Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Resource Sales

 The Borough offers material (sand and gravel) and timber sales for personal and commercial uses. Please see the commercial and personal resource sale types below. 

The Borough Natural Resource Unit Management Plan provides an overview and resource description for the Borough land managed for timber and gravel, as well as recreation and habitat.

Commercial Material Sales

  • Additional potential new materials sites are being considered for permits and development to support construction throughout the Borough. Please contact the Land and Resource Management Division to learn more.
  • An application to extract gravel from an undeveloped and/or unpermitted site on Borough land can be proposed through a commercial permit application.

  • Material sales from existing Borough owned gravel pits are available by application from the LMD. 

    Applicants are advised to consult with the Natural Resource Manager, and discuss operational requirements for individual sites prior to submitting any application.

    The application process may take longer than 30 days to complete due to public notice and board review requirements. The LMD will work to negotiate a contract for the applicant in the least amount of time.  Assembly approval is required for contracts greater than $25,000. This can add additional time before the material may be purchased. Unpermitted sites may require 30-180 days to get permitted for gravel extraction.

Commercial Timber Harvest Sales

Competitive and over-the-counter timber harvest sales are offered in accordance with the MSB Five Year Timber Harvest Schedule.
 
The Periodic Timber Harvest Implementation Schedule (Schedule) for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB) consists of all MSB commercial timber harvests scheduled for 2021 thru 2025. This Schedule is required of and is in compliance with MSB Code at 23.20.110; and is subsequent to the Five-Year Timber Harvest Schedule (FYTHS), adopted February 16, 2021. Please contact the Natural Resource Manager, Emerson Krueger at 861-7867 if you have any questions regarding Commercial Timber Harvest Sales.
 
Links:
 
Competitive Sealed Bid Timber Sales:
See the schedule above for upcoming competitive sales.  All current commercial timber sales are listed below. 
 
Over-the-Counter Timber Sales:
 
 

Commercial Salvage Timber Sales

Contact Emerson Krueger, Natural Resource Manager, 861-7867 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., to discuss potential commerical timber salvage sales.

The Borough vacant land viewer can be used to quickly identify tracts of Borough-owned land. This application can be mobile friendly, allowing someone in the field to get an approximate idea of where the Borough land is located and if salvagable timber is present. Salvage sales must be publicly noticed for 30-days. 

The Borough Natural Resource Unit Management Plan includes descriptions of the Borough's commercial forestland. Salvage sales are possible in most Units described in the Plan. Salvage can also occur on Borough parcels not included in the Plan.

Non-commercial timber salvage permtis are available by application. A non-refundable $500 application fee must be submitted with a complete application identifying the location of the proposed harvest. Interested parties are urged to walk the Borough land they want to harvest before submitting an application. The Borough makes no guaruntee of timber availability or suitability. Salvage permits are for beetle-damaged spruce and over-mature birch. Approved applications must be posted for a 30-day public notice. Applicant will pay mailing expenses. Staff will flag harvest area boundaries. Harvest areas greater than 40 acres must comply with the Alaska Forest Resources and Practices Act, and be described in a state Detailed Plan of Operations, provided by the applicant. Timber is for non-commercial use only. Any indications timber or timber products are being sold will result in immediate termination of the permit and forefetiure of any opportunity to apply for Borough permits for up to five years. Approved applicants will have to submit a certificate of insurance in accordance with the salvage permit insurance requirements.

Personal Use

Gravel and firewood are offered for sale by permit for non-commerical use.  The gravel and firewood harvested under a personal use permit may not be offered for sale, barter, or trade.  Gravel and firewood areas are only available while supplies last. It is incumbant upon the buyer to field check the area before paying for a permit. All resources must be obtained by the purchaser. No Borough equipment is available on site. 

eCommerce is the platform used by the Borough to issue permits for personal, non-commercial use of gravel and firewood.

Personal Use Firewood and Gravel Permits (click here)

Personal Use Gravel Sales (MSB 23.10.120)

Up to 100 cubic yards of personal use gravel per household per year is available by permit.  Personal Use Gravel areas, listed here, are flagged, signed, and open.  Permits are available online and at the Land Management office located at the DSJ Building, 350 E. Dahlia Ave. Palmer, from 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday.  Please see the eCommerce page for more information on specific sites.

  • Alsop Personal Use Gravel Site is located north of Reddane Avenue.

Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Natural Resource Manager to discuss the possibility of opening additional personal use gravel sites on Borough-owned land. Referencing the tax ID of a parcel is often the quickest way to orient Land Management Staff to the location of interest.  Limitations for future personal use gravel sites include a general prohibition on leaving holes in Borough-owned land, ensuring existing road access can withstand traffic generated by the activity, as well conerns regarding the activities impacts on surrounding property owners.

Personal Use Firewood Permits MSB 23.20.170

Up to 10 cords of personal use firewood per household per year is available by permit.  A Personal Use Firewood Area (PUFA) harvest permit is required prior to harvesting any firewood.  The firewood harvest areas are flagged, signed, and open.  Permits are good for the calendar year only.  New permits are available online and at the Land Managment office located at the DSJ Building, 350 E. Dahlia Ave., Palmer, 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday.  Please see the eCommerce page for more information.

Temporary beetle-kill spruce firewood harvest areas are open while supplies last. A permit is required. There is no cord limit per household for the dead spruce. Please see the eCommerce page for more information.