The Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest (BCEF), located approximately 20 km southwest of Fairbanks, Alaska, was established in 1963 with about 3360 ha (8,300 acres) of upland, interior Alaska boreal forest. In 1969, the experimental forest was enlarged to 5053 ha (12,487 acres) to include representative floodplain forests along the Tanana River. The Forest is within the Tanana Valley State Forest, a unit managed by the Division of Forestry, State of Alaska. In 1987 the Bonanza Creek Long-Term Ecological Research program was established, with BCEF as its primary research site.