Great Land Trust Announces Plan to Expand Popular Settlers Bay Coastal Park in Mat-Su
Contributed by Libb Kugel
Knik-Fairview, AK
Local nonprofit Great Land Trust (GLT) is in the final phases of a land deal to purchase 187 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to the Settlers Bay Coastal Park. This expansion project will bring the total size of the park to 480 acres, increase recreation opportunities, protect forest and wetland habitat, and will directly connect a new neighborhood to the park. Pending Mat-Su Borough (MSB) Assembly approval, GLT will purchase and then immediately donate the land to the MSB while retaining a conservation easement on the property. The Borough will own and manage the land consistent with the current park and will expand their infrastructure efforts into the new area in coming years.
Great Land Trust is a nonprofit founded by Alaskans for Alaskans with a mission to conserve the lands and waters essential to the quality of life and economic health of Alaskan communities. Since 1995, GLT has conserved over 56,000 acres of priority wildlife habitat, permanently protected more than 100 miles of salmon streams, secured increased access to public lands, and created parks and public natural areas all throughout their service area of Southcentral Alaska.
For this expansion project, GLT has received funding for acquisition of the property from the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund, Matanuska Electric Association Charitable Foundation, MatSu Health Foundation, Mat-Su Trails & Parks Foundation, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and Rasmuson Foundation. “We are so grateful to these funders for their generous support of this project, and for recognizing the positive impact it will have on our communities for generations to come,” said Great Land Trust Executive Director Ellen Kazary. “We have almost hit our fundraising goal with these funding awards, and now we’re turning to the community to help us cross the finish line by raising the last $10,000 needed to complete this project.”
The original Settlers Bay Coastal Park project began in 2013 when the owners of the Settlers Bay Golf Course, LLC approached GLT about conserving some of the undeveloped property within the Settlers Bay neighborhood as public open space. GLT partnered with the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, ConocoPhillips, Mat-Su Trails & Parks Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation, Settlers Bay Golf Course, LLC, the Mat-Su Borough, and over 70 individual private donors to acquire the property with the intent of creating a regional park for public recreation and habitat conservation, ultimately creating the 293-acre Settlers Bay Coastal Park. Today, the Mat-Su Borough manages the park land for conservation and public use. GLT holds a conservation easement on the property to ensure its open space and habitats are protected and conservation values are upheld in perpetuity.
Settlers Bay Coastal Park opened in the fall of 2019 and trail development and park infrastructure projects have been ongoing since then. Mat-Su Borough and Student Conservation Association trail crews have built almost nine miles of trails (including singletrack mountain bike trails and an accessible bluff lookout trail) and installed other essential infrastructure such as restrooms, trash cans, benches, parking lots, and gates. With the support of AARP, the Alaska Conservation Foundation, ConocoPhillips, and the Mat-Su Trails & Parks Foundation, GLT and the MSB completed work on an accessible scenic overlook viewing platform this past summer that offers stunning views of the Palmer Hay Flats and the Chugach Mountains across Upper Cook Inlet.
According to data gathered by the MSB, Settlers Bay Coastal Park was one of the top three most visited parks that they manage in the summer of 2022. MSB Asset Manager Joe Metzger said, “We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to grow the park. Knik-Fairview is one of the highest growth areas in the Borough and it’s important to make sure we’re providing folks with close-to home places to safely recreate and enjoy nature.”
Great Land Trust is accepting donations for the project through their website, www.greatlandtrust.org, or via mail to Great Land Trust, PO Box 101272, Anchorage, AK 99510. Kazary said, “We plan to acquire the expansion property by the end of March, and we’ll look forward to a big community celebration at the park in the late spring or summer. Our work at GLT is made possible by the support of our communities. We want to recognize and celebrate with everyone who helps make projects like this a reality.”