JOIN OUR MISSION

Join us in our efforts to keep the Matanuska Greenbelt the wonderful place it is today.  The farmland, trails, lakes, forests and geology are unique to our community and should always be here for the public to enjoy.

Thank you for your comments on the proposed conservation easement on Matanuska Experiment Farm to replace the gravel pit 

The University of Alaska Fairbanks posted a public notice requesting comments to their proposal to sell a conservation easement to Great Land Trust on property which is part of the Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center. If approved, it will set aside the 86-acre parcel of land they had previously chosen to develop as a gravel pit. 

We will update this website once we have more information - thank you for your participation and continued diligence!


Farmland, parkland, forestland, trails, lakes and more ….

More important than ever! The Matanuska Greenbelt is a special place, close to home for many Valley residents, that gives us the chance to unwind and take in the beauty of the natural world. Visitors can take a walk, ride a bike, go for a run, ride a horse, go fishing, go camping, go birding, or just sit and enjoy the scenery and the unique geology.

From the Experiment Farm to Crevasse-Moraine, Mat-Su College to Matanuska Lake State Park, the Greenbelt encompasses more than 2,800 acres, nine lakes and thirty-three miles of pedestrian and equestrian trails. Of those 2,800 acres, only 615 acres are reserved for public recreation — less than 22% of the land base.

The threat of development looms


The lack of protection for future recreational use is a constant threat to the Matanuska Greenbelt. In the last 20 years, the area around the Greenbelt has been transformed by the development of new homes and businesses to roads and expanding gravel pits, all prompted by being part of the state’s fastest growing area.

In August 2020, the ‘Save the Matanuska Greenbelt’ advocacy group formed after learning of a gravel pit proposed by the University of Alaska Fairbanks on a 80-acre parcel located within the Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center. The proposed pit would be located in the center of the Greenbelt, on top of a key connector trail. (See map).

Save the Matanuska Greenbelt Advocates (SMGA) believe a gravel pit at the farm would compromise the integrity of the farm and its intended purpose: education and research. While SMGA understands the University of Alaska’s current financial constraints, gravel extraction in the middle of the Experiment Farm will forever change the character of the land. It will also threaten the entire Matanuska Greenbelt as a contiguous public open space.

The community has been vocal in its support of the Matanuska Greenbelt, through testimonials from individuals, businesses, and agencies. We hope you will join us in this effort. Check out the Testimonials page, watch the stakeholders meeting with UAF, and read letters to the University Board of Regents. With our email list, we may ask you to add your own voice to those seeking to protect the future of the Greenbelt.