Sealaska works to keep timber its bright spot

While it hasn't been the best of years for Sealaska Corp., the Native regional corporation for Southeast Alaska based in Juneau, one thing is going exceedingly well: timber.

Sealasks's 220 million acres of commercial timber lands in Southeast have become a natural resource" Permanent Fund" for Sealaska, coming steady revenues.

"If we manage this right, its a sustainable resource," said Rick Harris, the corporation's senior vice president for natural resources. 'We can continue harvesting at our present rate indefinitely."

Last year Sealaska Timber Corp., a subsidiary, contributed $80 million in gross revenues to the parent corporation and other Native corporations, since 70 percent of the net resource revenues must be shared under terms of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. "We have a substantial sharing obligation to other regional corporations. Every Alaska Native benefits from our timber harvesting in Southeast Alaska," Harris said.

This year Sealaska will harvest 123 million to 125 million board feet of timber from its lands.