive to the end consumer within days. In addition to U.S. markets, global markets offer 

strong growth opportunity. Firms that embrace the trends of the new world distribution 

diamond will have a tremendous advantage over their competitors who do not. 

Recent data have shown that many Alaska birch craft producers are successfully 

adapting to new marketing trends. Over a 3-year period (1999 to 2001), average sales 

increased by approximately 56 percent, while raw material use during the same period 

1 The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for 

reader information and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or service.
5

increased by over 42 percent (Braden and Nicholls 2003). In-state markets account 

for over 90 percent of total sales, with the primary outlets being craft shows and retail 

gift stores, many of which are oriented toward the tourist trade. 

Birch marketing recommendations—

• Lumber grades. Development of proprietary grades may be a useful mechanism 

for marketing birch lumber with defects. Proprietary grades would have two advantages for the Alaska birch industry. First, character-marked birch lumber could 

be sold as a premium product, adding substantial value to the birch resource. 

Second, grading would enable birch producers to supply lumber with consistent 

levels of defect, thereby addressing a key concern among consumers. 

• Character markings. For birch products such as kitchen cabinets, consumers generally prefer moderate types of defect and grain variation to more striking defect 

(such as spalting patterns). However, when choosing between doors with different 

gradations of the same character feature, consumers generally prefer high levels 

of defect to intermediate levels. 

• Retail marketing birch lumber. When marketing random-width birch lumber for retail sales, focus strategies can be used to identify key market segments most likely 

to buy certain products. Alternatively, niche marketing strategies can be used to 

distinguish birch from competing hardwood lumber species. 

• Craft products. Birch craft producers can capitalize on new distribution trends, 

including express package delivery, e-commerce, direct distribution, and global 

marketing opportunities.

Commercially viable red alder stands are found predominantly in southeast Alaska. 

The species commonly occurs in areas that have experienced disturbance, primarily by timber harvesting (fig. 4). Therefore, in contrast to much of the timber resource in Alaska, a high proportion of red alder is accessible from existing roadbeds. 

Researchers have reported that pure red alder stands can become mature in less 

than 50 years (Smith 1968), suggesting that stands established during the pulp mill 

Figure 3—New world distribution diamond (Roos, n.d.).

Globalization Internet

Direct distribution

Express carriers

Red Alder 

The Red Alder 

Resource in Alaska
6 

era (1950s–1990s) could now be reaching maturity. Smaller stems—less than 8 to 

10 inches in diameter—are used primarily for pulp or fuelwood (Hibbs 1996). Larger 

stems, approximately 10 inches or more in diameter, are generally well suited for 

higher value lumber products. Reliable volume estimates for red alder in southeast 

Alaska are not available. However, it is estimated that the net volume of red alder 

growing stock within two inventory units 2 of the Tongass National Forest is greater 

than 25 million cubic feet (van Hees 2001a, 2001b).

The species has been used extensively for furniture manufacture in the Pacific 

Northwest and California, with more than 40 percent of the 1992 California hardwood 

consumption being alder (Cohn and Goudie 1995). Red alder in Alaska has been used 

primarily for niche markets, such as chips for smoking fish and wood carving, but 

otherwise has seen little commercial use (Wipfli et al. 2002). Although red alder has 

properties well suited to furniture and cabinet production (including good machinability), it generally lacks the name recognition of more traditional hardwoods, such as 

oaks (Quercus spp.) and maples (Acer spp.). 

Lack of consumer awareness of red alder products prompted Nicholls et al. (n.d.) to 

conduct a study comparing consumer preferences for red alder to the more traditional 

hardwoods, oak, hickory, maple, and cherry (fig. 5). They found that when consumers 

based their choices entirely on visual appearance, red alder compared favorably to 

the other hardwoods in the study (fig. 6). However, the popularity of red alder relative 

Figure 4—Geographic range of red alder in Alaska (indicated in green).

2 Unreserved lands within the Ketchikan and Stikine inventory units, Tongass National Forest.

Red Alder Materials 

and Utilization

Recent Red Alder 

Research
7

Figure 5—Red alder cabinet doors used in consumer preferences study: (A) unstained, 

(B) moderate stain, (C) heavy stain.

to other species was reduced when consumers were exposed to the species name 

“red alder.” The one exception was middle-aged, high-income consumers. The study 

revealed that this segment was familiar with the species name “red alder” and viewed 

it as desirable. These findings suggest that, generally, consumers are not familiar 

with the name “red alder” and, therefore, this name should not be emphasized when 

marketing red alder products. Alternative marketing strategies could be used such as 

staining red alder with a cherry stain and emphasizing attributes other than species 

name such as “solid hardwood” and “cherry finish.” However, to target the middleaged, high-income market segment, emphasizing the name “red alder” should be a 

part of the marketing strategy.

Figure 6—Consumer preferences for kitchen cabinets.

A B C
8 

Consumer preferences for different levels of staining also were evaluated in this study. 

Three levels of stain were considered (no stain, moderate or light stain, and heavy 

stain), and in general consumers preferred a heavier stain (fig. 6). This study also 

found that retail sales staff are an important resource guiding consumer decisions, 

listed 48 percent of the time as the most important information source (fig. 7).

Red alder marketing recommendations—

• Appearance features. Given low level of consumer awareness, red alder products 

should be marketed based on appearance features and not species name.

• Staining. In general, darker stains increase the popularity of red alder products. 

• Point of sale marketing. Retail sales staff are an important information source for 

consumers when purchasing kitchen cabinets. This should be recognized when 

developing retail marketing strategies. 

• Demographic factors. Red alder products with heavy darker stain are popular 

among middle-aged, higher income consumers.

Alaska yellow-cedar is found in southeast Alaska, where it constitutes 9.7 percent of 

the net volume of growing stock on unreserved national forest land (Wilson 2002) (fig. 

8). It tends to grow on poorer sites where it faces less competition from more prevalent 

western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis 

(Bong.) Carr.). Alaska yellow-cedar has been in decline for over 100 years in disparate 

stands throughout southeast Alaska (Hennon et al. 1990). As yet, no definitive explanation has emerged for this increase in mortality, although current theories favor site, 

as opposed to biotic, causes (Hennon et al. 1997). This century-long decline has resulted in half a million acres of dead or dying Alaska yellow-cedar in southeast Alaska 

(Hennon et al. 1990).

Alaska yellow-cedar is Alaska’s most valuable commercial species, characterized by 

high strength and natural decay resistance (Hennon et al. 2000). This decay resistance means that the mechanical properties of lumber sawn from trees that have 

been dead for up to 80 years meet or exceed those of lumber sawn from living trees 

(Hennon et al. 2000). The properties of Alaska yellow-cedar make it well suited to 

outdoor applications such as decks, play structures, and furniture. Much of the Alaska 

yellow-cedar harvested in Alaska is exported, primarily to Japan, where it is used for 

sills (dodai), marine applications, and temple construction (Eastin and Braden 2000). 

Two recent studies have examined consumer preferences for Alaska yellow-cedar. 

Donovan (2003) used a national mail survey to determine if consumers perceive 

harvesting standing dead Alaska yellow-cedar as more environmentally friendly than 

harvesting living trees. Results showed that consumers were willing to pay almost 

double for products sawn from standing dead as opposed to living trees.

Donovan and Hesseln (n.d.) studied consumer willingness to pay for the natural decay 

resistance of Alaska yellow-cedar. This study was motivated by recent safety concerns 

in relation to the withdrawal, for nonindustrial uses, of chromated copper arsenate, the 

most common chemical wood preservative in the United States. Respondents were 

asked to choose between two superficially identical children’s play structures, one 

made from treated southern pine, the other made from Alaska yellow-cedar at various 

prices. Results indicated that consumers were willing to pay more than double for the 

Alaska yellow-cedar play structure.

Alaska Yellow-Cedar

The Alaska Yellow-Cedar 

Resource in Alaska

Alaska Yellow-Cedar 

Materials and Utilization

Recent Alaska YellowCedar Research
9

Figure 7—Primary information source for purchasing kitchen cabinets from select hardwoods, including 

red alder.

Figure 8—Geographic range of Alaska yellow-cedar in Alaska 

(indicated in green). 
10 

Alaska yellow-cedar marketing recommendations—

• Decay resistance. Alaska yellow-cedar should be used for products where decay 

resistance is important, and marketing efforts should emphasize that Alaska yellow-cedar’s decay resistance is not derived from chemical treatment. 

• Standing dead timber. When marketing standing dead Alaska yellow-cedar products, it should be emphasized that the lumber was sawn from standing dead as 

opposed to living trees.

Marketing recommendations for made-in-Alaska wood products—

• Marketing secondary wood products. Recent research has shown that Alaska 

consumers are willing to pay a substantial price premium for secondary wood 

products made in Alaska, compared to similar imported products (Donovan and 

Nicholls, n.d.). 

• Made-in-Alaska certification program. The made-in-Alaska certification program 

has been widely adopted in the gifts and artwork sector. Study results suggest 

that the made-in-Alaska program could be profitably adopted by more traditional 

primary and secondary manufacturers.

Alaska’s forest products industry has been in severe decline since 1990. The competitive disadvantages that are the cause of this decline are well documented. The 

authors believe that research may help the forest products industry reverse this trend 

by identifying and capitalizing on the competitive advantages it does have. Tourism is 

now Alaska’s second largest private sector employer. Tourists spend approximately $1 

billion ($770 per visitor) in Alaska every year, representing a significant opportunity to 

reach market destinations outside of the state. There is a strong need for continued 

research to identify the types of products and features of Alaska woods that are most 

appealing to tourists, by capturing the mystique and beauty of the state. Additional 

work also is needed to identify the demographic segments of tourists most likely to 

purchase wood products made in Alaska. This is especially true when considering increased competition by foreign-made goods.

Alaska species have unique visual and mechanical properties that may help differentiate them from competing species from other regions of the country. Research would 

allow producers to better match these qualities with the needs of specific secondary 

manufacturers of hardwood and softwood products. 

For example, the distinctive appearance of spalted Alaska birch is well suited to picture 

frames, bowls, and other decorative applications, whereas clear and character-marked 

cuttings can be used for a variety of secondary products including flooring, cabinets, 

and molding. 

Alaska species are generally slower grown, with tighter growth rings, than woods 

from other parts of the country, making them well suited to the production of structural 

members such as glulam beams. Alaska yellow-cedar, in particular, could be used to 

fill niche markets where high strength and decay resistance are required. In southeast 

Alaska, red alder is an abundant, relatively fast-growing species that is easily machined, dried, and stained. Alder has strong potential for products including lumber, 

kitchen cabinets, and furniture.

Future Research 
11

1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

1 foot = 0.3048 meter

1 cubic foot = 0.028 cubic meter

1 board foot = 2360 cubic centimeters

Anon. 1976. Alaskan woods, series no. 2: Alaska’s birch. [Place of publication 

unknown]: Alaska Department of Natural Resources; U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Alaska Region. [Pages unknown].

Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. 2003. Employment 

information by geographic area or industry. http://almis.labor.state.ak.us/. (27 

March).

Braden, R.; Nicholls, D. [N.d.]. Alaska birch craft and gift survey—an evaluation of 

marketing practices and firm demographics. Manuscript in preparation. On file with: 

D. Nicholls, Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center, 

204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835. 

Bush, R.J.; Araman, P.A. 1990. Optimizing product attributes to gain competitive 

advantage in markets for hardwood lumber. In: Symposium on specific forest 

products opportunities. [Place of publication unknown]: [Publisher unknown]: 

[Pages unknown].

Bush, R.J.; Sinclair, S.A.; Araman, P.A. 1991. Determinant product and supplier 

attributes in domestic markets for hardwood lumber. Forest Products Journal. 

41(2): 33–40.

Cohn, D.H.; Goudie, D. 1995. Profile of the California furniture industry: structure, 

product types, and wood use. Forest Products Journal. 45(6): 31–37.

Donovan, G.H. [2003]. Consumer willingness to pay a price premium for standingdead Alaska yellow-cedar. Manuscript in preparation. On file with: G. Donovan, 

Pacific Northwest Research Station, 620 SW Main St., Suite 400, Portland, OR 

97205. 

Donovan, G.H.; Hesseln, H. [N.d.]. Consumer willingness to pay for naturally decayresistant wood products. Manuscript in preparation. On file with: G. Donovan, 

Pacific Northwest Research Station, 620 SW Main St., Suite 400, Portland, OR 

97205. 

Donovan, G.H.; Nicholls, D.L. [N.d.]. Consumer preferences and willingness to pay 

for character-marked cabinets from Alaska birch. Manuscript in preparation. On file 

with: G. Donovan, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 620 SW Main St., Suite 400, 

Portland, OR 97205. 

Eastin, I.L.; Braden, R. 2000. Survey of international opportunities for Alaska 

softwood producers. Prepared for the Alaska Department of Community and 

Economic Development. Seattle, WA: Center for International Trade and Forest 

Products. 105 p.

Hennon, P.E.; Shaw, C.G.; Hansen, E.M. 1990. Dating decline and mortality of 

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis in southeast Alaska. Forest Science. 36(3): 502–515.

Metric Equivalents

References
12 

Hennon, P.E.; Shaw, C.G.; Hansen, E.M. 1997. The enigma of yellow-cedar decline: 

What is killing these long-lived, defensive trees? Journal of Forestry. 95(12): 4–10.

Hennon, P.E.; Wittwer, D.; Stevens, J.; Kilborn, K. 2000. Pattern of deterioration 

and recovery of wood from dead yellow-cedar in southeast Alaska. Western Journal 

of Applied Forestry. 15: 49–58.

Hibbs, D.E. 1996. Stand management: managing red alder—the woodland workbook. 

Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University Extension Service. 8 p.

International Trade Administration. 2002. Export trade statistics. http://www.ita.gov. 

(19 March 2003).

Jones, K. 2003. The Dell way. Business 2.0 Magazine. (February).

McDowell Group. 1998. The Alaska market for value-added lumber products. 

[Juneau, AK]; final report.

Nicholls, D.L.; Donovan, G.H.; Roos, J. [N.d.]. Kitchen cabinets from red alder—a 

comparison to other hardwoods. Manuscript in preparation. On file with: J. Roos, 

Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center, 204 Siginaka Way, 

Sitka, AK 99835. 

Robertson, G.C.; Brooks, D.J. 2001. Assessment of the competitive position of 

the forest products sector in southeast Alaska, 1985-94. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNWGTR-504. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific 

Northwest Research Station. 29 p. 

Roos, J. [N.d.]. Distribution diamond: craft marketing—uses and markets for Alaska 

birch. Manuscript in preparation. Joe Roos, Alaska Wood Utilization Research and 

Development Center, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835.

Smith, J.H.G. 1968. Growth and yield of red alder in British Columbia. In: Trappe, J.; 

Franklin, J.F.; Tarrant, R.F.; Hansen, G.M., eds. Biology of alder. Portland, OR: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest Range and 

Experiment Station: 273–286. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 2001. Timber cut and sold report. 

Juneau, AK: Alaska Region. [Pages unknown].

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 2003. Quarterly U.S. 

retail E-commerce sales. http://www.census.gov. (19 March).

van Hees, W.W.S. 2001a. Summary estimates of forest resources on unreserved 

lands of the Ketchikan inventory unit, Tongass National Forest, southeast Alaska, 

1998. Resour. Bull. PNW-RB-233. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 8 p.

van Hees, W.W.S. 2001b. Summary estimates of forest resources on unreserved 

lands of the Stikine inventory unit, Tongass National Forest, southeast Alaska, 

1998. Resour. Bull. PNW-RB-232. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 8 p.

Warren, D.D. 2001. Production, prices, employment, and trade in Northwest forest 

industries, all quarters 1999. Resour. Bull. PNW-RB-235. Portland, OR: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 
13

171 p.

Wheeler, E.E. [N.d.]. Alaska paper birch. Alaska Division of Community and Business 

Development, Department of Community and Economic Development. http://

www.dced.state.ak.us/econdev/tree5e.htm. (10 August 2001).

Wilson, W. 2002. Cedar harvest on the Tongass National Forest (1997–2001). 

Juneau, AK: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 6 p.

Wipfli, M.S.; Deal, R.L.; Hennon, P.E. [et al.]. 2002. Managing young upland forests 

in southeast Alaska for wood products, wildlife, aquatic resources, and fishes: 

problem analysis and study plan. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-558. Portland, 

OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research 

Station. 64 p.

The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the principle 

of multiple use management of the Nation’s forest resources for sustained yields of 

wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, cooperation 

with the States and private forest owners, and management of the National Forests 

and National Grasslands, it strives—as directed by Congress—to provide increasingly 

greater service to a growing Nation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs 

and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, 

political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases 

apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 

326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 

20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider and employer.

Pacific Northwest Research Station

Web site http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw

Telephone (503) 808-2592

Publication requests (503) 808-2138

FAX (503) 808-2130

E-mail pnw_pnwpubs@fs.fed.us

Mailing address Publications Distribution

 Pacific Northwest Research Station

 P.O. Box 3890

 Portland, OR 97208-3890
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Pacific Northwest Research Station

333 SW First Avenue

P.O. Box 3890

Portland, OR 97208-3890

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use, $300