Management areas are areas of the national forest that have similar management intent and a common management strategy. Suitable uses and activities by management area are provided in this part of the forest plan followed by descriptions of the management intent and associated plan components for each management area. This direction does not substitute for, or repeat, forestwide direction. Management area direction in this section should be used in conjunction with forestwide direction. Where management area direction conflicts with forestwide direction, the more stringent or restrictive direction prevails. Eight management areas were identified for the Chugach National Forest. Each management area has a unique management intent. Management areas include:

Management Area 1 Wilderness Study Area - At more than one-third of the Chugach National Forest, the Nellie Juan-College Fiord Wilderness Study Area is known and recognized for its ecological integrity, unique and important recreation opportunities, and the values it holds to residents and visitors alike. The wilderness study area was designated by Congress in Section 704 of ANILCA, enacted in 1980. Congress directed the Secretary of Agriculture to review public lands within the wilderness study area and submit recommendations to the President and Congress regarding suitability of the lands for wilderness area designation. In 1985 the Wilderness Final Environmental Impact Statement and Wilderness Study Report for the Chugach National Forest was completed, and 1.7 million acres of the Nellie Juan-College Fiord Wilderness Study Area were recommended for wilderness designation. The report explains that until Congress has acted on the recommendations, the wilderness study area will be managed so as to maintain its presently existing character. As part of the 2002 land management plan revision process, an updated wilderness area recommendation was submitted. To date, Congress has not acted upon these recommendations.

Management Area 2 Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers - The purpose of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System is to maintain and protect the free-flowing character of certain river corridors that exhibit outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values for the benefit of present and future generations. Outstandingly remarkable values are those unique, rare, or exemplary features considered significant when compared with similar values from other rivers at a regional or national scale. Such values must be river-related and can include scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, and other similar values.

Management Area 3 Research Natural Areas - Research natural areas are permanently established to maintain representative areas of natural ecosystems and areas of special ecological significance. Research natural areas emphasize non-manipulative research, monitoring, education, and the maintenance of natural diversity by allowing natural physical and biological processes to prevail with minimal human intervention. Because research natural areas are managed in a natural state, they can function as a control when evaluating long-term effects and ecological change on similar more intensively managed areas. Each research natural area has its own establishment record, which includes detailed location maps, information on distinguishing features, and the purpose for establishment of the research natural area.

Management Area 4 Backcountry Areas - Backcountry areas are managed to emphasize a variety of recreational opportunities in primarily backcountry settings where the landscape character is intact with little, if any, deviations. Fish and wildlife habitats are conserved and ecological processes are largely unaffected by human activity.

Management Area 5 ANILCA 501(b) Areas - This area is managed to meet the direction of ANILCA section 501(b), which states the primary purpose for management of the Copper/Rude River and Copper River-Bering River sections of the national forest should be for “conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitat.” ANILCA direction also clarified that taking of fish and wildlife would be permitted, pursuant to other applicable laws, and that multiple-use activities would be permitted “in a manner consistent with the conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitat.” The intent of this management area is to provide management direction to meet the purposes set forth in ANILCA while providing opportunities for multiple-use activities in a natural appearing landscape. The importance of this area for fish and wildlife led agencies responsible for area resources (Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service) to establish a memorandum of understanding in 1986 to better coordinate management.

Management Area 6 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS) Acquired Lands - As part of the Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS) Trustee Council, lands or interests in lands have been purchased with the purpose of habitat protection and for recovery of resources injured by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Habitats are protected to help prevent additional injury to species due to intrusive development or loss of habitat. The EVOS Trustee Council accomplishes this by providing funds to government agencies to acquire title or conservation easements on land important for its restoration value.

Lands and interests acquired via the EVOS Trustee Council purchase program include surface estate lands and conservation easements. The acquired surface estate lands are subject to conservation easements to ensure restoration objectives of the EVOS Trustee Council purchase program are achieved. The Chugach Alaska Corporation owns the subsurface estate beneath many EVOS Trustee Council funded acquired lands and is entitled to access for exploration and development of subsurface resources. Three categories of EVOS Trustee Council purchased lands or easements include:

Management Area 7 Municipal Watershed - Management emphasis is to provide protection of municipal water supplies for the community of Cordova. The area is managed to maintain these watersheds as municipal water supply reserves in a manner that meets provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act and state of Alaska water quality standards and drinking water regulations in accordance with Forest Service Manual 2542 and 36 Code of Federal Regulations 251.9.

Management activities are designed to protect and maintain natural resources. The landscape is predominantly shaped by natural ecological processes and disturbance events. All management activities are designed to maintain water quality. Vegetation management and improvements for fish and wildlife are designed to blend with the area’s natural features.

Management Area 8 Front Country - Front country management areas have a high density of human activities and associated structures, including roads, utilities, and trails. Scenery may exhibit evidence of past and ongoing vegetation management activities. This management area provides a wide variety of opportunities including both recreation and subsistence, both for motor vehicles and non-motorized uses. It also includes most of the acreage identified as suitable for wood products management.

Ecological processes moderately affected by high human activity dominate Management Area 8 Front Country. Management emphasizes restoration of fish habitat, and opportunities for watchable wildlife, fishing, and hunting. In areas of high human use, managing forest and riparian vegetation and wildlife habitat affected by insects, disease, windstorm, fire, and other disturbances is a priority. Forest vegetation is managed to reduce potential for ignition and spread of human-caused fires. Areas identified for restoration, such as Cooper and Resurrection creeks, are in this management area.

Front country provides a wide range of recreational opportunities. Facilities, such as campgrounds, viewing sites, visitor or information centers, and interpretive signs, may occur on existing roads or along trails. Front country areas are managed for high densities of visitors near road or trail systems. Historic cabins, trails, and aboveground historic features may be actively managed with limited onsite interpretation. Recreation cabins are present and new cabins may be constructed. Tourism-related activities should accommodate large groups.

Roads and trails occur throughout the management area, and new roads may be built for resource management activities or for providing access to trailheads, camping areas, or recreation concentration areas. These roads, however, may be closed either seasonally or yearlong to meet wildlife habitat objectives, to protect road infrastructure, or for recreation purposes. Viewsheds along the Seward, Sterling, and Hope highways and Portage Glacier Road are managed to meet scenic integrity objectives. Forest products may be harvested to meet forest products and resource objectives. Vegetation will generally be managed in campgrounds to provide mature forest character. Areas adjacent to private lands should consider wildland-urban interface objectives.

This dataset was used for geospatial analysis and/or cartographic production during the revision process of the USDA Forest Service, Chugach National Forest’s Land Management Plan. The data were compiled from multiple sources and the USFS makes no guarantees about the accuracy or completeness of the data.

This dataset was updated due to the Trinity Point Administrative Change signed 10/27/2020

The Chugach National Forest acquired a total of 252 acres around the area of Portage Pass on 3/15/2022. This resulted in an Administratice Change and updates to the dataset on 01/15/2023.