Mendenhall Wetlands

Set within the Mendenhall Wetlands and situated in the geographic heart of Juneau, the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge is 3,764 acres and encompasses a series of estuaries created by the numerous streams originating in the surrounding mountains. As the tides ebb and flow, the wetlands alternates from grassland to shallow sea. The varying salt conditions produce a diverse community of plants from sedge meadows and beach rye to spruce-hemlock forests in uplands surrounding the wetlands. The complex of vegetation provides resting and feeding habitat for spring and fall migrations of waterfowl and shorebirds. More than 140 species of resident and migratory birds frequent the area as well as nearly a dozen different mammals, eight anadromous fish species, and an abundance of marine life.  The Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge was designated as a globally significant “Important Bird Area” in 2007 by the National Audubon Society.

The Mendenhall Wetlands is a priority area for conservation. The Southeast Alaska Land Trust works with private landowners surrounding the Refuge to protect accreted lands. See Accreted Lands Project for more information.

Mendenhall Wetlands StoryMap

In 2021, the Southeast Alaska Land Trust partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Discovery Southeast to produce a StoryMap. This StoryMap features the Mendenhall Wetlands and the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge – two overlapping areas iconic to the Juneau landscape.

SEALT has worked for over two decades to conserve properties abutting the Refuge to help preserve the Refuge boundary, and to conserve both critical wildlife habitat and a beloved recreation area.

Click this link to see the full screen version.

Juneau-Douglas North Crossing

The Southeast Alaska Land Trust is actively participating in the ongoing Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee. The PEL Study is sponsored by ADOT&PF and CBJ to consider possible locations for a second bridge or crossing between mainland Juneau and Douglas Island. We will continue to thoughtfully and consistently engage with this study and any subsequent discussions about a second crossing to highlight the importance of protecting SEALT’s conservation properties, SEALT’s wetland mitigation sites, and the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge that supports their functions.

An excerpt from our policy statement:

“The Southeast Alaska Land Trust has an enduring interest in preserving the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge, based on a 25-year investment in the private conservation of lands surrounding the Refuge. While SEALT welcomes necessary development for the community of Juneau, the Refuge is not a suitable location for any second crossing between Juneau and Douglas Island.”

To read our full policy statement, click here.

Members and community stakeholders are welcome to reach out to us at any time: info@sealt.org.