Great Land Trust purchases 187 Acres to expand Settlers Bay Coastal Park

WASILLA — The Great Land Trust recently acquired 187 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to the Settlers Bay Coastal Park and donated the land to the Mat-Su Borough.

Great Land Trust was able to raise over $1.4 million for the project in just under a year, according to a press release.

“This was a fast-paced project with steps – securing funding, landowner negotiations, working with the Mat-Su Borough, etc. – occurring simultaneously. We’re so thankful to our funders, partners, and supporters for recognizing what an amazing opportunity this was to expand the extremely popular Settlers Bay Coastal Park," Executive Director Ellen Kazary stated in the press release.

The land is now part of the Coastal Park and brings the total size to 480 acres, furthering the Great Land Trust's conservation mission to increase recreational opportunities and protect forest and wetland habitat.

According to the press release, project funding was provided by from the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund, Matanuska Electric Association Charitable Foundation, Mat-Su Health Foundation, Mat-Su Trails & Parks Foundation, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and Rasmuson Foundation, and multiple individual private donors.

“The generous support of these funders and donors shows their commitment to work that has a lasting positive impact on the health and vibrancy of our communities for generations to come,” Kazary stated in the press release.

Landowner Ethan Williams indicated that he was happy to sell the land.

“I’m thrilled to have been able to work with the Great Land Trust and the Mat-Su Borough to leave this legacy for future Valley residents. As a developer, I’ve seen a lot of growth in the 45 years I’ve lived here, and I appreciate how important it is to set aside land for parks and greenspace," Williams stated in the press release. "I’m glad to know that Settlers Bay Coastal Park will be here for my grandchildren to enjoy and for their grandchildren after that.”

The Great Land Trust is a non-profit that has conserved over 56,000 acres of priority wildlife habitat since 1995, permanently protecting over 100 miles of salmon streams, secured increased access to public lands, and created parks and public natural areas.

The Settlers Bay Coastal Park project started in 2013 when the owners of the Settlers Bay Golf Course, LLC approached the Great Land Trust about conserving some of the undeveloped property within the Settlers Bay neighborhood as public open space.

The Coastal Park opened during the fall of 2019 and trail development and park infrastructure projects continue to this day.

The Mat-Su Borough owns and manages the land with the intention of expanding infrastructure efforts into the new area over time. Borough officials indicated that the area is one of the top locations Valley residents utilize for outdoor activities.

"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," Mat-Su Borough Asset Manager Joe Metzger stated in the press release.

Mat-Su Borough and Student Conservation Association trail crews constructed nearly 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.

GLT and the Mat-Su Borough completed an accessible viewing platform that overlooks the Palmer Hay Flats and the Chugach Mountains across Upper Cook Inlet this summer thanks to the support of AARP, the Alaska Conservation Foundation, ConocoPhillips, and the Mat-Su Trails & Parks Foundation.

“We are looking forward to a big community celebration at the park this summer. Our work at GLT is made possible by funders, donors, and supporters in our communities. We want to recognize and celebrate with everyone who helps make projects like this a reality," Kazary stated in the press release.

For more information, visit greatlandtrust.org.

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