Join us for an important discussion about the future of forest management in the Mat-Su Valley!
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) is inviting all community members to attend a scoping meeting about plans to replace the 1991
Susitna Forestry Guidelines with a new forest management plan. This is your opportunity to learn about the proposed changes and share your input!
CLICK HERE
TO ACCESS THE VIRTUAL MEETING LINK:
Microsoft Teams December 11 Virtual Meeting
101 Palmer Airport Rd, Palmer, AK
The DOF aims to:
Your opinion matters! Don’t miss this chance to shape the future of forest management in your community.
The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection is establishing a new Susitna Valley Forest management plan. This plan is created to replace the Susitna Forestry guidelines created in 1991. The 1991 guidelines, being over 30 years old, are outdated and do not reflect the current management objectives. The intent of replacing these guidelines is to bolster local economies by creating incentives for timber harvesting while maintaining multi-use forests. The Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry plans to work with communities to better encompass guidelines that reflect local priorities while also generating revenue for the private and public sector.
This area includes 772,416 acres with a total of 488,735 acres of land greater than a 10 percent tree coverage The Susitna-Matanuska Valley timber type is primarily composed of white spruce-birch stands, paper birch and black spruce stands also make up a significant portion of the area. Other species found include aspen and balsam poplar, which are mixed throughout different stands. Cottonwood, alder and willow can be found in riparian zones. Most of this land is away from population centers and elevation, generally, is under 1000’. The timber stands show uniformity in age, with an average of approximately 120 years. There is a lack of advanced regeneration. This age distribution and regeneration pattern indicates that the area likely underwent a major disturbance, possibly a significant fire, around 1890.
Other than forestry land use, the area also boasts mineral rich resources that have been mined for decades. Rivers and lakes make great opportunities for recreation such as hunting, fishing, rafting, hiking and camping in these areas.
There is abundant fish and wildlife throughout the area including moose, bear, bald eagle, perigon falcon, salmon, trout, and many other species found. The forest management process will consider these factors and work to mitigate encroachment and enhance wildlife habitat.
View the map below of the Susitna-Matanuska Valley Forest classified land.
This map displays active forest roads, unit and subunit boundaries, and land classifications.
An edit option allows users to mark locations and add text comments to those points.
This tutorial
describes how users can add information to the interactive map.
A carbon offset credit is a financial instrument representing a reduction or removal of one metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. These credits are used by companies or other entities to compensate for their own carbon emissions by investing in environmental projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gasses.
A carbon offset project is designed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or capture and store carbon from the atmosphere to compensate for emissions made elsewhere.
These projects help businesses, governments, and other entities achieve carbon neutrality or reduced carbon footprints through the purchase of carbon offsets.
Examples of carbon offset projects:
Forestry and Land Use Projects:
These include reforestation, afforestation (planting trees where there were none before), improved forest management, and conservation projects.
Trees naturally absorb and sequester CO2 from the atmosphere, making them an effective basis for carbon offset projects.
Methane Capture Projects:
These projects prevent methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from entering the atmosphere.
Common sources include landfills, agricultural operations (like livestock), and wastewater treatment facilities.
Energy Efficiency Projects:
Improving energy efficiency in buildings, manufacturing, and transportation can significantly reduce emissions.
Projects might involve upgrading equipment, improving building insulation, or enhancing industrial processes to use less energy.
State Forests (AS 41.17) are a specific designation of state land for forest management, focused on sustainable timber and forest resource use. State Forest Classified Lands (AS 38.05) are lands that have been classified under Alaska's land classification process, which may include forest management as one of the uses, but could also include other management objectives depending on the classification.
Firewood cutting permits are available online on state land for the following areas of the state: Fairbanks, Tok, Glennallen, Haines, Mat-Su, and Kenai.
To obtain a firewood cutting permit, visit: https://dnr.alaska.gov/FPS
Regular Firewood Permits - Permits may also be obtained from DOF area offices. Any individual gathering firewood on State land should consult maps and personnel at their local DOF office to ensure they remain on State land. Property lines are frequently unmarked and any permission obtained from DOF to gather firewood is only valid on State land. Harvesting firewood without the landowner's permission is trespass.
For information specific to the area you live in, contact your local forestry office.
State timber sales are initially offered in a competitive bid auction. Timber sales that were offered in an auction and not sold are then made available "over the counter" meaning that they are available to be purchased at the minimum bid price.
Currently offered timber sales in the Mat-Su can be found on this page: https://forestry.alaska.gov/timber/matsu. For areas outside of the Mat-Su, the offerings can be found here: https://forestry.alaska.gov/timber/contracts.
Five Year Schedule of Timber Sales (https://forestry.alaska.gov/timber/fiveyearschedules)
Each of the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection's area offices prepares a Five-Year Schedule of Timber Sales every other year. The Schedules give the public, timber industry, and other agencies an overview of the division's plans for timber sales. They summarize information on proposed timber harvest areas, timber sale access, and reforestation plans.
Before a timber sale can be offered, the Division prepares a Best Interest Findings and Forest Land Use Plan. A Best Interest Finding addresses 1) "…the facts pertaining to the land, resources, or property, or interest in them, that the director finds are material to the determination and that are known to the director [or their delegates]…", 2) applicable statutes and regulations, and 3) establishes which action the State determines to be in the best interest of the State.
The Forest Land Use Plan presents detailed information on the location, access, harvest methods, duration, and proposed reforestation for each sale. They must follow the principles of multiple use and sustained yield and consider non-timber uses and resources within the sale area.
Best Interest Findings and Forest Land Use Plans can be found here: https://forestry.alaska.gov/decisiondocs
More information about the timber sale process can be found here https://forestry.alaska.gov/timber/index
Contact your local Area office with any questions you may have about timber sales or the timber sale planning process.
Trevor Dobell-Carlsson
Forest Planner and Federal
Programs Manager
Alaska DNR | Division of
Forestry & Fire Protection
500 W 7th Ave. Ste 1450
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 269-8667
Stephen Nickel
Matsu Valley Resource
Forester
Alaska DNR | Division of
Forestry & Fire Protection
101 airport road
Palmer, AK 99827
(907) 761-6301
Lane Rasmussen
Forest Planner
Alaska DNR | Division of
Forestry & Fire Protection
500 W 7th Ave. Ste 1450
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 269-6584
550 W. 7th Ave, Suite 1360
Anchorage, AK 99501-3557
Phone: (907) 269-8400
Fax: (907) 269-8901
TTY: Dial 711 or 800-770-8973