The Rich Natural Resources of Alaska

Alaskans take pride in their state's naturalwould be deer, mountain goats, black bears and
resources. Three of them-- gold, fish and fur-- aremoose, all commonly found in southeastern
well known. These three resources have beenAlaska. Go up further north and grizzly bears
worth many times the sum that the Unitedstart to appear. As you go into the interior lands,
States paid Russia for this piece of land. However,caribou begin to replace deer in numbers. It is not
for the future, Alaska is beginning to look to otheruncommon to see caribou travel in herds of
resources, especially oil and petroleum.Alaska isthousands. Polar bears are found in the far north
rich in vegetation resources. There are two kindsand spend most of their time out on the ice
of forests in the state: the interior forest and thepacks hunting food. Exotic animals that have been
coastal forest. The interior forests are foundintroduced to Alaska include the reindeer found in
around the river valleys of the interior area andthe Arctic areas, elk on some islands, musk oxen
as far north as the central and eastern parts ofand bison. To conserve animal life on the
the Brooks Range. Most of the timber harvestedpeninsula, these animals are protected in wildlife
is mainly willow and aspen but much of the forestranges under the federal government. Wolves and
growth is stunted because of the short growingfoxes are also found in many parts of the state.
season and permafrost. The coastal forests onAnimals hunted for fur include the mink and
the other hand, begin in the Panhandle and spreadbeaver. A number of bird species also make
throughout the coast of the Gulf of Alaska wellAlaska their summer home or remain all year.
into Kodiak Island. These forests are usually denseSome of these include ducks, geese and grouse.
and made up of hemlock, cedar and spruce trees.The common game fishes are Grayling and
Tundra vegetation is also common to much ofrainbow trout. Commercial fish harvests depend
Alaska. Most of it is made up of lichens, grasses,mainly on cod, halibut and salmon. In fact, the king
various mosses, cranberry vines and crowberries.salmon is the state fish. Shellfish is also plentiful
When these plants die, they decay at a very slowand a large industry is built on harvesting shrimp,
rate mainly because of the dampness and lowcrabs and clams.Deposits of gold and silver are
temperature of the area. Year after year, oldknown to exist in almost every region of Alaska.
plants pile up and new plants struggle to growSo much has been said about the gold that people
through them. The tundra vegetation in otherare sometimes surprised to learn that Alaska has
parts of Alaska may also include dwarf species ofalso other mineral riches, like natural gas and
trees and a number of bushes. The onlypetroleum. Geologists are still surveying the area
extensive lands for grazing are found on thefor other petroleum sites. The Panhandle is known
Aleutian Islands. If you're looking for true arcticto contain important minerals such as nickel, zinc
tundra with absolutely no trees or shrubs, thenand lead. Mineral deposits of the Gulf of Alaska
you can check out the Arctic slope and Sewardinclude mercury, platinum and copper. Alaska, with
Peninsula.There is also a wide variety of animal lifeits many bodies of water, also generates power
in an area the size of Alaska. The usual animalsthrough the production of hydroelectricity.