Historians still do not know when and how people began to live in Alaska, and it is a cause of many debates and controversies. The most popular theory is that humans followed Ice Age mammals over the Bering Land Bridge (the 600 mile stretch of land that connects Alaska and Siberia) some supposed 12,000 years ago. …show more content…
The rain forests on the Southeast shores of Alaska are filled with different varieties of trees such as the salmonberry, spruce and hemlock. Salmonberry trees have canes which may reach up to seven feet, its fruit is favored by bears and are in a red or orange color. The spruce tree is Alaska’s state tree and can grow up to 150 to 225 feet high and can live 500 to 700 years. Most of the spruce trees are knocked down over about 100 years because of storms and shallow soil. The Western Hemlocks can grow to a maximum height of around 150 feet but they are thin with diameters of only about 4 feet, lifespan is about 500 years but again storms and shallow soil knocks most of them down. Between the trees there are many types of berries which include blueberries, raspberries, and huckleberries which are just a few of the dozens of kinds there are. The rain plays a big part in defining the region, about 100 inches of rain falls and feeds streams and trees bringing everything from salmon to bald eagles. “While Minnesota was busy bragging about 10,000 lakes, Alaska stopped counting after 2 million.”(Fodor’s 46) The interior forest region has deeper soil but 75 percent of it is taiga with many patches of permafrost. Trees are mostly all broadleaf trees which include birch and