VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2026
FOREST SERVICE, STATE SIGN HISTORIC DEAL
Built in Alaska: An Economic Crossword Test your knowledge of Alaska’s core industries, infrastructure, tourism, & workforce.
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COURTESY USDA
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THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S FOREST SERVICE AND THE STATE OF ALASKA DE- PARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, DIVISION OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION, HAVE SIGNED A GROUNDBREAKING 20-YEAR SHARED STEW- ARDSHIP THAT EXPANDS CROSS‑BOUNDARY FOR- EST MANAGEMENT AND STRENGTHENS ALASKA’S FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY. The agreement announced Feb. 24 rep- resents the largest scale of state-federal col- laboration in Alaska's history in terms of acreage and duration, and provides a long- term framework to address the unique challenges facing the state's forests and communities. "This significant agreement outlines our commitment to work together, actively man- aging the Tongass National Forest to create healthy forests, while contributing to a sta- ble, vibrant rural economy," Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said. "Together, we will deliver real, measurable results — in part, by enabling the state to implement projects on up to 300,000 acres across the Tongass through Good Neighbor Authority. This will mean more acres treated, more communities protected, more jobs created, and healthier forests for generations to come." Signed at Forest Service headquarters in Washington D.C., this agreement builds on decades of partnership between the State of Alaska and the Forest Service in fighting fires, managing forest health, and support- ing timber programs across the state's vast landscape. The agreement commits both agencies to concrete actions, including developing a tim- ber action plan by the end of 2026 that identi- fies priority projects on the Tongass National Forest, providing reliable timber offerings, and evaluating longer-term contracting op- tions to increase industry confidence. “As someone who has worked in a log- ging camp in Southeast Alaska, I know how important having a working forest is to communities in Southeast,” said Gov.
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The agreement between the State of Alaska and the Forest Service commits both agencies to concrete actions, including developing a timber action plan by the end of 2026 that identifies priority projects on the Tongass National Forest.
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activities The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection manages 20 million acres of state lands and provides fire protection across 154 million acres statewide. The For- est Service manages the 5.4-million-acre Chugach National Forest and 16.7-mil- lion-acre Tongass National Forest. Togeth- er, these lands provide critical resources and economic opportunities for Alaskans while protecting watersheds, wildlife hab- itat, and cultural resources. These coordi- nated efforts will help sustain rural econ- omies, improve public safety, and support long-term community resilience. This new agreement follows simi- lar shared stewardship agreements with other states including Montana, Idaho, Utah, Georgia and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Each reflects USDA's commitment to working across boundaries to improve forest health and strengthen rural communities.
Mike Dunleavy. “This is great news for the people of Alaska and will be a lifeline to the blue-collar Alaskan workers in Southeast Alaska who President Biden and previous administrations sought to keep out of work by managing the Tongass as if it were a Na- tional Park.” The partnership encompasses compre- hensive forest management priorities in- cluding: n Cross-boundary coordination on fuels reduction and wildfire mitigation n Response to insect and disease threats n Infrastructure development and im- proved access n Workforce training opportunities n Investment in modern milling and harvesting technology n Technical assistance to private and non-federal landowners n Coordination on wildlife habitat, recreation, and authorized development
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ACROSS 2. Iconic passenger line connecting Anchorage and Fairbanks (14) 10. Major North Slope oil field (7) 11. Alaska’s largest city (9) 17. Precious metal mined in Alaska (4) 20. Oil moves through this 800-mile system (11) 25. Major summer visitors arriving by sea (7) 29. Southeast Alaska industry built on trees (8) 30. Industry harvesting salmon and pollock (7) 33. Alaska’s state fish (10)
DOWN 1. State nickname referencing gold (12)
9. Critical to Alaska’s economic growth across sectors (11) 11. Career preparation through hands-on industry training (14) 12. Northern region where Prudhoe Bay is located (10) 15. Skilled labor pipeline supporting Alaska industries (9) 17. LNG stands for Liquefied Natural ____ (3)
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ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW MARCH 2026
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