Strategic Conservation of Priority Salmon Habitat - Phase 6

Great Land Trust purchased and placed a conservation easement on a 187.6-acre property encompassing 2.065 miles of anadromous streams. The property was slated for development in 2023 and 2024, but the landowner put development on hold in favor of a fast-tracked conservation transaction with Great Land Trust. The property was acquired and transferred to the Mat-Su Borough and incorporated into the existing Settlers Bay Coastal Park, bringing the park’s total size to 480 acres. The Borough will own and manage the land consistent with the conservation easement GLT holds over the entire park, which ensures that the property will be reserved for public access and wildlife habitat and salmon streams will be protected forever. The high cost of land in this rapidly-developing portion of the MatSu Valley resulted in fewer acres being protected through this project than expected.

This project will permanently protect via conservation easement and/or fee simple acquisition 187,6 acres of priority salmon habitat supporting spawning, overwintering, and/or rearing Chinook, coho, sockeye, chum, and pink salmon and/or steelhead trout populations.