74 Acres along the Little Susitna River in Houston permanently conserved for public use

WASILLA — Great Land Trust recently announced that 74 acres of undeveloped habitat in Houston, which includes one mile of the Little Susitna River, have been permanently conserved for public use, protecting local habitat while providing new recreation opportunities in the area.

According to a recent press release, Great Land Trust raised the funds to purchase the land and turned it over to the City of Houston for ownership and management.

The 72 acres features walking trails, river access, and open space adjacent to the Parks Highway and the Little Susitna River campground.

Great Land Trust is a non-profit organization that works to conserve Alaskan lands and waterways. They worked in partnership with a private landowner, the City of Houston, the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coastal Program, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund to complete this recent project.

Great Land Trust staff met with City of Houston staff to celebrate the project in February.

“We’re so excited to have completed this project. It’s exciting to know that this land will be here for future generations to enjoy as it is today,” Houston Mayor, Virgie Thompson stated in the press release.

A majority of the land surrounding the river between Hatcher Pass and the Parks Highway is privately owned, while most of the land downstream of the Parks Highway is owned by the State, according to the press release.

The section of the river running through the conserved property provides important habitat for the rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and all five species of Pacific salmon.

This recent conservation effort resulted from a strategic assessment of private lands along with the top 35 salmon streams in the Mat-Su Borough in 2010.

The Little Susitna parcel in Houston ranked in the top 100 on this assessment due to characteristics such as prime salmon habitat, connectivity to public lands, intact wetlands, and public access.

The Little Susitna Houston property can be accessed through the Little Susitna River Campground or from the pullout at mile 57 on the east side of the Parks Highway.

The Little Susitna River Campground is open from mid-May through Labor Day. The preserved acres’ proximity to the campground and Parks Highway offers a lot of potential for public use, according to Houston Public Works Director Ray Russell.

“This area really has a lot to offer. We’re hoping in the future to be able to add in some boardwalks along the river to make it more accessible to a wider group of people. We already see a lot of use here, and we’d love to continue to make Houston a destination for folks looking for recreation opportunities,” Russell stated in the press release.

For more information, visit greatlandtrust.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com