Susitna-Matanuska Area Plan

The Department of Natural Resources is starting to revise two plans dealing with state land in the Susitna Valley, the Susitna Area Plan and the Susitna Forestry Guidelines. We are conducting public meetings in key communities within the region to find out how you use state land, how you would like to see them used in the future, and concerns regarding the use of these lands. These meetings are being held in conjunction with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough as they continue to develop their Forest Management Plan (FMP) and Natural Resource Management Unit Plans (NRMUP) for borough land.

Links to other web sites:

1985 Susitna Area Plan
1991 Susitna Foresty Guidelines
Mat-Su Borough Forest Management Plan

The 1985 Susitna Area Plan (SAP) has guided land use on most of the state land within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough for over 20 years. The portion of that plan currently being revised is the west side of the Susitna Valley; the highway corridor from the Talkeetna Y to the borough boundary just south of Cantwell (this includes the land north of Talkeetna accessible via the railroad); the Talkeetna and Chugach mountains and the highway corridor from Palmer to the borough boundary 40 miles west of Glennallen.

Land within the borough boundary that is excluded from this planning area is the land encompassed by the Hatcher Pass Management Plan, Southeast Susitna Area Plan and Knik River Public Use Area. Also excluded are lands in the Lake Louise region and the area north of the Nelchina Public Use Area; these will be dealt with in a future planning effort. The area of the SAP that is currently being revised will be called the Susitna-Matanuska Area Plan (SMAP).

There are 11 million acres of land within the area plan boundary and 9 million of these are state owned. Since 1985 the legislature has designated 3 million acres as special purpose lands such as the Nelchina Public Use Area and the Susitna Recreation Rivers. There have also been land conveyances to the borough, Mental Health Trust, University and private individuals and this plan will not affect these lands. These and other changes to the state's population and economy make it desirable to revise the plan to reflect current conditions.

Planning is a way of sorting through the possibilities for using state land, choosing those with the greatest benefits for all Alaskans, and involving the public in the process. The planning process provides a link between the citizens and the agencies charged with managing their land.

Developing plans for state land is challenging because people have differing ideas of how state land can best be used. Also, not all desired uses of state land are compatible in the same place at the same time. Through resource planning, DNR works with the public to determine where the important resources are and how the land can be used for the maximum public benefit. In the planning process all resources are considered and evaluated. Wherever possible, guidelines are established that allow for multiple use.

Those state lands where forestry is a designated use in the SMAP are managed under the detailed guidance of the 1991 Susitna Forestry Guidelines (SFG). These guidelines also apply to state lands with a forestry designation covered by the Southeast Susitna Area Plan. The guidelines describe the requirements for managing timber and for mitigating impacts to other resources and land uses when timber is harvested from state lands. The guidelines' goal is to manage state-owned forest lands so they provide a balanced, sustained yield of public benefits. Increased firewood demand and growing interest in biomass energy from state lands are two topics that need attention. We want to hear what you think needs to be considered when managing state-owned forest lands.

The Mat-Su Borough is simultaneously going through a similar process in developing their Natural Resource Management Unit Plans, which consists of two parts. The first is policies and guidelines for various resources, including forest resources, public recreation and tourism, fish and wildlife, wetlands, stream corridors, riparian areas, materials and trails. The second part is applying those polices and guidelines for 19 Natural Resource Management Units that were identified for potential forest management and timber harvest activities during an earlier process that was completed in 2008.

The state and borough desire your input throughout the planning process. The following open houses have been scheduled to solicit your comments and input. Representatives from all three planning processes will be there to gather information and answer questions. A formal presentation will take place approximately one hour from the start of the open house to explain the planning process. Please come to:

Although there will be several "official" periods when public comments are sought, please feel free to contact us at anytime regarding these updates. For the Susitna-Matanuska Area Plan contact:

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