Press Release: Sealaska Leadership Speaks Out for Land Legislation

Sealaska partners with scientists and professors from Oregon State University, the University
of Washington and government researchers to guide Sealaska’s land use practices to protect
fish and wildlife habitat and create healthy forests according to Ron Wolfe, Sealaska natural
resources manager. “Sealaska forest land and resource stewardship is the gold standard in
Alaska.”
“Many hunters and recreationalists seek harvested areas and managed forest stands such as
those on Sealaska lands for the abundance of wildlife for viewing and hunting,” Wolfe added.
“Some will claim that 30 years after timber harvest the land’s ability to support wildlife declines
and remains very low for a century. The idea that young and advanced forests do not support
wildlife is outdated and based on what happens on unmanaged and neglected forest lands—
this does not apply to Sealaska managed lands.”
The Western Governors’ Association, in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack,
stated “We have been concerned for some time that federal forest lands throughout the West
are experiencing serious environmental stresses that affect the health and vitality of these
ecosystems. They are overgrown; they exhibit all the symptoms of an unhealthy ecosystem;
and they demand urgent attention. Now is the time for the U.S. Forest Service to accelerate its
efforts to promote sound forest management policies that maintain ecological balance.” None
of these conditions exist on Sealaska lands, according to Sealaska President and CEO Chris
E. McNeil Jr. “Sealaska has a proven track record of forest stewardship, and all of our forest
and stand management practices are current with over $25 million invested in forest
management. We are driven to provide for the health of our forests based on our Native values
and the best science and we are proud of this performance.”
Sealaska, Values In Action
Sealaska has strengthened business with culture since 1972. We are a Native institution
owned by more than 21,000 tribal member shareholders whose core cultural values guide all
that Sealaska does and represent the rich heritage of our Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people.
We live our values to build excellence in our Native enterprise and take action towards our
purpose: to strengthen our people, culture and homelands.
Contact:
Nicole Hallingstad
Cell 907.209.1089
Nicole.hallingstad@sealaska.com
Find Sealaska online: www.sealaska.com