Alaska's Chugach State Park

While Alaska is blessed with an abundance of public land, access to that land is not guaranteed. Chugach State Park, located at the edge of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, has been impacted by the city’s rapid expansion—right up to the park's boundaries. Along the western boundary of the park, immediately adjacent to suburban Anchorage, lies the 149-acre Near Point property. The property provides access to Near Point and to the North Fork of Campbell Creek. We're now trying to raise funds to transfer this property to Chugach State Park.

No matter how tough the situation, we find the right solution to benefit the land and the surrounding community.  In 2003 the Near Point property was the location of a proposed antenna farm. After the community defeated that proposal, it was slated for residential development. The Basher Community Council unanimously passed a resolution endorsing The Conservation Fund’s purchase of the entire property and our transfer of the property to Chugach State Park. Alaska State Parks plans to work with the Basher Community Council and the public to design appropriate facilities on this property—so all may easily access and enjoy Chugach in the future.

In previous years, we've been successful in assisting local partners with their efforts to ensure access to Chugach. In 2007, we assisted The Great Land Trust, in partnership with the Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, with the completion of a multi-year effort to secure public access to Rabbit Creek Valley, located within the park. Over the course of five years we had worked quietly with the various landowners involved to secure access to the valley. In partnership with the Great Land Trust, Alaska State Parks, the Alaska Legislature, the Rasmuson Foundation and ConocoPhillips, we raised the funds needed to purchase three properties totaling 320 acres, allowing park visitors to enjoy Rabbit Creek Valley for the first time in 20 years.

Working with community and government leaders we've been conserving land in Alaska for decades and will continue to work for decades to come.

We work to ensure access to parks and public lands across the country.
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Photo: View of Chugach / Rob Baird, Flickr (top); Rabbit Lake / The Conservation Fund (bottom)