Restoring Streams and Forests for Fish, Wildlife, and People
Historic logging damaged watersheds throughout Southeast Alaska. Timber harvest next to salmon streams eliminated a critical source of habitat-forming large wood. When large trees fall into streams, the wood creates pools, sorts and stores spawning gravel, and provides cover for fish. Logging impacts extend beyond the stream channel: after clearcutting, crowded stands of stunted young-growth trees establish. The shade in these stands eventually kills culturally and ecologically valuable understory plants that sustain humans, deer, and numerous other species.
We restore fish and wildlife habitat by placing large trees in streams and selectively thinning young-growth forest. Wood in streams enhances habitat complexity and restores floodplain wetlands. Ecologically thinned forests provide sunlight and space for ferns, berry bushes, and herbs to recolonize.
SAWC, Tribal, and Forest Service staff dig a trench that will anchor a log to create a pool in Shorty Creek, Kuiu Island. Photo: Lee House
Thinning post-logging young growth forest creates space and sunlight for ecologically and culturally important understory plants(top: before, bottom: after). Photo: Lee House
We use handtools, like winches and pulleys, to manuever large wood into streams to create fish habitat.