Nearly 35 acres of land next to the Eagle Rock Boat Launch, located in Kenai near Strawberry Road, was purchased for conservation by the State of Alaska as part of a land conservation effort by the Great Land Trust, the trust announced last week.

The property is undeveloped, and was purchased from Phyllis Bookey, a release from the trust says. Around half of the property will be kept undeveloped for conservation while the other half will be used by Alaska State Parks to improve access and parking for the boat launch.

Keeping the land undisturbed, the release says, will preserve important habitat for fish and wildlife.

The land was a native allotment, claimed by Bookey’s family because of its river access. They sold it on the condition that it will be permanently managed for public access, recreation and habitat protection.

“We’re so pleased to know that this property will continue to provide important wildlife habitat and scenic views and will now be open for the public to enjoy,” Bookey says in the release.

The trust is described in the release as a nonprofit that works with willing landowners to make conservation and access projects a reality around the Southcentral region. For more information, visit greatlandtrust.org.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.