Seward daily gateway., 1925-12-05
By CHARLES H. FLORY District Forester.

In discussing Alaska's timber re- sources it is necessary to differen- tiate between the forests or the Coast and the forests of the lnte- ricr as these two sections of the Ter ritory carry entirely different types of tree growth.
 The southern coastal region of the Territory as far north and west as Cook Inlet has a luxuriant forest growth which is northern extension of a type found along the coast or Oregon, Washington and British Co., 1umbia. It's occurrence here is made possible by the moderating influence on climate of the Japan Current which reaches the shores of the Am erican Continent in this vicinity. Its principal species are western hem lock and Sitka spruce, with which are associated in various localities western red cedar and Alaska (yel- low) cedar.
 The coast forests are largely in cluded within the National Forests and are described under this head ing.
 Forests of the Interior.
 The forests of the broad interior river system are of the open wood land type and largely confined to the valley floors and the adjacent lower slopes The principal species are white spruce. White birch, bal sam, poplar, black cottonwood, aspen, black spruce and larch. White spruce and white birch are by far the most important trees. The stand per acre is always very light and in the main the trees are too small for sawtimber and are principally valuable for fuel
 Very little is known about the ex. tent of these interior forests. Their gross area has been estimated as high as 15O,OOO,OOO acres, but it can safely be said that the area bearing trees of sawtimber size is compara- lively small. One authority esti- mates the interior to have 5,500,0OO acres of merchantable sawtimber with an average stand per acre of 5000 board feet or total sawtimber stand of 27,5O0,000 board feet
 It is unlikely that much of this interior timber will ever reach the genreal markets but it has high potential value for local use in con- nection with the development of the mining and agricultural resources of the vast region over which it occurs.
 These forests are on the unreserv. ed public domain and so far have been given little organized protec. tion. They have suffered severely from the ravages of fire, millions of acres having been burned within re- cent years.
 The National Forests.
 Alaska has two National Forests comprising a total area of 2O,7OO,OOO acres. The Tongass National Forest consists of 15,5O0,0OO acres and in cludes the greater part of the region popularly known as Southeastern Al aska. The Chugach National Forest covers the timber belt on the shores of Prince William Sound and has an area of 5,2OO,0OO acres.
 These Forests were set apart from the open public land area and plac ed under the supervision of the For est Service for development and man agement by methods that will insure continuous forest productivity. All o1 their resources are available for use Standing timber can be purchased for manufacture in practically any quantity desired; lands valuable for agriculture, mining, industrial plants and town sites can be patented un' der the general public land laws and areas needed for water power devel