The Tongass National Forest is a critical stronghold of wild salmon and other wildlife species, an iconic landscape that defines our connection to wild nature, and a powerful carbon sink. It supports vibrant local communities across Southeast Alaska with access to clean water, healthy fish populations, and traditional hunting, fishing and gathering. In addition to 17 million acres of coastal rainforest, the Tongass is made up of fjords, mountains and glaciers. As the largest coastal temperate rainforest in North America—spanning sea level from the Alexander Archipelago to snowcapped mountain peaks—the Tongass is both a resilient ecosystem and an irreplaceable cultural resource for the many tribes who call it home.

There are six watersheds that make up Tongass National Forest, which is the largest national forest in the United States. The six watersheds of Tongass National Forest are Prince of Wales Island and Mitchell Bay Watershed, Dougherty Cove Watershed, Elizabeth Island/Ursus Cove Watershed, Nonvianuk Watershed, Passage Canal Watershed, and Chatham Strait Watershed.

@TMO or @anyone add these basins up👆👆

Tongass National Forest is the largest, unlogged temperate rainforest in the world and home to many species of vegetation, fish and wildlife. It also provides vital habitat to endangered species like salmon and supports vital commercial fishing, guiding and tourism industries. The Tongass is an important part of the global effort to protect and restore critical ecological assets, critical for climate regulation, carbon storage, recreation opportunities and cultural resources which define the Alaskan way of life.

Logging: Logging is a major threat to Tongass National Forest due to its potential to destroy its 800 year old trees which make up critical habitats and ecosystems and adversely affect salmon populations, bees and other wildlife species.

Climate Change: Global warming has already begun to have an effect on the coast of Southeast Alaska, resulting in a decrease in the spawning success of Pacific salmon and the increasing abundance of coastal predators such as bears, which threaten the health of Tongass’ plant and animal populations.

Wildfire: The presence of large sources of fuel combined with rising temperatures makes Tongass an ideal landscape for fires, which can spread rapidly, leading to large-scale destruction of habitats and significant economic damage.

Acid Rain: Acid rain caused by air pollution has been linked to the death of forests in Tongass National Forest, resulting in habitat loss for fish and wildlife species as well as rare plants found only in this region.

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