Great Land Trust

Great Land Trust (GLT) is an Alaskan nonprofit organization founded in 1995 to conserve lands and waters essential to the quality of life and economic health of Alaskan communities. It focuses its efforts to preserve wetlands to ensure clean drinking water, conserve vital habitat for salmon and other wildlife, and to build trails for access to outdoor spaces. The organization works in partnership with landowners, government agencies, and various partners with a focus on the geographic areas of the Municipality of Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Prince William Sound, Copper River Basin, and Kodiak. 

I first started volunteering with Great Land Trust in 2008. Their request was simple - they needed a photographer who could capture images of target properties to use in fundraising to raise the funds necessary to either purchase a conservation easement or purchase the land outright and transfer over to state or local government for protection as a park. For years I had been donating my photography to local conservation organizations for their use in messaging - I enjoyed the opportunity to use my photography for something even more proactive. I also on occasion would photograph properties that have been secured in order to celebrate successes.

The following highlights properties that I have photographed for GLT over the years. 

Campbell Creek Estuary Natural Area (60.7 acres)

Pretty much all Anchorage residents know about Campbell Creek. It begins its path in the Chugach Front Range and winds its way through parks and neighborhoods, flanked by hiking or paved biking trails along much of its length. But they do not know much about the area where the creek terminates in the mudflats and spills into the ocean. I photographed this property in 2009 when it was still a privately-held homestead on the edge of a typical neighborhood in south Anchorage. Our mayor at the time first pushed back, suggesting the land would be better used for development. In the end, GLT was successful in purchasing the land and transferring it to the city in 2010. Read more about this property on the GLT website. 

Potter Valley Access - Stewart Homestead Trail (147 acres)

I first photographed this property for the Great Land Trust in 2009. It was seen as a missing link in a long-envisioned public access point into Chugach State Park. In 2013, I moved just a couple hundred feet downhill from the public easement trail leading into this area. On August 14, 2025, Great Land Trust finalized the purchase of two privately held parcels in Anchorage’s Potter Valley – 50 acres from the Alaska Botanical Garden and 97 acres from the Alaska Zoo – and transferred them to the State of Alaska to be managed as part of Chugach State Park. Read more about this property on the GLT website. 

Bodenburg Butte (40 acres)

The Bodenburg Butte, or simply "the Butte," is a well-known landmark in the Knik River area. Surrounded by farm lands, a reindeer farm, and a musk ox farm, it stands distinctly in the landscape. For years, it was used as a hiking destination, but it was not secured for longterm public use. I photographed the Butte on several occasions during aerial photo trips for GLT, but first in 2012. In 2016, GLT successfully purchased the land and set it aside for permanent public use. Read more about this property on the GLT website. 

Lower Palmer Slough (195 acres)

There are several distinct watersheds that make up the broader connection of water and wetlands in the upper Knik Arm. Several salmon streams for years have been surrounded by privately-owned land. The Lower Palmer Slough is one such area. I first photographed this property for the GLT in 2012. The GLT acquired the land and transferred it to the state, where it has been added to the existing Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge. Read more about the property on the GLT website. 

Settler's Bay Coastal Park (480 acres)

I first photographed this area for GLT in 2012. One of the identifying characteristics of the landscape of Southcentral is the diversity of coastal waters, lands, and habitat. This helps to facilitate great trails, clean water, public lands, and fish and wildlife habitat. With the Settlers Bay Coastal Park, GLT helped to provide access to all of these assets. It provides a variety of ways for people to enjoy and access public lands – on foot, by bike, on skis, through binoculars, or from the end of a fishing pole. Read more about this property on the GLT website. 

Wasilla Creek Wetlands (918.27 acres)

The Palmer Hay Flats is an established state game refuge that spans a large area of the upper Knik Arm area. But like many protected areas, it abuts areas that are not protected but part of the watershed and ecosystem. Wasilla Creek is one of those places, situated below a residential area sitting on a bluff on the north side of the Palmer Hay Flats. It is an integral part of a vast wetlands that spreads across the area. I photographed this property first in 2012 and also after the park was established and a boardwalk constructed. Read more about this property on the GLT website. 

Potter Marsh Watershed Park (300 acres)

After moving to the hillside, I became aware of another stretch of property that GLT would later seek to protect. I started photographing this property for GLT in 2020. Just uphill from the popular Potter Marsh Bird Sanctuary, this stretch of undeveloped woods played a vital role in providing moose habitat and protecting the uphill water sources that contribute to Potter Marsh. The Potter Marsh Watershed Park was officially established in December 2024, after more than four years of negotiations and fundraising efforts where GLT secured $6 million for the project. The 300-acre park provides public access and vital habitat, as well as protects the watershed that feeds into the south end of Potter Marsh. Read more about this property on the GLT website. 

Little Susitna River (74 acres)

Alaskans are familiar with the Little Susitna River, from where it runs through the Hatcher Pass East Management Area to where it goes under the Parks Highway to the west. It is among many rivers in Southcentral that provide vital salmon habitat. I photographed this property for GLT in 2020, with an emphasis on the portion of the property that includes one mile of the river. Read more about this property on the GLT website.