Current projects underway and properties under our care

Anchor River

More than 54 acres of fishing and hunting access on the Anchor River are now open to the public in State ownership and will be conserved forever thanks to the work of Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Kachemak Heritage Land Trust, and Kachemak Moose Habitat Inc. So far in this project, four parcels have been purchased with federal funds from the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and funds from Kachemak Moose Habitat, Inc., or donated as land match to be perpetually preserved as moose habitat and for public access near the 19,000-acre State-designated Anchor River/Fritz Creek Critical Habitat Area. 

The grant funding provides for the purchase of up to 612.62 acres from willing landowners on and adjacent to the river, potentially connecting the Anchor River/Fritz Creek Critical Habitat Area to the lower, wildlife-rich Anchor River corridor. The acquisition of these properties will conserve habitat important to the year-round survival of moose, particularly for moose calving, moose habitat in winter, and provide an important winter migration corridor, supporting and sustaining the moose harvest on the Lower Kenai Peninsula.

Additionally, through these purchases, stream-side habitat important to king, coho, sockeye, and pink salmon, Dolly Varden, and steelhead trout will be protected; and directly benefit people by providing new access for hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing. Protection of this valuable spawning and rearing fish habitat directly benefits commercial and sport fishermen on the river and in Cook Inlet as well. This area has also been designated an Important Bird Area by The National Audubon Society with industrialization and urbanization listed as one of the main habitat issues.
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McArthur Conservation Easement

​On August 10th, 2020, long-time local Jeanne McArthur ensured that her 25-acre property would be protected for generations to come. Jeanne accomplished her goal of creating permanent wildlife habitat and open space by donating a conservation easement on her beautiful property to Kachemak Heritage Land Trust (KHLT).
 
Jeanne’s protection of her property contributes to the preservation of the highly valuable Fritz Creek corridor, utilized by moose and bear to travel between their upland summer ranges in the Anchor River/Fritz Creek Critical Habitat Area and their low-lying wintering grounds along Kachemak Bay. The 750-foot stretch of Fritz Creek flowing through this property also contributes to Dolly Varden spawning habitat.
 
Jeanne has taken her dedication one step further by creating a legacy gift in her will to give the remaining interest of her property to KHLT as ‘trade land’. This ‘trade land’ donation allows KHLT to then sell the property, with the conservation easement in place forever, to generate proceeds to support KHLT’s conservation work. The generous donation of this conservation easement by Jeanne brings the total KHLT-protected acreage in the Fritz Creek watershed to 825 acres. 

Mountains to Sea

The goal of the Mountains to Sea initiative is to connect protected lands in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to the ocean through a conservation corridor.

KHLT, in partnership with other organizations and agencies, has identified 20 priority salmon streams as the Mountains to Sea project area.

Poopdeck Platt Community Park Trail

 KHLT’s Poopdeck Platt Property in the heart of downtown Homer is the Land Trust’s home base. This almost 3.5-acre property was the homesite of Homer legend, Poopdeck Platt. Poopdeck, born Clarence Vernon Platt, purchased the property in 1956. Poopdeck passed in 2000, and KHLT purchased the property in 2002 from the Platt family estate, turning the property into KHLT main offices.

Over the last several years, KHLT has worked with National Park Service’s Recreational Trails program, local landscape architects and community members to help design and build a community trail and park. Now, The Poopdeck Trail meanders from the end of Klondike on KHLT’s property, through the woods to City of Homer property and ends at the driveway of the Homer Independent Living Center. The trail features handicap accessible ramps, educational kiosks and signs, and hand-built benches. 

At each trailhead are dog waste containers and leashes available to use as part of a Leash Lending program. The Homer Library currently maintains a gravel path that stretches west from the library, linking to the Poopdeck Trail. As of 2017, the library path has contained a “Story Walk” that provides a fun activity for families. The library plans to expand this trail with emphasis on the indigenous natural and cultural history of the area.

Deep Creek EVOS

Ninety-three and a half acres of fishing and hunting access on Deep Creek are now open to the public for recreating and will be conserved forever. Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) operates a fish counting weir on the property during some years, which is key infrastructure needed for the management of Deep Creek fisheries for salmon. The protection of this property helps provide excellent habitat for Dolly Varden, king, pink, and coho salmon, as well as steelhead.
 
The property was purchased with Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council funds as a habitat protection project to protect salmon, birds, and mammal species injured by the oil spill and to enhance public recreational opportunities on Deep Creek. Kachemak Heritage Land Trust worked with Mike Booz at ADF&G, as well as Alaska Department of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Land Management to ultimately purchase the property from interested sellers.