Trailhead at the Matanuska Experiment Farm.The Matanuska Greenbelt Trails Association, which the Matanuska Experiment Farm is a participant in, was presented a community service award by the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau on Nov. 18.
This award is only occasionally given to acknowledge special contributions by groups or individuals to better the community. The Matanuska Greenbelt Trails Association is an informal group of land managers from the Alaska State Parks, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, UAA MatSu College and the Matanuska Experiment Farm, along with many interested volunteers.
The entities have cooperated on the management of the trails system, consisting of over 33 miles of trails, which connects all the properties. Over the past three years, the group has developed a unifying logo for the trails system, produced a trails map available to the public as a free download, installed 80 posts with over 200 directional signs and developed/installed multiple trail head signs. Most of the work was done by volunteers lead by Dot Helm (retired UAF faculty) and paid for with funds from a borough bed tax grant and private donations through the popular Buy a Post program.
"The Matanuska Greenbelt Trails Association is viewed as a successful model of community cooperation and development," said Norman Harris, administrator at the Palmer Center for Sustainable Living, where the Matanuska Experiment Farm is located.
"This is a wonderful example that highlights how, under Dr. Harris's leadership, the Matanuska Experiment Farm and the Palmer Center for Sustainable Living have become valuable assets and partners in the Valley community," Carol Lewis, dean of the UAF School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences and director of the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said.
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