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Alaska's Chugach National Forest - encompassing 5.5 million acres - is our nation's second largest and one of the most unique with spectacular wetlands, tidewater glaciers, rugged fjords, myriad islands, and temperate rainforests. Much of the Chugach is classified as roadless and qualifies for Wilderness designation although there is no designated Wilderness on the forest. Comprised of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, Prince William Sound, and the Copper River Delta, the forest has extraordinary fish, wildlife and recreational resources.

The Copper River Delta lies just east of Prince William Sound, and at 700,000 acres is the largest wetlands complex on the Pacific coast of North America. The delta is one of the most important shorebird habitats in the Western Hemisphere, supporting over 15 million shorebirds and waterfowl. The Delta also sustains one of the most valuable salmon runs in the world. The Delta has been designated a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Site and a State Critical Habitat area.

Prince William Sound is surrounded by precipitous mountains, rugged fjords, tidewater glaciers and encompasses hundreds of islands shrouded by temperate rainforests and alpine tundra. The Sound is still recovering from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Areas untouched by the spill have an abundance of fish, birds, marine mammals, and other wildlife.

Much of the western portion of the Chugach Forest occurs on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, one of the most popular visitor destinations in the state. The world famous Kenai River supports rich runs of king and red salmon that attract fishers from all over the world. Dall sheep, mountain goats, brown bears, wolves, and moose all occur on the forest in abundance. This region has incredible wilderness recreational opportunities for birding, hiking, skiing, backpacking, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Risks to this unique ecosystem include road building, logging, oil and gas development, mining, and rapidly expanding visitor use. Audubon Alaska has participated in the Chugach Land Management planning process. Audubon believes the Revised Chugach Plan Record of Decision did not adequately address some significant issues raised by scientists, the conservation community, and the public. While the revised Final Plan is an improvement over the old Forest Plan, we believe there are still serious deficiencies that must be corrected.

Audubon has requested that the Forest Service modify the Chugach Plan's Brown Bear Core prescription and not allow utility corridors in this sensitive habitat. If this change is not made to the Brown Bear Core prescription, it will further risk the long-term conservation of this small, isolated brown bear population on the Kenai Peninsula. Audubon also strongly urges the Forest Service to expand the Recommended Wilderness prescription to encompass a greater diversity of geographic areas and ecological conditions across the Chugach Forest. The Copper River Delta and Kenai Peninsula should be represented by designated wilderness.