ConocoPhillips recognized for conservation

PALMER—ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. was honored for supporting wild salmon restoration and conservation on Moose Creek.

Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Curt Menard signed a proclamation Tuesday night, June 5, recognizing ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc. for its financial support to the Chickaloon Native Village for the Moose Creek and Matanuska Watershed Fish Habitat Restoration and Education Project.

ConocoPhillips contributed $185,000 to the project. Moose Creek is about seven miles northeast of Palmer off the Glenn Highway.

Natalie Knox, communications director, for ConocoPhillips, Alaska, accepted the proclamation.

Mayor Menard told Knox he was honored that the Borough is partners with ConocoPhillips in the conservation project.

King and coho salmon and other wild fish are migrating more than 8 miles up Moose Creek today, but that was not the case just two years ago. In the early 1900s, the creek was rerouted by railroad construction. Consequently, in-stream habitat was damaged and multiple waterfalls formed, blocking most fish from passing upstream for decades. For the last two summers, Chickaloon Native Village coordinated the effort to restore the creek to its historic path and bypass the barrier waterfalls.

ConocoPhillips Alaska played a part in that effort.

ConocoPhillips Alaska is a member of The Matanuska-Susitna Basin Salmon Conservation Partnership. The Partnership is one of only five pilot partnerships nation-wide of the recent National Fish Habitat Initiative. The Partnership is a locally-based, cooperative venture concerned with local fish, fish habitats and watersheds. The partnership aims to cross the boundaries between the public and private sector and pool resources. The goal: healthy growing communities and thriving fish and wildlife in the MAT-SU. More than 30 community, state and federal organizations have joined, including the MAT-SU Borough.

For more information call Patty Sullivan, Public Affairs Manager, MAT-SU Borough, at (907) 745-9577 or Jessica Dryden, Moose Creek Restoration Project Coordinator, Chickaloon Native Village at (907)745-0737.