Both, however, are managed to remain in their natural state. It was easier. National Monuments are created by presidential proclamation, national parks are created by an Act of Congress. Both Monuments were created by President Carter in 1978 and most of their acreage became wilderness areas in 1980 as part of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Old growth trees can be 200 to 700 years old.
Many trees fall over when they get very old and become nursery logs for seedlings.
It doesn't look like a tropical rainforest, but it does look like a temperate rainforest. Cooler temperatures slow down the establishment and regeneration of vegetation, but our rainforest actually has a greater biomass than tropical rainforests. Two species in the coniferous mix of our forest are cedar. When a cedar dies, it does not rot and fall down as readily as other species. A standing dead tree is a habitat element important to many birds and insects.