Land Trust News

Thomas B. Stewart Memorial Fund

2008-04-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

Judge Stewart was a life-long conservationist who, as a member of the Southeast Alaska Land Trust Board, made immeasurable contributions to ensuring that vital areas remain in-place for the well-being of each generation. He shared a keen knowledge of the history and a clear vision for the future of this place.

Tom inspired our work, amazed us with his personal knowledge of this region, its people and history, guided our actions with his standards of excellence and integrity, and delighted us with his stories. In a decade of service on the SEALTrust Board, he selflessly opened his home for our meetings, Board retreats, and even public outreach events; if a dinner was involved, Tom was likely to prepare the main dish.

Judge Stewart was an enthusiastic ambassador for the SEALTrust. He was willing to sit, one-on-one, with people when he thought he could help them envision their land legacy. Tom would guide them through their conservation options and help them draft agreements unique to their land and personal needs for its continued use. Most notably, Tom assisted Caroline Jensen as she shaped her vision for the Jensen-Olsen Arboretum, Juneau’s spectacular horticultural gardens at Pearl Harbor. Now, after Caroline’s passing, it is owned and managed by the City, while SEALTrust holds a conservation agreement which binds the City to her vision.

From our fragile beginning in 1996 through 2006, when he withdrew to turn his full attention to the completion of his book on the drafting of Alaska’s constitution, Tom’s commitment to the conservation of those places which capture the vital character of this region, has significantly and forever shaped the Southeast Alaska Land Trust.

We have been honored by his service and are obliged to continue his work.
You can help make this possible - to make a donation in Tom's name, go to the box to the right of his photo, above.

Thank you for your generous contribution to the Thomas B. Stewart Memorial Fund.

Melissa Goldstein - Conservation Specialist

2008-01-31T11:46:00.000-08:00

Melissa joined us as our Conservation Specialist in September 2007. Originally from upstate New York, she has made a circuit around the country (via South Carolina, Texas, northern California, southcentral Alaska) to arrive here in Southeast. She has been a Juneau resident for nearly four years. Melissa has a background in environmental toxicology and wildlife biology, and enjoys many outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and bird watching. She is an active member of the Juneau community and has three children under the age of six who help keep her that way.

Strawberry Acres, Lot #4

2008-01-30T11:45:00.000-08:00

In the spring of 2006, Dave and Mary Albert came to the Southeast Alaska Land Trust with a conservation project proposal for the upper Strawberry Creek valley. They envisioned their 3.62-acre property known as Strawberry Acres (Lot #4), becoming part of the Amalga Meadows Natural Area Park. With such a clear vision in mind, the Trust was able to work successfully with the Alberts and the CBJ, and the Strawberry Acres conservation easement, located at mile 25 in Juneau’s “Green Zone,” was completed and signed in December of 2006. The property is now a part of the Park, and forms a continuum with the adjacent Herbert River conservation easement, also held by SEAL Trust.

Moraine Edge

2008-01-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

During the construction of the Moraine Edge Subdivision in 2005, CEO and President of Lowpete Construction, Inc. Richard Petersen sent a letter of intent to SEAL Trust indicating his firm’s desire to donate certain portions of the surrounding land for conservation purposes, that these portions become the property of Juneau’s Department of Parks and Recreation, and that they be part of “the preserved lands dedicated for conservation and for public outdoor recreation or education purposes.” The resulting conservation easement on Moraine Edge Parcels A&B, a total of 7.12 acres, serves as a public “green space” in the midst of residential development.

Congressional Conference Committee to resolve differences in Tax Benefits for Conservation Donations

2008-01-10T17:29:00.000-08:00

Are you a Southeast Alaskan landowner thinking about placing conservation protections on property that you cherish? Your vision, as landowner, and the conservation values of the property are the key ingredients for a conservation easement that is unique to your property. The federal income tax deduction that comes with that conservation donation helps to make the easements financially viable.

Deduct up to 50% of their adjusted gross income in any year (up from 30%);
Deduct up to 100% of their adjusted gross income if the majority of that income came from farming, ranching or forestry; and
Continue to take deductions for as long as 15 years (up from 5 years) after the initial deduction.

In 2006, after lengthy debates about the public benefits of private land conservation efforts, Congress made favorable changes to the tax incentives for conservation donations. They passed a new law that will enhance the tax benefits of donating conservation easements on private land during 2006 and 2007. The legislation improves the tax incentive for conservation easements by allowing conservation easement donors to increase the deduction for the donation, and increase the numbers of years for which that deduction can be claimed. Landowners can now deduct up to 50%, and in certain cases 100% of their adjusted gross income, and continue taking that deduction for up to 16 years, depending on the appraised value of their donation.

The timing is important. The house and senate proposed making these changes permanent, but needs to resolve language differences in their proposals. Final Legislation will be retroactive to Jan, 1 2008.

The Southeast Alaska Land Trust is a member of The Land Trust Alliance (LTA). This organization led the effort to work in Congress to approve this new law. LTA is a national organization that sets standards for all the land trust in the country, provides training and networking opportunities, and represents the land trust community in Washington, DC. SEALTrust has been a member of LTA for 10 years.

Whether you need help preserving land that you cherish beyond your lifetime, desire to realize tax-benefits through charitable giving, or simply wish to make a contribution to support our work, we can help you achieve your specific plans while protecting important natural and cultural lands.

Each day we are encouraged by the generous and willing landowners who work with us. The new law will make it easier for others in Southeast Alaska to insure that vital natural areas they care about will remain in place for their grandchildren to enjoy.

To learn more about these new developments, visit www.southeastalaskalandtrust.org or www.LTA.org.

Wetlands 101: Fees In lieu of Mitigation

2007-12-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

Our Southeast coastal rainforest is a treasured, intact, functioning ecosystem with varying degrees of wetland types. So, wetlands can dominate the business of developers and conservationists. No matter how you see them, wetlands are an important part of the natural, economic and social structure of Southeast.

Wetlands provide flood control, water filtration, erosion control, biochemical and nutrient cycling. Theses habitats are critical to the lifecycles of fish, furbearers, and birds, which contribute to our region’s economy. However, Development in this wet climate inevitably results in dredging and filling of some wetlands.

Under the US Army Corps of Engineers permitting rules, developers must mitigate project impacts to wetlands. Minimizing impacts or restoring nearby degraded wetlands is preferable. But developers can also mitigate wetland impacts by simply paying fees-in-lieu of mitigation. These “in-lieu fees” can be used to fund long-term conservation of intact wetlands. They help keep vital natural areas in-place as our communities and infrastructure are being built and upgraded.

Under our 1997 agreement with the Army Corps, the Southeast Alaska Land Trust is eligible to receive fees-in-lieu. Resource experts from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries, and Alaska’s Fish & Game recommend this funding for selected projects. SEALTrust’s preference is to reinvest in-lieu fees in the affected community. Resource agencies are more interested in putting this conservation money to work immediately, so often give priority to projects that are ready to go, regardless of their regional location.

It is important to note, that upfront identification of a community’s conservation priorities and preliminary negotiation with project landowners will be rewarded with timely mitigation funding. This fits nicely with SEALTrust’s mission: to work with communities and willing land owners to ensure that vital natural areas remain in place for each generation.

Leask project aims for $1.9 million grant

2006-11-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

Leask Lakes, located between Lake Harriet Hunt and the Naha River National Recreation trail, has been a long-standing conservation target for some Ketchikan community members.
Ketchikan Daily News
Thursday, November 16, 2006
By JIM RADOVICH
Daily News Staff Writer

Leask Lakes, located between Lake Harriet Hunt and the Naha River National Recreation trail, has been a long-standing conservation target for some Ketchikan community members.

The Leask Users Coalition hopes to be in line for a nearly $2 million grant to purchase a tract around Leask Lakes, seen here on Oct. 26, to preserve for recreational use. Photo by Mike Sallee

Bill Rotecki is co-chairman of the Leask Users Coalition, a group formed in 2004 seeking to preserve certain parts of the Leask Lakes area from timber harvest. Rotecki said Thursday that similar conservation efforts have been going on in Ketchikan for more than 20 years.

The coalition partnered with the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Cape Fox Corp., and the Southeast Alaska Land Trust in 2004 to develop and submit a report to the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program. The report outlined the coalition's intention for a conservation project in the Leask Lakes area.

Alaska Mental Health Trust owns a 4,850-acre tract encompassing the Leask Lakes and Leask Creek. The coalition is attempting to purchase 22 percent of the tract, or 1,065 acres, for easements surrounding the lakes and creek. The proposed easements would prevent timber harvest in those areas and allow recreational activity in the area. The area is now closed to the public.

The coalition recently announced that the Leask Lakes project has advanced to the national ranking level of the Forest Legacy Program, topping two other Alaska projects. It will be determined in March — after the President signs the federal budget — whether the coalition receives Legacy Program funding, according to Coalition Lands Coordinator Carrie Dolwick. The coalition is asking for about $1.9 million from the Legacy Program, according to Dolwick. It would have to come up with $675,000 in matching funds, she said.

The matching funds would come from a variety of sources, she said, such as private foundations and fundraising. The coalition raised about $12,000 toward the project at an auction last February and plans to hold a similar auction next February, according to Dolwick.

The Legacy Program is a nationwide, cooperative program between the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources and the Forest Service. The program emphasizes protecting and enhancing traditional forest uses, such as fishing, hunting, logging, hiking and wildlife viewing.

Dolwick said the coalition's intent is to purchase the land and timber rights from Mental Health, and then to develop a plan by 2008 for the 1,065 acres. She said there is great potential for an interconnected trail system in the area. She said she hopes to have one trail connecting the Naha River, Lunch Creek and Lake Harriet Hunt trails.

She said the proposed easement would "protect a wildlife corridor around the lakes and the creek, create public access for all community members, and leave a buffer around the lakes for future tourism opportunities."

Dolwick said there is a lot of historical value within the Leask Lakes area. She said there is a historical cabin at the site and four historic fish weirs. Annual runs of sockeye, steelhead, coho and pink salmon pour into Leask Creek every year and there is a dense population of black bears, wolves and mountain goats in the area, she said.

"There is a lot of community interest in the land," said Dolwick, adding that the area is also a critical nesting habitat for many birds, including the marbled murrelet. She said many bird watchers have been wanting to access the area, but cannot.

The marbled murrelet, a small seabird which nests in the coastal, old-growth forests of this region, is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in Oregon and Washington (sic), according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Rotecki said he felt good about the project advancing to the national level.

"I'm excited about it. We have a lot of good things going for us, and I think we have a very good chance of being successful," said Rotecki.

Dolwick, too, said she was excited about the project making it to the national ranking.

"I'm very hopeful. I think are chances are good because we have been working very closely with state and regional representatives. Everyone is really positive and I think this is a great opportunity for the community of Ketchikan," said Dolwick.

Dolwick said the coalition has been working closely with Mental Health in negotiating the amount of acres

within the proposed easement. As a part of these negotiations, restricted timber harvest would be allowed on 400 acres of the proposed easements.

"They are cooperative land owners and are willing to sell their land," said Dolwick.

The coalition recently received two grants totaling about $10,000 from the Ducks Unlimited and Pacific Coast Joint Venture conservation groups to flag the proposed easement boundaries.

The Legacy Program funded 40 conservation projects from across the nation in fiscal year 2006, totaling about $56.5 million. The Agulowak River conservation project was the only project from Alaska to receive Legacy Program funding in 2006; The Legacy Program contributed $591,000 to the project. The Agulowak River is located in the Wood River mountain range about 150 miles southeast of Bethel on Bristol Bay.

The coalition has applied for funding that would come in fiscal 2008, which begins July 1.