The Mat-Su Salmon Habitat Partnership, a National Fish Habitat Partnership, is offering funds in support of conservation activities and priorities, as identified in the Mat-Su Salmon Partnership Strategic Action Plan.
Project descriptions are due via email by close of business on September 6, 2013.
Learn more on our website at https://matsusalmon.org/what-we-do/types-of-projects/
Presented by the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
The first day of this workshop will be in the classroom and presents information on techniques for rehabilitating and restoring riparian habitat including: construction and plant materials, riparian and salmon habitat needs, and construction techniques. Case histories will be discussed in the afternoon, followed by a field trip to view completed projects in the area. On the second day we will install a shoreline revegetation project with workshop participants. There is no charge to attend.
To register contact Amber Bethe at (907) 267-2403 or amber.bethe@alaska.gov
Coordinated action to conserve coastal habitat in Southcentral
Alaska has captured national attention. On Thursday February 7, 2013 at
the Alaska Forum on the Environment conference held at the Dena’ina
Convention Center, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior for
Alaska, Pat Pourchot, presented the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Coastal
Conservation Partnership with a 2012 Coastal America Partnership Award on
behalf of the Obama Administration and Coastal America.
Coastal America selected the Alaska partnership to receive this national
award for its outstanding efforts to voluntarily conserve more than 6,000
acres of coastal habitat important to Pacific salmon and other wildlife.
The Alaska-based effort is one of only four collaborative teams throughout
the Nation to receive this prestigious award in 2012.
Coastal America (CA) was established in 1992 to conserve and restore
coastal watersheds throughout the United States. CA protects the Nation’s
coastal resources by integrating federal actions with state and local
government and non-governmental efforts to pool community and agency
expertise to leverage voluntary conservation actions.
“Obama Administration representatives from eight key agencies unanimously
agreed that the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Coastal Conservation Partnership
is worthy of recognition”, said Carli Bertrand, Program Coordinator with
Coastal America. “It is the only conservation award of its kind presented
by the Administration,” Bertrand explained.
In 2010, the partnership formed a team of government agencies,
non-governmental organizations and private landowners to design a method
for assessing lands in the Mat-Su Valley for their salmon and habitat
values. The assessment was completed by the Great Land Trust, an
Alaska-based land trust, under a cooperative agreement with U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. The Trust used this assessment to contact landowners to
gauge interest in voluntarily conserving their lands. A recent outcome of
this effort is the completion of a 4,800-acre Knik River Islands
Conservation Easement between Eklutna Inc. and the Great Land Trust. These
lands provide excellent habitat for Pacific salmon, migratory birds and
other wildlife.
We are honored to work with the Great Land Trust, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and other agency partners to protect key salmon habitat
for our shareholders and the community, said Curtis McQueen, CEO, Eklutna,
Incorporated. “We thank Coastal America for recognizing our contributions”,
McQueen added.
Numerous cooperating organizations participate in this partnership effort,
including: Great Land Trust, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Alaska District, Eklutna Incorporated, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The
Conservation Fund Alaska, Alaskans for the Palmer Hay Flats, Alaska
Department of Fish and Game, Pacific Coast Joint Venture, Municipality of
Anchorage, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NOAA’s National Marine
Fisheries Service, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Matanuska-Susitna
Borough, Mat-Su Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership, and individual private
landowners.
“Alaskans care deeply about salmon and aquatic resources and depend on
them for food and the economic health of their communities”*, said Pat
Pourchot. “Strong private-public partnerships are essential to future
health and sustainability of fish and aquatic resources in Alaska and
across the country,” Pourchot stated.
For more information contact David Wigglesworth at David_Wigglesworth@fws.gov
In 2007 the Mat-Su Salmon Partnership embarked on an 18-month long process to develop a Strategic Action Plan. This two-phase planning process was intended to identify Partnership long-term goals and strategies, and to provide a tool the Partnership can use to prioritize projects related to fish habitat goals in the Mat-Su basin. The plan scope included not only freshwater fish habitat in the Mat-Su Basin, but nearshore, estuarine, and marine habitat in upper Cook Inlet as well.
In the last 5 years, much has happened in the Mat-Su Basin, and the Partnership has been busy working toward it’s goals identified in the strategic plan. Given these changes and activity, it was time to consider updating our strategic plan. A scoping process to gauge the need began in late 2011 with input from partners solicited through an online survey, a discussion session at the Mat-Su Salmon Science and Conservation Symposium, and various discussions with partners in the last year. Progress toward the current goals in the Strategic Action Plan was also considered, as well as Partner consensus on the priorities for conserving salmon habitat. With this information, the steering committee has agreed revising the Strategic Action Plan is necessary, and has set out a process for a revision to reflect changes in conditions and progress on goals.
Please stay tuned for more information on this process that will be in full swing this spring!
Each year, after the shovels have been put away and waders stowed, a broad cross-section of individuals and organizations interested in salmon and involved in on-the-ground efforts to ensure that important habitats are identified, safeguarded, and restored in the Mat-Su region gather for the Mat-Su Salmon Science and Conservation Symposium. This 2-day event provides a forum for the sharing of information and lessons learned, celebrating of successes, and planning for the future of salmon and their habitat in this region.
Over 120 participants representing dozens of private, non-profit, governmental, and tribal entities met in Wasilla November 7-8 for the 5th annual symposium. Dr. Bob Lackey from Oregon State University kicked off this year’s event and generated lively discussion with lessons learned from the Pacific Northwest with a presentation titled “Straight Talk about the Future of Salmon.”
This year’s event was particularly special because Corinne Smith, Mat-Su Basin Program Director for The Nature Conservancy, received national recognition for her contribution to aquatic resource conservation. “Corinne has done so much for habitat conservation and scientific research not only in the Mat-Su Basin, but all of Alaska. Congratulations on a well-deserved award” said the National Fish Habitat Partnership’s Board Chair Kelly Hepler. “On behalf of the National Fish Habitat Board, it is an honor to award her with the 2012 Scientific Achievement Award.”
Sue Rodman and Cecil Rich (the ADFG and USFWS statewide National Fish Habitat Partnership Coordinators in Alaska) jointly presented Corinne Smith (4th from right) with the 2012 Scientific Achievement Award from the National Fish Habitat Partnership.
The Scientific Achievement Award honors outstanding achievement in the use of science to improve fish habitat conservation. Corinne spearheaded the development of the Mat-Su Partnership in 2005 and initiated its strategic planning process. Additionally, she and Marcus Geist developed a map atlas to prioritize conservation of salmon watersheds in the Mat-Su Basin. Through her leadership and advancement of science applications, the accomplishments of the Mat-Su Partnership have steadily expanded.
