Keeping Mat-Su's state parks alive

April 22, 2005

DAWN DeBUSK/Frontiersman reporter

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."

- John Muir

PALMER - A naturalist author wrote that there will be a time in the future of America when the beauty of nature is more valuable than gold.

Although nobody will pay with gold, advocates of Mat-Su and Denali state parks can help finance park projects by buying travel packages or other auction items Saturday night at the Palmer Depot.

The third-annual Friends of State Parks, Mat-Su, auction and wine-tasting event, which begins at 6 p.m., exalts the act of supporting places of natural beauty or historical interest.

Attendees pay $10 at the door. Participants may sample glasses of wine from 150 varieties. TV weatherman Cary Carrigan plays the role of auctioneer. Dog sled musher Martin Buser emcees the yearly fund-raiser. Auction-goers may listen or dance to music from The Emeralds.

"This is a big portion of where they get their operating budget for funding projects for us," said Dennis Heikes, Mat-Su area superintendent for Alaska State Parks.

"The Friends of State Parks, Mat-Su, has done a lot for us in funding things we can't fund ourselves, from volunteer support to buying new generators for the veterans' memorial in Denali State Park."

According to Toby Riddell, president of Friends of State Parks, Mat-Su, some of the bigger projects in which the nonprofit will engage include:

€ Constructing a $20,000 public-use cabin located near Byers Lake within Denali State Park;

€ Building a back-country toilet along the 38-mile backpacking trail on Kesugi Ridge;

€ Supplying Denali State Park with a new snow groomer;

€ Funding landscaping and interpretive displays at Independence

Mine, and

€ Replacing the window of one of the bunkhouse buildings at Independence Mine.

Friends of State Parks, Mat-Su, formed five years ago to address the state's funding problems for its parks. Both maintenance and improvements suffered when legislators held the line on spending.

During the past decade, federal funding - usually U.S. Department of Transportation money - has paid for improvements to park trailheads and scenic pull-offs along major roadways.

In August 2004, the new south wayside at Denali State Park approached completion, with lots of informative panels, a roadside scenic viewpoint and an 800-foot path to a second viewpoint.

In 2003, the road improvements to the parking lot of Independence Mine, which received federal money because it is listed on the National Historical Sites Registry, made it easier for tourists to visit the mine.

While the U.S. DOT addresses the financial needs of some of the area's parks, Friends of State Parks, Mat-Su, steps in with volunteers and an annual fund-raiser to back other park projects.

A supporter of not only dog trails, but people trails, emcee Buser formerly sat on the organization's advisory board, but had to step down when his schedule grew too hectic.

"Every year I get asked politely to emcee their annual fund-raiser. Every year, I say 'Yes,'" he said. "The more the Valley grows, the more important it is to pay attention to our trails so we don't lose them. We need to have a vision."

"This event is a blast. Everyone gets a great deal on tours. This is a great opportunity for locals to get a tour for this summer's visitors, and get them out of their house for a day or so," Riddell said.

Many of the tours - available through auction - might be too fun or too interesting to pass on to someone else.

"We've got over 100 prizes to bid in silent or outcry auction formats. We got train rides, glacier cruises, raft trips, bus tours to name a few," said Riddell, adding that Princess Tours and Cruises has been a major sponsor of FOSMS since the nonprofit's inception five years ago.

Here are just a few of the trips available during auction night:

€ Ranger Kym Miller will take a group of four on a four-day backpacking trip along Talkeetna Traverse through Hatcher Pass.

€ Ranger Pat Murphy will conduct a four-hour tour into Independence Mine's gold mine. The group of four will go under the mountain, navigating through some of the 26 miles of tunnels and gaining an understanding of a miner's way of life.

€ A three-day motor-home rental;

€ Yurt rental at Eagle River Nature Center, and

€ A tour of Martin Buser's dog kennel for a group of four.