October arrived in a long stretch of beautiful fall days. Recent winds have knocked the leaves off of the birch trees, and the trails around Talkeetna are yellow with the results. Freezing at higher altitudes has lowered the level of our watershed rivers and snow is in the forecast.
While colder temperatures mean that the season of harvesting is mostly over, we are looking forward to celebrating another Alaskan summer season.
Join us to celebrate with our community at the upcoming 7th Annual Wild Su Feast on October 15th. After the mad dash of summer, we hope that you join us to share your experiences of the past year, eat good food, and learn about the Susitna River Coalition's work.
This community event celebrates the local and wild foods of the Susitna Watershed and the communities that rely on and enjoy them.
After the hard work of growing, harvesting and gathering foods, there is nothing more rewarding than sharing the bounty with our neighbors.
How it Works:
Option One: Bring a dish that will serve at least six (6) people and attend FREE!
Ingredients must include something that Walked, Swam, Flew or Grew in the Susitna Watershed that you harvested, gathered and prepared.
Here are some examples:
Walked: Moose sausages
Swam: Grilled salmon with a lingonberry sauce.
Flew: Ptarmigan appetizers
Grew: Morel cream sauce
Dessert: Lingonberry shortbread
We will be creating a new Wild Su Feast cookbook out of the dishes!
Please bring the recipe or the ingredients list for your entry.
We can not accept any home-made alcoholic drinks this year
Option Two: Pay admission in advance and enjoy the potluck!
Early Bird Adult: $25.00
Early Bird Adult, Current SRC Member: $15.00
(Contact us at melissa@susitnarivercoalition.org to become a member today!)
Early Bird Youth (10 and under): $5.00
Option Three:
Day of Adult: $30.00
Day of Adult, Current SRC Member: $20.00
(Contact us at melissa@susitnarivercoalition.org to become a member today!)
Day of Youth (10 and under): $10.00
Please note: All tickets are non-refundable
More Fun:
All attendees will be entered into a raffle to win various door prizes donated by our generous local businesses. Generous door prizes include tickets to events at with Denali Arts Council, a stay at the Denali Overlook Inn, coffee from Dead Hopper Roastery ... and so much more!!!
For More information, see our EventBrite Page and Facebook Event Page
Wild Su Feast Sponsorships
Does your business or nonprofit want in on the fun? We rely on our local watershed businesses to run the event!
Want to support the Susitna River Coalition's Wild Su Feast? We would appreciate any gift, small or big, financial or in-kind door prizes. Past donations from businesses include: gift cards to your business/store, crafts, and books.
Please contact melissa@susitnarivercoalition.orgfor more information and our sponsorship form.
Upcoming Events
There are lots of opportunities to learn more about the Susitna River Coalition this fall and to get involved with the work being done in our watershed. From learning about energy efficiency to salmon conservation, there is something for everyone in our community to get excited about!
Energy Efficiency and Weatherization with Colleen Fisk: October 10th at 6PM, Zoom
Have you been struggling to pay your rising heating and electric bills? Do you wonder why your Toyo stove is on 70, but you still feel cold in some parts of your home?
Find out some hot tips on how to reduce your energy and still keep your home comfortable this winter from Colleen Fisk of REAP. This event will be held on October 10th at 6PM via Zoom and Facebook Live.
Join Susitna River Coalition as we host Colleen to discuss ways to reduce your energy use and weatherize your home, how to do your own energy assessment, and review existing and upcoming rebate programs from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
See the Facebook Event Page for more information and register here.
Cook Inlet Water Quality Summit: October 24-25, 2023
On October 24th-25th, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance is hosting the Cook Inlet Water Quality Summit in Anchorage.
The Susitna River Coalition is excited to attend and present on the History and Trajectory of the West Susitna Industrial Corridor.
Learn more about this exciting event and register here.
Energy for the Community Movie Nights:
and
Join the Susitna River Coalition for a movie night of two short film screenings: Return to Us and We the Power.
SRC energy coordinator, June Okada, will speak about the importance of paying attention to local energy issues and projects in our communities, and how to get involved.
Return to Us: This powerful documentary by Ryan Peterson reveals the Eklutna Dena’ina people’s journey to mitigate the impacts of the Eklutna Dam and to restore what was once a healthy free-flowing river with all 5 species of salmon. This film is produced by The Conservation Fund and the Village of Eklutna. 8 minutes.
We the Power: A Patagonia film that follows several energy organizers in Europe in their pursuit to put power back into the hands of communities and away from big corporations. 38 minutes.
There will be two opportunities to attend. One on October 24th at 6PM at the Willow Public Library in Willow, Alaska. A second movie night will be held on October 26th at 6pm at the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar in Talkeetna, Alaska.
The Mat-Su Salmon Science and Conservation Symposium: November 13th-14th, 2023
The Mat-Su Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership is hosting its annual Salmon Science and Conservation Symposium on November 13th and 14th at the Palmer Depot in downtown Palmer. This fun and educational event is open to the public.
Learn more about the Partnership and register for the symposium here.
Riparian Setback Advisory Board
Since December, we have been following the potential repeal of the Mat-Su Borough Riparian Setback Ordinance. The Susitna River Coalition and so many members of the public have made their voice heard regarding the importance of riparian zones, building setbacks, and responsible development in our rapidly growing borough.
In response to community engagement and extensive public comment, the Borough approved the formation of an Advisory Board to address the issues with the ordinance.
In late September, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly voted to approve 9 members to the newly formed board. Unfortunately, the resulting board is heavily stacked towards the interests of development.
Read the article recapping the Advisory Board approval on KTNA here.
As this advisory board meets and begins to revise the Mat-Su Borough Setback Ordinance, community voices will be integral to making sure that the final product benefits salmon, water quality, and the riparian habitat so vital to our watershed.
The Susitna River Coalition will keep you appraised of meeting times through our website and newsletters. To learn more about the newly appointed Advisory Board, see the Borough Website.
West Susitna Industrial Corridor Update
LTE: Destroying the Last Frontier by Steve Perrins II
A recent Letter to the Editor in ADNfrom area hunting guide and lodge owner Steve Perrins II leaves us with some great thoughts about the West Susitna Industrial Corridor.
What attracts people to this state are the wild areas that we recreate and live on. Why let AIDEA turn Alaska in to the lower 48?
As Steve Perrins says in this LTE: “Don’t turn Alaska into the Lower 48 and trade one industry for another. Let’s grow Alaska’s economy while protecting our wild places and develop strategically with well-vetted, researched and thought-out plans.”
Read the article, and think about how this massive Industrial Corridor would change the state that we love so much.
What Happened with the DOT draft STIP plan?
It has been over a month since the Department of Transportation wrapped up the comment period on its draft STIP plan. As part of this DOT draft STIP plan, a portion of the West Susitna Industrial Corridor was allocated $82.5 million. This amount was slated for the corridor's first 15 miles and a mega bridge across the Susitna at the culturally important Su Station.
An overwhelming majority of the hundreds of individuals that took the time to comment on the inclusion of West Susitna in the plan were adamantly opposed. Though the SRC has reached out to DOT, the state organization has not yet released the public comments or described the process that will follow.
The Susitna River Coalition is continuing to reach out to DOT and will update you as we learn more.
See our press release on the subject below.
