Tongass National Forest

[ tong-guhs nash-uh-nl fawr-istfor-, nash-nuhl ]

noun

1. a temperate rainforest in southeastern Alaska that also harbors more than two dozen communities, including Juneau: largest U.S. national forest. 16.7 million acres (6.8 million hectares; 26,100 square miles; 68,000 square kilometers).

Word History and Origins

Origin of Tongass National Forest¹

First recorded in 1905–10; probably from Tsimshian Tamgas, the Tsimshian name for the Taanta Kwáan or Taant'a Ḵwáan “Sea Lion People,” a Tlingit people who lived near Ketchikan in southeastern Alaska

Example Sentences

Rain is a part of life in the region, most of which is nestled in the Tongass National Forest, a temperate rainforest.

From Seattle Times

Explore the ethereal wonderland of Glacier Bay National Park, including whale watching, hiking, birding and a visit to the fjords of Tongass National Forest.

From Seattle Times

Officials with the Tongass National Forest, under which the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area falls, are bracing for more visitors over the next 30 years even as they contemplate a future when the glacier slips from casual view.

From Washington Times

Unlike California’s towering redwoods and the red cedars of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, these trees built to survive in the high desert are often left out of discussions of iconic old growth.

From Washington Post

The Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska covers 16.7 million acres — an area larger than West Virginia — and is home to old-growth Sitka spruce and cedars.

From Salon