Juneau, AK – The Southeast Alaska Land Trust (SEALT) announced the recent acquisition and conservation of 14 acres of wetlands adjacent to the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge (Refuge), in Juneau. This property is located within the lands traditionally cultivated and inhabited by the Tlingit Áak’w Kwáan.
SEALT’s latest conservation property is on north Douglas Island, at an area locally known as Hendrickson Point. The property is adjacent to a 108-acre City and Borough of Juneau Conservation Area, the SEALT Grummett Wetlands conservation property, and the Refuge. The acquisition of this parcel expands upon these three established conservation areas to preserve an important wildlife corridor for deer, bear, and other wildlife.
“SEALT has been working strategically to preserve important wetlands adjacent to the Refuge since 1995, and we’re thrilled to conserve another portion of the Refuge boundary,” said Margaret Custer, SEALT’s Executive Director.
This new conservation property represents some of the last undeveloped, privately-owned wetlands along the shoreline of the Refuge. It provides excellent habitat for deer, black bear, and hundreds of species of native and migratory birds. The property is visible to travelers driving along Glacier Highway and remains an important part of that viewshed.
“Intense development surrounding most of Taashuyee, river/tide/mud-flats (Mendenhall Wetlands) is challenging for wildlife,” states naturalist and SEALT Lands Committee member, Richard Carstensen. “Our tracking indicates this portion of Sayéik, spirit helper (Douglas Island) has been one of the few places where deer, bear and wolf can access important salt marsh and uplift meadow habitat from surrounding uplands. This new conservation parcel is also valuable in its own right – an unusually diverse mosaic of different forest, shrub and wetland habitats.”
SEALT successfully acquired this latest conservation property from a private landowner on September 26, 2022, using funds received through the SEALT In-Lieu Fee Program, a wetland mitigation program managed in partnership with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. The permanent preservation of the critical wetland functions of this site will offset unavoidable impacts from future construction projects in Southeast Alaska. Until an appropriate place name can be determined, the property is being referred to simply as Tract B-3.
“It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate the acquisition of these beautiful wetlands,” said Anne Sutton, President of the Board of SEALT. “This is an extremely high-quality natural area which will now be preserved in perpetuity.”
The new conservation property on Hendrickson Point will be owned and managed as open space by SEALT. This acquisition will safeguard this scenic property as an access point to the Refuge for both people and wildlife traveling between Gastineau Channel and Douglas Island.
Both of SEALT’s conservation properties on Hendrickson Point are free and open year-round to the public for passive recreation, including hiking, birding, and exploring.
The Southeast Alaska Land Trust has been working to conserve lands adjacent to the Refuge, as well as other important habitats in southeast Alaska since 1995. The organization works to preserve the natural resources of the region and to facilitate public recreational and educational opportunities. The Southeast Alaska Land Trust conserves more than 3,600 acres of land in Southeast Alaska.
The Southeast Alaska Land Trust is a nonprofit dedicated to collaborating with communities, individuals, and organizations throughout Southeast Alaska to help ensure that highly valued habitat, recreation, open space, and cultural and historic areas continue to thrive for the well-being of each generation. For more information about the Southeast Alaska Land Trust and its community and land conservation programs, visit the website at www.SoutheastAlaskaLandTrust.org. Connect with their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/southeastalaskalandtrust1995/, or view photos of their conservation properties on their Instagram account at @SoutheastAlaskaLandTrust.