Great Land Trust

06/10/2026

Last week, our Stewardship team visited the Eklutna River Estuary conservation easement property to monitor restoration efforts in an area that was damaged in 2017. Following the initial restoration work completed in 2022, the site has recovered remarkably well.

Each year, we return to assess the health and progress of the vegetation and remove invasive species, helping native plants continue to thrive. It's rewarding to see the positive impact of ongoing stewardship and restoration work on this important habitat.

06/04/2026

Blue skies, 75 degrees, and a day on the river? We'll take it.

Yesterday, the GLT team completed our annual monitoring visit of the Knik River Islands conservation easement, floating from the Old Glenn Highway bridge to the New Glenn Highway bridge. Along the way, we monitored the shoreline for any signs of activity that could impact the conserved lands and enjoyed plenty of sunshine, scenic views, and wildlife - including a seal looking for salmon quite a ways up the river.

Protecting special places sometimes means spending a beautiful day on the water. Not a bad day at the office!

05/29/2026

A big welcome to our 2026 Land Stewards, Maggie Pacor and Toby Fried, who joined the GLT team this week! They'll spend the summer out in the field, monitoring conservation easements and caring for the lands we’ve worked to protect.

Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Maggie graduated from Gonzaga University in Washington with degrees in Sociology and Environmental Studies. After graduating she worked at a rock climbing camp in Geyikbayiri, Turkey, where she combined her passion for rock climbing with trail maintenance and environmental stewardship. She is excited to bring this experience to her seasonal role as a Land Steward with GLT this summer.

Toby grew up in Montclair, NJ, and recently received an undergraduate degree in Geology and Earth Systems from Colorado College. Toby has formed a connection to Alaska through his time spent working and playing around Anchorage and the Arctic the last two summers. When not working as a Land Steward with GLT, Toby can be found mountain biking, trail running, or getting up to other mischief in the mountains.

05/27/2026

Please join us in welcoming Noah Goltz back to the GLT team! Noah started last week as our Land Management Assistant, a new position that will support our ongoing efforts to steward and protect conserved properties.

Some of you may remember Noah from his time with GLT as a Land Steward in summer 2023. Since then, he earned his B.S. in Geological Engineering from UAF and now he is pursuing an M.S. in Civil Engineering at UAA.

We’re excited to have Noah back with us this summer. He’s already hit the ground running, visiting sites and helping scope out projects for the season ahead!

05/26/2026

Join us at the ribbon cutting event for the new Anchorage Birding Trail, tomorrow night, 5pm at Westchester Lagoon! The ribbon cutting will be followed by a guided bird walk to visit a few stops on the trail.

Audubon Alaska’s newest birding trail connects 35 accessible sites, from Cook Inlet shorelines to Chugach alpine ridges to city parks throughout the Anchorage Bowl.

05/21/2026

We're thrilled to be one of the recipients of this round of Community Challenge Grants from the Anchorage Park Foundation! We'll use funds to make much-needed repairs to the trail at Tanglewood Park that connects Bowman Elementary to the boardwalk. We're excited to work with the school, APF, and Anchorage Parks and Recreation on this project! And a big thanks to Rasmuson Foundation for providing this important funding source for our community!

Anchorage leaders and volunteers gathered at Cuddy Family Midtown Park as the Anchorage Park Foundation announced more than $300,000 in Community Challenge Grants. The funding will support 14 community-led projects,

05/19/2026

The Lesser Yellowlegs are coming back to Alaska! Many of these birds have completed an 8,000 mile journey from South America to build their nests in the moss and grass of our boreal forests and wetlands.

Banded birds can be seen in the Anchorage area, JBER, and Fairbanks. Keep an eye out for these banded birds and their band code to help ADF&G track the survival of the species.

Photo: Arin Underwood

05/18/2026

This past weekend, we joined a group of volunteers organized by the Rabbit Creek Community Council and spent the morning brushing the Moen Trail at the new Potter Marsh Watershed Park. Together, we tackled pesky alders and devil’s club to help get the trail ready for summer use.

We’re also continuing to work with Anchorage Parks and Recreation on the park’s Master Plan, which passed the Parks & Recreation Commission last week and is expected to go before the Planning & Zoning Commission later this summer. These are all exciting and positive steps forward as we continue improving access to and planning for the future of the park. You can read the draft plan here: https://www.muni.org/Departments/parks/Pages/PMWP.aspx

05/13/2026

We're still looking for a few volunteers to help out with pulling invasive weeds and a few other minor projects at the Campbell Creek Estuary Natural Area on Thursday, May 21st from 12-3 PM. Sign up at the link below!
https://forms.gle/k3g2uX6ch8hMirFd7

02/12/2026

We're hiring! GLT is looking for TWO self-motivated, organized, and detail-oriented individuals with strong conservation ethics to join our team for the 2026 season as the Land Stewards. Visit the link below for the job description and information on how to apply!

https://greatlandtrust.org/2026/02/11/were-hiring/