Kevin McCabe

There’s a narrative floating about that Alaska lacks merchantable timber, or that permits exist without wood to harvest. That claim is convenient for those who oppose active forest management, but it doesn’t hold up when examined against hard data or realities on the ground. …The path forward is not complicated, but it does require political will. Recent federal directives create opportunities to increase responsible timber production if agencies choose to act. That means active young-growth management in the Tongass, improved access and infrastructure in the Interior and regulatory reforms, including updates to plans such as the Chugach’s to incorporate sustainable timber objectives. It means addressing Roadless Rule barriers where appropriate, offering predictable and appropriately scaled timber sales, updating lumber grading standards for young-growth products, certifying small mills and building local processing capacity. …Alaska’s forestry challenge is not a shortage of trees. It is a shortage of policies that work.