[2] The island is home to various groups of Alaska Natives, and the Maybeso watershed was historically used by the Kaigani Haida.
After European and American miners arrived in the area in the early 1900s, the population of the region expanded rapidly after the emergence of logging in the 1950s.
Temperatures are moderated by the influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean which infiltrates the Alexander Archipelago, and range from 10.4 to 69.8 °F (−12.0 to 21.0 °C) throughout the year.
[1] The region is also notable for having consistent precipitation throughout the year, and the average annual rainfall within the Maybeso Experimental Forest is about 108 inches (2,700 mm).
"[4] This influx of large woody debris within stream channels greatly influences the formation of step structures, which are critical features of salmonid spawning habitats.
Studies show that "landslides and debris flows are the dominant channel-altering processes in headwater streams and remove the step profile," and increases in channel disturbance events can have long-term consequences throughout a watershed.
Previously logged areas have been linked to benthos with "increased richness, densities and biomass relative to old growth types," and maintaining a source of woody debris as well as red alder within a clearcut riparian zone leads to healthier benthic invertebrates in the long-term.
The significance of the effects of clearcutting on local flora and fauna is controversial, with differing interpretations of the findings of past and present research.