Douglas Island news., 1915-08-18
National Forest Reduced

lOkILANDi OhEHOi'i A llo "ASN VI N"~ Chugach Forest, in Alaska, is reduced oyer five million acres, according to advice just received. Eliminated area includes glaciers and other areas of little practical timber value, originally included in Forest on account of the uncertainty of exact location of valua ble timber lands. Present boundaries of the Chugach Forest, which includes now eight million acres, said to include large body of timber to be used in de- veloping the whole region of Northern Alaska.
 Word has just been received in the office of the district forester that the President has approved the recommen. dation of the forest service changing the boundaries of tbe Chugach national forest in Alaska by proclamation of August 9. The new proclamation eff fleets an elimination of 5,8Ol574 acres land and 66l ,O0l acres of water. The forest boundary lines were changed not only by making eliminatious but by making three small additions to the Chugach forest. One occurs on the Kenai peninsula, north of the city of Seward, another in the Puget bay re giou, and the third Okalee Spit and other small areas in that vicinity. These additions were made in order to in clude good body of timber and to make workable administrative boundary lines.
 The lands eliminated consist mainly of glaciated mountains and muskeg areas of practically no forest value but which were originally included within the national forest because of the un- certainty which existed as to the loca- ton and extent of the timbered areas aud in order to establish a boundary that could be more easily described and administered.
 The total area of the Chugach forest is now approximately 5,8l7959 acres of land and 3O58,U73 acres of water, mak- ing total of S,S7G,O32 acres. The present proclamation, it is stated, puts the boundary lines of the Chugach forest about where they belong This forest is one of the largest and most valuable bodies of timber of merchant able size Co be found anywhere on the globe north of sixty degrees latatude. Owing to The more rigorous climate, the timber is smaller in size and yield than, for instance, in the forests of Southeastern Alaska. However it runs from $500 to 5000 feet per acre, aod in some places as high as 3O,O0O to 5O,000 feet. The total amount of timber now in the forest is reported to be about eight billion feet on a conservative es timate, and it is believed that this body of timber will be the principal and most accessible source of lumber for the development of the entire vast re zion of Northern Alaska. From these forests, the interior country must draw it's supply of structural timber in the future. This timber is even now used locally, 19G timber sales having been consummated since 1905, involving over 100000 feet B. M., in addition to the large amount which has been supplied freo 10 local settlers. proypeetors, fish ermen and others. Exclusive of the panhandle, the area of Alaska is about 30OOOOOOO acres, less than two per cent of which is to lee retained within the Chugach National Forest 10 supply tim Der for this vast region.
 The forest vii! be drawn upon i'm mediately for railroad construction by cooperation between the forest service and Alaska railroad commission, the timber being supplied free of charge to the Alaska railroad as authorized by congress.