Forest service carves new experimental forest out of Tongass NF

"We anticipate that Héen Latinee will become a center for temperate rain forest ecosystem research where the coastal glaciers, rain forests, streams, and estuaries are studied as integrated, coupled systems, that provide us with the wood, energy, and food that we need," says Rick Edwards, lead scientist at the Héen Latinee Experimental Forest.

The nation's newest experimental forest also will provide a place for researchers and managers to understand the effects of climate change on temperate rain forest systems. Knowledge gained at the forest will help local land managers, communities, and Native Tribes in Alaska understand and manage for climate change. This experimental forest sets the stage for joint research activities between government agencies, universities, and other nongovernmental cooperating organizations.

The PNW Research Station is establishing partnerships and learning opportunities with the University of Alaska Southeast, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, local schools, Native Tribes, other federal agencies, and the City of Juneau. Activities may include participation in student environmental sciences camps, working with Alaska Native youth to introduce them to careers in natural resources, and promoting traditional ecological knowledge by engaging youth in research that involves Native Elders and scientists.