The Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska is the largest national forest in the United States. Most of its area is part of the temperate rain forest WWF ecoregion, itself part of the larger Pacific temperate rain forest WWF ecoregion, and is remote enough to be home to many species of endangered and rare flora and fauna. The Tongass encompasses islands of the Alexander Archipelago, fjords and glaciers, and peaks of the Coast Mountains. An international border with Canada (British Columbia) runs along the crest of the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains. The forest is administered from Forest Service offices in Ketchikan. There are local ranger district offices located in Craig, Hoonah, Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Thorne Bay, Wrangell, and Yakutat.
Map 1 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Sitka Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 1 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Ketchikan Misty Fjords Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 8 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of the Craig and Thorne Bay Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 1 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Wrangell Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 1 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Petersburg Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 1 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Yakutat Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 2 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Ketchikan Misty Fjords Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 2 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Petersburg Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 2 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Sitka Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 2 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Wrangell Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Map 2 of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of Yakutat Ranger District (RD) of Tongass National Forest (NF) in Alaska. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Brochure about Alaska Burn Morels. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Tongass NF
https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tongass/home
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongass_National_Forest
The Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska is the largest national forest in the United States. Most of its area is part of the temperate rain forest WWF ecoregion, itself part of the larger Pacific temperate rain forest WWF ecoregion, and is remote enough to be home to many species of endangered and rare flora and fauna. The Tongass encompasses islands of the Alexander Archipelago, fjords and glaciers, and peaks of the Coast Mountains. An international border with Canada (British Columbia) runs along the crest of the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains. The forest is administered from Forest Service offices in Ketchikan. There are local ranger district offices located in Craig, Hoonah, Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Thorne Bay, Wrangell, and Yakutat.
TONGASS
NATIONAL FOREST
2019 VISITOR GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GETTING THE MOST OUT
OF YOUR VISIT...............................3
TONGASS FISHERIES....................4
SALMON FACTS............................5
CABINS & CAMPGROUNDS......... 5
KIDS, FISHING AND
A CHILDREN’S FOREST.................6
FOREST MAP...............................8-9
TONGASS FACTS...........................9
ANNUAL RAINFALL.......................9
BEAR VIEWING............................10
BEAR ENCOUNTERS....................11
SARKAR LAKE
RECREATION AREA.....................12
SUSTAINABLE
RECREATION .........................13-14
LEARN MORE...............................15
CONTACT US................ Back Cover
Welcome to the
Tongass National
Forest!
At nearly 17 million acres, this is the largest National
Forest in the Unites States, and the largest contiguous
temperate rainforest in the world. The Tongass
National Forest is a public treasure. It is a land of
beauty, mystery, and untold natural riches. Since time
immemorial, this forest has nourished and sustained
rich and unique human cultures.
It continues to sustain Alaskan communities and
culture today by creating jobs and bringing revenue
through tourism, recreation, watersheds, fisheries and
timber. The Tongass NF sees more than 2.8 million
visitors annually, generating more than $380 million
in spending and over 5,000 jobs!* All of this while
protecting and maintaining some of the most diverse
and beautiful ecosystems in the country.
The Tongass has something for everyone. Explore,
renew, and refresh among the islands and along the
coastline here in the Tongass, and take home exciting
memories of adventures in Alaska. We hope you enjoy
your time in the Last Frontier and will choose to
return often.
M. Earl Stewart
FOREST SUPERVISOR,
TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST
2
Produced by the Tongass National Forest.
All photos are courtesy USFS unless otherwise noted.
Thank you to the following photographers and writers:
Faith L. Duncan, Carla Hart, Cindy Lagoudakis, Ron Medel,
Katie Rooks and Libby Sterling.
Designed by Timberdoodle Studio.
Printed on recycled paper.
Getting the Most
out of Your Visit
KETCHIKAN, REVILLAGIGEDO ISLAND
Orient yourself at the Southeast Alaska Discovery
Center: attend programs, tour the exhibits, learn the
story of civil rights pioneer Elizabeth Peratrovich
and watch award-winning movies in the Peratrovich
Theater. Hike trails that range in difficulty from a
peaceful lakeside walk to a strenuous mountain climb
that rewards you with spectacular views. Explore Misty
Fjords National Monument via watercraft or air.
In April, experience the Hummingbird Festival.
CRAIG AND THORNE BAY, PRINCE OF
WALES ISLAND
Explore the island via Interisland Ferry. Day use areas
and hiking trails abound; check at the Hollis ferry
terminal for recreation information. Make a reservation
at the Thorne Bay District Office for a guided tour of El
Capitan Cave from late May through early September.
SITKA, BARANOF ISLAND
Enjoy camping in Starrigavan Creek Cabin, picnicking
and a self-guided nature walk along Starrigavan Bay,
and fish viewing in season within the Starrigavan
Recreation Area, located 1/4 mile from the ferry
terminal. Attend Sitka Summer Music Festival in June
or Alaska Day activities in October. Hike numerous
miles of trails from the Sitka road system.
WRANGELL, WRANGELL ISLAND
Retrace John Muir’s footsteps in Wrangell, located at the
mouth of the wild Stikine River. Attend mid-summer,
Friday-night campfire programs or explore the Rainbow
Falls Trail on a self-guided hike. Bring your camera and
capture memories at the Anan Wildlife Observatory, a
short plane or boat ride away. The Stikine River Bird
Festival is held in April and Bearfest is held in July
each year.
PETERSBURG, MITKOF ISLAND
The Petersburg Ranger District maintains several
scenic recreation sites, including a newly refurbished,
accessible picnic/day-use area and Swan Observatory.
The Visitor Information Center in downtown Petersburg
offers maps and advice on recreational opportunities.
The Tongass Rainforest Festival is held the second week
in September.
HOONAH, CHICHAGOF ISLAND
Take an opportunity to experience authentic Alaska in
this quiet community surrounded by ocean, forest and
mountains. Stop by the Ranger District Office to find out
how to plan your adventure to explore roads and trails,
or for information on cabins, NatureWatch, hunting,
and fishing.
JUNEAU, ON THE MAINLAND
Just a short drive from downtown Juneau you’ll find
the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier. The Mendenhall
Glacier Visitor Center has interpretive programs
and exhibits, a glacier observatory, a series of
interconnected trails, and an interpretive bookstore.
Juneau also features attractive campsites and bear
viewing opportunities.
ANGOON, ADMIRALTY ISLAND
Steeped in Alaska Native Tlingit tradition, this
community serves as the gateway to Admiralty Island
National Monument and Kootznoowoo Wilderness
Area. From here yo
United States Department of Agriculture
Tongass
Archaeology Notes
Pictographs In Southeast Alaska
By Martin V. Stanford
There are two
types of rock art in
southeast Alaska’s
Alexander Archipelago;
petroglyphs and
pictographs.
Petroglyphs were
pecked, chiseled or
ground into boulders,
cobbles or outcrops
of bedrock which are
usually located in the
intertidal areas near
salmon streams, fish
camps or old villages.
Pictographs (Figs.
1-4) on the other
hand were painted
onto rock walls above
the shorelines of the
ocean, lakes or rivers
and are distributed
over a large area, with
some painted in very
remote locations.
This pattern suggests
that most pictographs
were painted in the
spring, summer, or fall,
during gathering and
trading seasons, rather than near their winter villages, when weather and sea
conditions were at their most challenging.
Figure 1: The pictograph are of a sun sign top, below a canoe
with nine people, a circular face with three eyes and to the right
skeletonized human figure.
Some pictographs may have been painted in these remote locations by
shamans during their quests to obtain spirit helpers (yeik or yek).
Forest Service
Alaska Region
Tongass National Forest
R10-RG-226
August 2017
Tongass Archaeology Notes
Recent studies show that pictographs are more common than previously thought
(Stanford 2011). As of 2016 one hundred and twenty five pictographs have been
reported in the state of Alaska with one hundred and eleven of these located
in southeast Alaska. Most pictographs were painted on overhanging rock walls
or other rock walls that are protected in some way from rain or snow. Even
so, over time pictographs become faded due to exposure to water in the form
of rain, snow or seeps. However, modern computer graphics software can
enhance images of faded pictographs; the results can be dramatic (Figs. 1-4). A
few pictographs were painted by someone standing in some kind of watercraft such
as a canoe but most pictographs were painted on rock walls that had a rock bench
or ledge located below which allowed access to the wall and a place to stand or sit
to paint. No pictographs, to date, in southeast Alaska were painted facing north. This
may be for ritual reasons or simply because many north facing rock walls tend to
contain more moisture and have more lichens or moss making them difficult to apply
paint.
Most pictographs, except for those painted inside caves, were created relatively
recently compared to other sites in Southeast Alaska which can date back to over
10,000 years ago. Four pictograph sites in southeast Alaska have been indirectly
radiocarbon dated from associated wood, charcoal or cedar cordage. Adjusted to
calendar years these range from AD 1486 to modern times or as far back in time as
Christopher Columbus, a time when many camps and villages were present across
the region. Other pictographs were painted with motifs showing ships with sails or
of ships anchors indicating they were likely painted near the time of contact with
18th or 19th century explorers or fur traders.
Figure 2. This pictograph is obscured by lichens. Eight dots appear to orbit a circle dot motif. A canoe
with four people and a horned or antlered animal motif appear to the lower right of the circle. The motif
to the right may be a representation of an 18th or 19th century ship’s anchor.
Tongass Archaeology Notes
Most of the pictographs in southeast Alaska were painted using a red to reddishbrown pigment. Ethnographic research has provided some information on the
composition of red pigments and how they may have been prepared for pictograph
painting. The primary mineral pigment used was deep red hematite (Fe2O3) or iron
oxide. Hematite mixed with clay is called red ochre. A binder was added to hold
the pigment particles together and to hold the paint onto the rock surface. Some
examples of binder ingredients include blood, fish eggs, seed oils, plant resins and
juices. A third ingredient of the paint was a vehicle, or a fluid, that made the paint
liquid and suitable for application. Plant juices, water, animal oils, and urine have all
been used as vehicles.
Pictographs in southeast Alaska were likely painted by Tlingit, Tsimshian, or Haida
people, or possibly even by the Tsetsaut.
Figure 3. The top left figure is thought to be a dragonfly. At center far right and lower left are two very
faint canoe motifs. It is not known what the two sets of parallel lines and the two connected circles might
represent.
The reasons why pictographs were painted are varied. Ethnographic research
shows that some pictographs were painted to impress others; to record legends
or important events, such as contact with European explorers, encounters with
animals, to mark clan territories or to indicate portage locations; to record periods
of time; or to mark or warn of burial locations for important people such as
shamans or their paraphernalia.
While many of the pictographs may represent recognizable animals or
things s
Many petroglyphs are so old that the present inhabitants
are unable to interpret them.
AN ANCIENT HISTORY
United States Department of Agriculture
The more recent rock art drawings
are usually realistic representations
of animals, fish, or supernatural beings.
Archaeologists are just beginning to
discover more about the ancient people
who inhabited southern coastal Alaska.
Even the pictures put there to tell a story
are shrouded in mystery.
One of the ways to determine the relative
age of rock art symbols is by association
SE
with other rock art
sites or by comparing designs.
Abstract designs may be older
than representational drawings.
Some symbols are obviously
more recent because of their
association with historic events.
When the Tlingits first saw a Russian sailing ship,
they told in pictures of its arrival as
if it were the return of the Raven,
the mythical creator.
SE
SE
SE
Rock designs may have recorded
important events such as births, deaths, potlatches,
legends or contact with others such as European explorers.
Some mark Clan territories, indicate portage locations, or
record periods of time. While others may mark or warn of
burial locations for important people such as shamans and/
or their paraphernalia. However, no one can say absolutely
what the artist had in mind while creating many of these
images. Therefore, realize what many of these pictographs
and petroglyphs actually represent may in fact be very
personal and known only to the person who created them.
SE
Long ago a Tlingit elder interpreted this
petroglyph as showing how Raven created the
world.
e
d
b
SC
c
SE
You will see examples of both Southeast and
Southcentral Alaskan rock art in this brochure.
For easier identification, all the pictographs and
petroglyphs have been labelled according to
their area of origin.
Next to each drawing from Southeast you will
find the letters “SE” and next to each from
Southcentral, there will be an “SC.”
PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE
a
SE
a. Raven carrying
fire in his bill.
b. The box of daylight Raven stole.
c. The creation of the earth.
d. The North wind brings the weather.
e. The Wolf Crest representing the
guardian of fresh water.
SC
The next few years are crucial to the preservation of rock
art. Destruction can be from natural or human actions.
Vandalism and theft threaten the survival of this important
heritage resource.
Rock art exists in a great open air museum for which
we are all responsible. Be careful how you treat these
ligitimate artistic works. Walking on rock art causes
the rock and the design to crumble; touching leaves oil
residues on the surface; chalking, rubbings and tracings
apply pressure to soft rock surfaces, accelerating
deterioration. The most destructive action, however, is
grafitti. Writing or spray painting on the rocks destroys the
integrity of this fragile heritage resource.
The Native People who lived along
southern coastal Alaska created some of
the most outstanding rock art in the world.
Take home a memory of their distinctive art
by taking photos.
ROCK ART
Petroglyphs and Pictographs of
Southern Coastal Alaska
SE
PHOTO HINTS:
• Use a polarizing filter to reduce glare.
• Side lighting is important.
• Maximum shadows early in the morning or late
evening bring out the design.
• Artificial side lighting at night gives best results.
• Never chalk, paint or in any way alter the art to
enhance your shot, as this proves destructive.
• Digital photography offers the ability to enhance
the image.
Rock art along the coast of Alaska is truly unique. If you
think you may have found a new petroglyph or pictograph,
or you have witnessed vandalism to an archaeological site,
please notify the nearest Forest Service office. When we
respect and protect rock art, we help save this vital link
with the past for our children’s enjoyment in the future.
SE
Contact a forest archaeologist at:
Chugach National Forest
(907) 743-9500
Tongass National Forest
(907) 225-3101
www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/learning/history-culture
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Forest Service
Alaska Region
R10-RG-228
July 2017
ART ON THE ROCKS
Humans have painted or pecked
symbols on rocks or walls of caves for
thousands of years. The rock art of
southern coastal Alaska offers a unique
glimpse of these ancient maritime
peoples and their views of the world.
There are different styles of rock art found all
over the world. Most of the rock art in southern
coastal Alaska was made during the last 10,000
years. Seeing these ancient pictures takes us
back to a world lost in time, linked to the present
only by what the prehistoric artists decided to
carve or paint on the living rock.
PICTOGRAPH: a design
painted on rock with pigments
made by mixing grease or
salmon eggs with red ochre or
charcoal (shown in red).
SE
SE
TREASURES
of
ANTIQUITY
SE
SC
PETROGLYPH: a design that is
pecked or ground into the rock
surface.The designs below and the
similarly styled designs throughou
Common
Trees of Alaska
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Prepared by
Forest Service
Alaska Region
R10-XX-XXX
August 2009
Mountain hemlock – Tsuga mertensiana
Needles
• Light- to medium-green on top, with two whitish parallel lines beneath, needles are unequal
in length from 1/4 to 7/8 inch long;
• Blunt-tipped, soft, shiny, and flat, generally
growing from two sides of branch parallel to
the ground.
Cones
• Brown, oval-shaped, 5/8 to 1 inch long;
• Thin, papery scales.
Bark
• Reddish-brown when young, turning graybrown;
• Scaly when young, becoming thick and furrowed with age.
Size at maturity and life span
• 100 to 150 feet in height and 2 to 4 feet in
diameter;
• 200 to 500 years.
Habitat and distribution
• Sea level to subalpine areas;
• Along Coast Range in central California to the
Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.
Needles
• Dark green, white lines on both surfaces, moreor-less equal in length, 1/2 to 1 inch long;
• Soft and growing from all sides of the branch in
a bottle brush pattern.
Cones
• Purplish when young, brown when mature;
• Cylindrical, 1 to 2-1/2 inches long;
• Thin, papery scales.
Bark
• Divided into narrow flattened ridges, becoming
thick and deeply furrowed with age;
• Gray when young, turning reddish brown with
age.
Size at maturity and life span
• 50 to 100 feet in height and 10 to 30 inches in
diameter, can be prostrate in alpine;
• Slow-growing trees, size 18 to 20 inches in
diameter at 180 – 260 years;
• 400 to 500 years
Habitat and distribution
• Sea level to 3,500 feet elevation;
• From crest of the Sierra-Nevada in California to
the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska.
Mountain hemlock – Tsuga mertensiana
Western hemlock – Tsuga heterophylla
Western hemlock – Tsuga heterophylla
Alaska yellow-cedar
Cupressus nootkatensis
Needles
• Scalelike shiny yellow-green. 1/16 to 1/8 inch
long;
• Springy, fan-shaped sprays of branches, turning
up at ends;
• Branch sprays flat and symmetrical, bottom
side with white stomate markings.
Cones
• Brown, oval-shaped, 1/2 inch long;
• Clustered near end of branches;
• Cone scales overlap, woody, and curve outward at maturity.
Bark
• Fibrous and stringy;
• Cinnamon-red when young, becoming gray
with age.
Size at maturity and life span
• 70 to 100 feet in height in Southeast Alaska
(growing much taller in southern part of range)
and 2 to 4 feet in diameter (occasionally reaching 6 feet);
• 300 to 700 years (occasionally 1,000).
Habitat and distribution
• Coastal forests;
• Sea level to 500 feet in elevation;
• From northwestern California to Southeast
Alaska just south of Frederick Sound.
Western redcedar – Thuja pilcata
Alaska yellow-cedar – Cupressus nootkatensis
Needles
• Scalelike, overlapping, sharp pointed, 1/16 to
1/8 inch long;
• Yellow-green to deep green;
• Top and bottom of branch sprays similar, without apparent white stomate markings.
Cones
• Spherical about 1/2 inch in diameter;
• Green, maturing to brown in 2 years;
• Made of 4-6 shield-shaped scales, sharp central point on each scale, scales do not overlap.
Bark
• Shredding, grayish brown.
Size at maturity and life span
• Slow-growing trees;
• 40 to 100 feet tall, and 1 to 2 feet in diameter;
• Shrub-sized and contorted in bogs and at tree
line;
• Lives up to 1,500 years.
Habitat and distribution
• Wetland and subalpine forests;
• Sea level to tree line;
• From Oregon north along coast through Prince
William Sound, Alaska.
Western redcedar – Thuja plicata
Sitka Spruce – Picea sitchensis
White spruce – Picea glauca
Alaska’s state tree
Needles
• Dark blue-green, squarish, 5/8 to 1 inch long;
• Needles sharp, growing on all sides of branches from woody pegs, a character common to
spruce.
Cones
• Light orange-brown, 2 to 3-1/2 inches long;
• Usually found in the top quarter of tree, hanging down from branches;
• Papery scales.
Bark
• Thin and smooth when young, developing
scaly plates with age;
• Gray, becoming dark purplish brown with age.
Size at maturity and life span
• 150 to 225 feet in height and 5 to 8 feet in
diameter;
• Grows to larger size in southern part of its
range;
• 500 to 700 years.
Habitat and distribution
• Well-drained, upland and riparian forests;
• Sea level to tree line;
• From northern California, northwest along the
coastline to the Alaska Peninsula.
Needles
• 3/4 to 1 inch long, blue-green, four-angled
with whitish lines on all sides;
• Rigid, pointed, but not sharp to the touch;
• Usually crowded on upper side of the branch.
Cones
• 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches long, light brown;
• Narrowly oblong, nearly stalkless, hanging
down;
• Scales thin and flexible with smooth margins.
Bark
• Thin, scaly to smooth;
• Gray-brown, with white inner bark.
Size at maturity and life span
• 40 to 70 feet tall, 6 to 18 inches in diameter;
• Reaches 80 to 115 feet tall, 30 inches in diameter;
• Tree crown, narrow or spire-like;
• Can live an age of 250 to 300 years.
Habitat and distribution
• From sea level to tree line on a wide variety of
habitats;
• Throughout southcentral
Lichens of
Alaska’s
South Coast
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Forest Service
Alaska Region
R10-RG-190
July 2011
WHAT IS A LICHEN?
Lichens are specialized fungi that “farm” algae as a food source.
Unlike molds, mildews, and mushrooms that parasi ze or
scavenge food from other organisms, the fungus of a lichen
cul vates ny algae and / or blue-green bacteria (called
cyanobacteria) within the fabric of interwoven fungal threads
that form the body of the lichen (or thallus). The algae and
cyanobacteria produce food for themselves and for the fungus
by conver ng carbon dioxide and water into sugars using the
sun’s energy (photosynthesis). Thus, a lichen is a combina on of
two or some mes three organisms living together.
Perhaps the most important contribu on of the fungus is to
provide a protec ve habitat for the algae or cyanobacteria.
The green or blue-green photosynthe c layer is o en visible
between two white fungal layers if a piece of lichen thallus is
torn off. Most lichen-forming fungi cannot exist without the
photosynthe c partner because they have become dependent
on them for survival. But in all cases, a fungus looks quite
different in the lichenized form compared to its free-living form.
HOW DO LICHENS REPRODUCE?
Figure 1. Apothecia, fruiting
bodies
Figure 2. Soralia, small openings
on thallus surface.
Figure 3. Soredia, dust-like
granules.
Lichens sexually reproduce
with frui ng bodies of various
shapes and colors that can
o en look like miniature
mushrooms. These are called
apothecia (Fig. 1) and contain
spores that germinate and
grow into the fungus. Each
fungus must find the right
photosynthe c partner in
order to become a lichen.
Lichens reproduce asexually
in several ways. Some lichens
have openings on the thallus
surface called soralia (Fig. 2).
Inside, ny dust-like granules
called soredia (Fig. 3) are
produced. Soredia contain
algae and fungal cells that
escape from the parent lichen
and grow into a new lichen
thallus. Other lichens produce
outgrowths that break off and
grow into the same lichen
they came from. These are
called isidia ( ny, cylindrical
projec ons, Fig. 4) or lobules
(li le flaps of ssue, Fig. 5).
These structures are o en
very important to no ce for
the proper iden fica on of
lichens.
DIVERSITY AND ECOLOGY
Lichens come in many shapes, Figure 4. Isidia, tiny projections.
sizes, and colors. A lichen
thallus has one of three
general growth forms: foliose,
fru cose, or crustose. Foliose
lichens are leaf-like with
different upper and lower
surfaces. Fru cose lichens
are hair-like or bushy with no
Figure 5. Lobules, flaps of tissue.
obvious difference between
upper and lower surfaces. Crustose lichens are so closely
a ached to a surface, like paint spots, that the lower surface
is not easily observable.
Lichens have specialized features enabling them to survive
long periods of drought. In a dehydrated, inac ve state
they can resist extreme high and low temperatures and s ll
func on op mally whenever condi ons become just right.
Well adapted for life in marginal habitats, lichens produce
more than 500 unique biochemical compounds that serve to
control light exposure, repel herbivores and microbes, and
discourage compe on from plants. Among these are many
pigments and an bio cs that are useful to humans.
Lichens are considered to be nature’s pioneers because
they colonize newly exposed surfaces. Lichens containing
cyanobacteria fix their own nitrogen from the air into a form
usable by other plants as a form of fer lizer. This form of
nitrogen is released into the environment as rain washes over
the lichens or when lichens die and fall to the ground. These
lichen types tend to live in nitrogen-poor habitats such as
bare rock surfaces, the forest canopy, or on sandy soils.
Lichens provide food for many animals including flying
squirrels, black-tailed deer, and mountain goats. Many
invertebrates use lichens for food or for shelter.
The diverse ecosystems along the south coast of Alaska
provide abundant habitats for the more than 1,000 different
lichens known to occur here. Some are very rare and cryp c.
Many lichens are generalists and can grow in more than one
habitat. Some lichens only grow in specific habitats such as
upper dal rocks, conifer forests, alpine, or sandy soils near
glaciers.
LICHENS AND AIR QUALITY MONITORING
Lichens are not protected by bark, nor do they possess an
external waxy layer to prevent water loss like plant leaves.
Lacking roots and other structures to transport food and
water, lichens absorb moisture into the thallus directly from
the humid air or rainfall, and can become quickly saturated
like a sponge. Lichens dry out by losing moisture through
evapora on when windy or dry condi ons exist. As drying
occurs, elements and compounds that entered with moisture
from the surrounding environment become concentrated
in the lichen. During high rainfall periods, mobile nutrients
and pollutants are slowly leached from the lichen. In this
way lichen
Wildflowers of the
National Forests
in Alaska
United States Forest Service
Department of Alaska Region
Agriculture
R10-RG-201
MAR 2012
Liverleaf wintergreen
Pyrola asarifolia
Evergreen perennial, to 16" tall. Leaves
stalked, arising from plant’s base, oval,
with smooth margins, leathery and
shiny. Flowers pink, numerous, bellshaped, attached to upper half of leafless central stalk. In forests and thickets
from Juneau to north and west.
Early blueberry
Vaccinium ovalifolium
Deciduous shrub, average 6' tall. Leaves
with smooth to slightly toothed margins.
Flowers pink to bronze, urn-shaped,
emerge before or with the leaves. Fruit a
spherical, dull or shiny, deep-blue to blackish berry. Common in forest understory, or
in forest openings from sea level to subalpine. Edible. Alaska blueberry (pink-bronze
flowers & shiny berries) is included here.
PINK
Fool's huckleberry
Menziesia ferruginea
Deciduous shrub, to 10' tall. Leaves with
smooth margins, bluish-green, somewhat hairy. Flowers light pink to bronze,
urn-shaped. Fruit, dry capsule. Common
in forest understory from sea level to
subalpine. Also called rusty menziesia,
or false azalea.
Northern bog rosemary
Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia
Evergreen shrub, to 15" tall, spindly
habit. Leaves alternate along stem,
leathery, edges rolled under, distinct
web-like vein pattern above, powdery
white beneath. Flowers pink, urnshaped. Common in peat bogs. Sea level
to subalpine. Poisonous.
Bog laurel
Kalmia microphylla
Evergreen shrub, to 20" tall, spindly.
Leaves opposite along stem, dark green,
leathery, shiny, with 1 main vein visible on top, edges rolled under, whitish
beneath. Flowers pink to lavender,
saucer-shaped, about 3/4" across. Peat
bogs in southeast Alaska from sea level
to subalpine. Poisonous.
2
Alpine azalea
Kalmia procumbens
Evergreen dwarf shrub, mat forming,
appressed to the soil or exposed rock
faces. Heavily branched with somewhat
shiny leaves ¼” long or less, narrowly
oval, with under-rolled leaf margins.
Tiny flowers (a little less than ¼” wide)
white to magenta, open bell-shaped
with 5 shallow petals, upward facing.
Fruit a dry capsule. Common in the
alpine.
Wandering fleabane
Erigeron peregrinus var. peregrinus
Perennial herb with a single stem to 20"
tall. Leaves few, arising from base of
plant, narrow toward base, stem leaves
narrowly lance-shaped to oblong. Single
daisy-like flower-head with light pink
to purple ray flowers. Center of flowerhead yellow. Common in meadows and
muskegs, from sea level to alpine.
MAGENTA
Rubus arcticus
Small perennial herb to 6" tall. Erect
stem with solitary flower and 2-5 leaves.
Leaves 3-lobed, or with 3 leaflets, somewhat toothed, finely hairy. Flower with
5 deep pink to magenta petals, about 1"
across. Fruit deep red, similar to a blackberry, about 2/3" across. Beach meadows, bogs, wet meadows. Delicious fruit
highly prized for pies and jams.
PINK
Nagoonberry
Salmonberry
Rubus spectabilis
Deciduous shrub to 13' tall. Stems
prickly. Leaves with 3 sharply-toothed
leaflets. Solitary flowers with 5 deep
pink petals, 1" across. Fruit similar to
a raspberry, yellow to red. Plant grows
rapidly, forming dense thickets. Common in disturbed areas, forest edges,
subalpine meadows. Fruit edible but watery and rather insipid, good for sauces
and jam.
Fireweed
Chamerion angustifolium
Perennial herb, from 3-10' tall. Unbranched stem erect with numerous
lance-shaped leaves, flowers on upper
half of stem. Many showy flowers to
1.5" across, with 4 deep pink petals.
Produces fluffy airborne seeds. Can form
spectacular stands in disturbed or burntover areas. Spring shoots are edible.
Nectar produces excellent honey.
3
Dwarf fireweed
Chamerion latifolium
Perennial herb from 1-3' tall. Stem
variously branched, reclining to erect.
Leaves oval, margins smooth, fleshy
with whitish "bloom". Flowers deep
pink, large (1.5" across). Common in
sandy areas, river bars, recently deglaciated areas, rocky areas in subalpine and
alpine. Also called river beauty.
Pretty shooting star
Dodecatheon pulchellum
Perennial herb, to 18" tall, leaves and
flowering stems arising from plant's
base. Leaves lance-shaped to spoonshaped, blunt, margins smooth. Showy
flowers in few-flowered clusters atop
leafless stem. Deep pink petals sweep
back from the white, yellow and dark
purple "center" or point of the flower.
Abundant in coastal and forest meadows, to alpine.
MAGENTA
Tall mountain shooting star
Dodecatheon jeffreyi
Perennial herb, to 18" tall, leaves and
flowering stems arising from plant's
base. Leaves lance-shaped to spoonshaped, blunt, margins smooth. Showy
flowers in few-flowered clusters atop
leafless stem. Deep pink petals sweep
back from the white and dark purple
"center" or point of the flower. Common
in bogs.
Mountain Indian paintbrush
Castilleja parviflora var. parviflora
Perennial herb, stems clustered, erect,
to 18" tall. Leaves 3-5 lobed, hairy.
"Flowers", deep pink to magenta,
clustered on upp
Mushrooms
of the
National Forests
in Alaska
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Forest Service
Alaska Region
R10 - RG -209
FEB 2013
Introduction
The coastal temperate rainforests of the Tongass and Chugach
national forests often produce prolific fruitings of mushrooms
in late summer and fall. For many Alaskans, mushrooms are a
source of food. For others, they are a source of pigments for
dyeing wool and other natural fibers. Still others merely enjoy
their beauty. However, all Alaskans should appreciate these
fungi for, without them, there would be no forests here.
This brochure presents an introduction to mushrooms and
illustrates a number of the more common and interesting
of our local species to help Alaskans and visitors to better
understand and enjoy our magnificent national forests. Unlike
most plants, birds, and mammals, very few mushrooms have
common names. Thus, while we have used common names
where they exist, many of the species in this brochure can be
referred to only by their scientific names. But, never fear. If
you can talk with your kids about Tyrannosaurus rex, you can
handle mushroom names!
What is a mushroom?
Mushrooms are produced by some fungi (singular: fungus),
and their primary purpose is to make and spread tiny
reproductive propagules called spores, which function much
like plant seeds. After long being considered primitive plants,
fungi now are accepted as their own kingdom. Unlike plants,
fungi cannot make their own food, and their cell walls contain
chitin rather than cellulose. Interestingly, chitin also is found
in insect exoskeletons, providing evidence that the fungi are
more closely related to animals (including us!) than they are
to plants.
Mushrooms arise from a mycelium (plural: mycelia), which
is the actual “body” of the fungus and is comprised of a
network of many tube-like microscopic filaments called
hyphae (singular: hypha). Hyphae grow at their tips and are
able to infiltrate a wide variety of substrates such as wood,
leaf litter, soil, and even left-over pizza.
Mushrooms to most people are umbrella-shaped structures
with plate-like gills on the underside of their caps. However,
besides the gilled mushrooms, there are others in many
shapes and sizes, and they produce their spores in a variety
of ways. Other major groups include chanterelles, boletes,
polypores, spine-fungi, club- and coral-fungi, puffballs,
jelly-fungi, cup-fungi, morels, false morels, and elfin saddles.
Figure 1 shows the parts of a gilled mushroom. Learning the
terminology will make it much easier for you to communicate
with others about mushrooms and to make use of tools for
identifying them.
2 U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Region
Patch (remnant of universal veil)
Cap (pileus)
Cap margin
Gills (lamellae)
Ring (remnant
of partial veil)
Stalk (stipe)
Volva (remnant of
universal veil)
Figure 1. Parts of a gilled mushroom.
How do fungi reproduce?
The primary purpose of a mushroom is to disperse spores
into the environment in hopes that they will land in a location
with suitable moisture, temperature, and nutrient conditions
to germinate and grow into a new mycelium. Each mushroom
is capable of producing anywhere from thousands to billions
of spores, but only an incredibly tiny fraction of them are
successful. Reproduction cannot occur unless the mycelium of
one mating type merges with the mycelium of a compatible
type. Once this has happened, sexual reproduction, including
the formation of mushrooms and production of spores, can
occur, completing the life cycle (Figure 2).
Ecological Roles of Fungi
While fungi are found in almost every environment,
mushroom-forming species are especially prevalent in
forests. There they play critical roles in nutrient cycling, soil
aggregation, and water retention, as well as provide a food
source for animals large and small. In general, the three
main lifestyles of mushroom-producing fungi in forests are
decomposer, mycorrhizal partner, and parasite.
Mushrooms of the National Forests in Alaska 3
Figure 2. Life cycle of a typical mushroom fungus.
Along with bacteria and other organisms, fungi break down all
of the forest’s plant, animal, and microbial matter and make
its components available for new generations of life. Fungi are
particularly important in breaking down tough plant debris, as
they are the only organisms capable of decomposing lignin, a
major component of wood and other plant tissues.
Many fungi form mycorrhizal (“fungus root”) associations
with plants (Figure 3). This is mutually beneficial for both
fungi and plants, as the plants receive nutrients such as
nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as water and protection
from soil pathogens, and the fungi get sugars produced by
the plants. All of Alaska’s trees require mycorrhizal fungi for
survival and growth, as do nearly all other plants.
Relatively few parasitic fungi produce mushrooms. Most
of them, such as honey mushrooms (genus Armillaria) and
some polypores (such as Phaeolus schweini
Selected
Invasive
Plants
of Alaska
2004
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Forest Service,
Alaska Region
R10-TP-130B
Produced by State & Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection
When trying to identify an unknown plant, color photos often help.
This pocket guide provides a selection of invasive plants found across
Alaska today. This booklet is not intended to take the place of more
comprehensive reference guides, but to help those unfamiliar with
these species to begin to recognize them, as the first step towards
taking action.
Non-native invasive plants displace native vegetation, degrade wildlife
habitat, and negatively affect human health, the economy, and the
environment. Factors such as geographic isolation and harsh winters
have protected Alaska from large-scale invasive plant infestations in
the past. Recently, however, some of the most harmful noxious weeds
of the lower 48 states have begun to grow and spread in Alaska.
Many of the invasive plants featured in this booklet have been
responsible for significant economic losses and environmental
damage across North America over the past two centuries. Other
species featured here (Siberian peashrub and European bird cherry)
have been dependable components of Alaska’s urban landscape, but
were included because they have recently been observed spreading
aggressively into Alaskan wildlands and natural areas.
There are many ways invasive plants are introduced to Alaska. Seeds
and plant parts can travel in the root balls of nursery stock, in animal
feed, tires, recreational equipment, or as components of wildflower
seed mixes. Movement of people and equipment within natural areas
and site-disturbing projects, such as road-building and construction,
can create inroads for invasive plants.
Alaskans have the chance to prevent invasive plant infestations before
they become so widespread that control is costly and eradication
impossible. This invasive plant booklet is designed to assist with
identifying some of the most problematic species that are now moving
along the roads, streams and beaches of Alaska. Thank you for doing
your part to insure that these invasive plant species, and others like
them, do not spread into Alaska's wildlands.
Photos provided by the Forest Service or the UAF Cooperative Extension Service unless noted.
NATIONAL
PARK
SERVICE
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
FAIRBANKS
Department
of the Interior
College of Rural Alaska
Cooperative Extension Service
Spotted Knapweed on Turnagain Arm
In Alaska we are concentrating on prevention,
early detection, and rapid response.
Prevention:
Keeping these invasive plant species from becoming established in
Alaska is the highest priority. This booklet is a tool to help identify
some of the species of greatest concern in Alaska.
Early Detection & Rapid Response:
Not only is it important to recognize these plants, but it is imperative
that we find small infestations before they become too difficult to
control. For example, spotted knapweed has been found five times
within Alaska, but luckily these sites were discovered when the
populations were less than 100 plants each.
The Alaska Soil and Water Conservation Districts are in the process
of forming “Cooperative Weed Management Areas” (CWMAs) across
the state. The CWMAs will be actively involved in the detection,
monitoring, and treatment of problematic invasive plant populations.
For additional information about invasive plants in Alaska:
Contact your local UAF Cooperative Extension Service office or
appropriate local land management agency.
Or visit:
http://www.uaf.edu/coop-ext
http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/spf/fhp/
http://www.cnipm.org/index.html
To view or contribute to the state-wide database of exotic plants:
http://akweeds.uaa.alaska.edu/akweeds2.html
This document was produced by:
Michael Shephard, USDA Forest Service, State & Private Forestry
Tom Huette, USDA Forest Service, State & Private Forestry
Jamie M. Snyder, UAF Cooperative Extension Service
(see back pages for index)
Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)
Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)
Sunflower Family
•
A perennial that grows to five feet tall with erect, ridged,
branching stems. Leaves curled, wavy, oblong, alternate on
stem with woolly hairs on underside. Leaves arise directly from
the stem without a distinct leaf stalk. Flowers are purple-pink
in clusters at the ends of branches.
•
Forms colonies via an extensive horizontal and vertical root
system; can eventually cover acres. Also spreads by windblown seeds. Young plants appear as basal rosettes that bolt
in late summer. Grows in fields, pastures, forests, and along
roadsides, ditches, and river banks.
•
Restricts recreational land use, scratches and infects animal
skin, and produces allelopathic chemicals to suppress
surrounding vegetation. Very difficult to eradicate once
established.
Sunflower Family
Forest Service • Alaska Region, September 2004 • www.fs.fed.us/r10/spf/fhp/
1
Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Bull Th