Southeast Alaskans have always known where to find the best hunting grounds, the richest fish streams, and the most awe-inspiring forest stands.  A five year long studied entitled “A Conservation Assessment of Coastal Forest and Mountains Ecoregion in Southeast Alaska” gives scientific credence to the local knowledge.

The conservation assessment maps the most ecologically important watershed in Southeast Alaska and includes input from many of Southeast Alaska’s top biologists and ecologists as well as information and data from scores of agency reports and peer reviewed literature.  Biological values of watersheds were based on the abundance of winter deer habitat, summer bear habitat, nesting habitat for marbled murrelets, spawning and rearing habitat for all 5 species of salmon plus steelhead, large-tree old growth, and estuaries within each of 22 bio-geographic provinces across Southeast.

Not surprisingly, 72% of the unprotected areas with the highest ecological integrity are the very same places SEACC and our member groups have been working to safeguard for nearly 40 years.

To view the maps and read more about the conservation assessment see http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/akcfm