Alaska Regional

The Alaska Region of the Forest Service encompasses two of the Nation’s largest national forests, the [Chugach](https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/about-region/overview/?cid=fsbdev2_038665) and [Tongass](https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/about-region/overview/?cid=fsbdev2_038671), located in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska. From the Chugach National Forest and the famous Russian River of the Kenai Peninsula to the Tongass National Forest, which covers a large portion of Southeast Alaska, surrounding the famous Inside Passage, the Alaska Region offers amazing diversity and the most beautiful, famous, and stunning forests in the nation. The Alaska Region is a land of extremes. In this land, massive Sitka spruce create cathedral-like forests. Frigid blue glaciers grind their way relentlessly through mountains. Humpback whales frolic in the waters encircling the forests. Brown bears wander the forest. The beauty and bounty of the national forests in Alaska draw attention from around the Nation and around the world. The employees of the Alaska Region work with the public to manage nearly 22 million acres in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska. Vast watersheds filled with rivers, salmon streams, and glaciers are found here. Additionally, the [State, Private, and Tribal Forestry](https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r10/communityforests) staff reach across the boundaries of national forests to states, tribes, communities, and non-industrial private landowners. The Alaska Region of the Forest Service is a leader in protecting the land’s bounty while providing a place for people to work and play. The Tongass National Forest stretches the 500-mile length of the Alaska Panhandle and encompasses more than 80 percent of the land. It’s home to the cities of Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Petersburg, and more communities located in this vast temperate rainforest. The Chugach National Forest makes a 210-mile arc around Prince William Sound. Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage, is an access point to the Chugach National Forest. The Chugach is home to Seward, Cordova, Valdez and more communities. Local communities and tribes depend on national forest resources for daily living, including employment in the fishing and wood products industries, among others. Many residents make use of the fish, blueberries, deer, salmon, wood products, and other resources on the forests. National and international visitors join local residents in exploring the rivers and trails that stretch from sea level to the alpine. Guided tours and cruises enable visitors to enjoy the wildlife and scenery, while independent travelers make their own opportunities for excellent fishing, kayaking, and camping experiences. Alaska’s beauty and bounty, and the role of the Forest Service in managing the land, receive much national attention. Communities balance the use of and extraction of natural resources while conserving and protecting them.