for southern Southeast Alaska. Alaska's bush airlines and air taxis serve many of the smaller and more isolated communities and villages in the regions. Many communities are accessible by air only by floatplane, as proper runways are often difficult to construct on the steep island slopes. Marine transportation Southeast Alaska is primarily served by the state-run Alaska Marine Highway, which links Skagway, Haines, Hoonah, Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan and other outlying communities with Prince Rupert, BC and Bellingham, Washington; and secondarily by the Prince of Wales Island-based Inter-Island Ferry Authority, which provides the only scheduled passenger and auto ferry service to the island. A new Authority, the Rainforest Islands Ferry Authority, was created and in 2014 may possibly operate the North End route. The Authority would connect Coffman Cove with Wrangell and Petersburg. Small companies like Sitka-based Allen Marine and other independent operators in the Lynn Canal occasionally also offer marine passenger service. Ship traffic in the area is seasonally busy with cruise ships. See also Alexander Archipelago Alexander Archipelago wolf Climate change in Alaska List of edible plants and mushrooms of Southeast Alaska References External links The regional economy of southeast Alaska: final report, 2007 / prepared for Alaska Conservation Foundation; prepared by Steve Colt, Darcy Dugan, Ginny Fay (EcoSystems). Hosted by Alaska State Publications Program. Southeast Alaska energy export study: final report, 2006 / prepared for The Southeast Conference; by D. Hittle & Associates, Inc., in association with Commonwealth Associates, Inc. Hosted by the Alaska State Publications Program. Swan - Tyee intertie economic analysis, 2006 / prepared for the Four Dam Pool Power Agency; prepared by Commonwealth Associates, Inc. Hosted by Alaska State Publications Program. The Economic Impacts of the Alaska Marine Highway System, January 2016 / Prepared for Alaska Marine Highway System; Prepared by McDowell Group Geography of the Pacific Northwest Pacific temperate rainforests Regions of Alaska