The Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve

Arctic Audubon Society has owned the Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve since 1984. It is now 320 acres of undeveloped land near 5-Mile Chena Hot Springs Road. It began with the original 160-acre forested homestead gifted to Arctic Audubon Society by Elonore and Charles Riedel. In Fall 2019, UA Land Management offered two adjacent 40-acre parcels for sale. Arctic Audubon Society and Gail Mayo successfully bid on the parcels. Gail gifted her parcel to Arctic Audubon Society in memory of Larry Mayo, a longtime conservationist and Arctic Audubon board member who provided vision, passion, persistence, and leadership for the Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve. The reserve expanded again in 2022 through an amazing heartfelt donation from the Colleen Herning estate. Read more below.

Arctic Audubon’s vision for the Riedel Nature Reserve is that of our generous land donors. The undeveloped land will remain in its natural state for the enjoyment by all people forever. Your donation will help support trail signs, increasing safe access and parking, and public programming on the Reserve.

Natural & Human History of the reserve

The Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve began in 1984 with a gift by Elonore and Charles Riedel to the Arctic Audubon Society of 160 acres of forested land located near 5 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road. This gift stipulates that the undeveloped land is to remain in its natural state for the enjoyment by all people forever.

A tributary to Steele Creek begins on the property. This area is permafrost-influenced, poorly drained, and vegetated with plants adapted to cold soil conditions. Surrounding this swamp are relatively steep slopes that form ridges and low hills. A few trails traverse the land where Elonore used to ride her horses.

Several boreal forest cover types are associated with the various aspects of the land. Most of the well-drained slopes are covered with aspen, birch, and occasional white spruce. Wildlife in the area includes most species representative of boreal forest systems. Visit the Reserve’s eBird Hotspot page to learn what bird species have recently been spotted in the area. You can also submit your own checklist to help Arctic Audubon Society track bird species and abundance on the reserve.

In 1951, Elonore Riedel became the owner of this property through homestead rights. Following her marriage to Charles, they acquired 40 acres adjacent to the homestead and built their home. The original 160-acre homestead was deeded to Arctic Audubon on December 31, 1984.

There is no physical access to the 160-acre parcel. In 1985, the Riedels were interested in selling their home on an adjacent 20–acre parcel. Arctic Audubon negotiated a real estate agreement to purchase the home. We proceeded to develop plans to convert the house to a nature center and visitor facility. This required major fundraising. We held an auction, began to plan a major capital campaign, hired a part-time grant writer, and submitted a grant proposal to the state legislature. We received a $30,000 grant from the state. Over $20,000 was raised through other activities.

Adjacent to the Audubon Riedel land is Borough-owned land on which the Air Force and UAF have a seismic site. Arctic Audubon began negotiations with the Borough to have Audubon manage this land for public use as part of the nature reserve. The Air Force and UAF would continue to operate the seismic site. This would greatly expand and enhance the nature preserve.

Our fundraising efforts fell short of our goal in 1985, and we were not able to purchase the Riedel house. As it turned out, Elonore became seriously ill and it was best for them to remain in their home and close to medical facilities in Fairbanks. Elonore passed away in February of 1991. Charles remained in their home, selling the property later in the 1990s.

Arctic Audubon then turned their efforts toward developing physical access to the 160-acre nature preserve. Several legal right-of-ways exist, but all have significant problems. Developing a viable plan for access was difficult and time-consuming. The clock was running out on our $30,000 legislative grant. It was decided to use these funds to help develop a nature center at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. More than $20,000 remained for the Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve.

In 2017, a new effort was launched to achieve physical access to the Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve. After much research, bids were obtained to build a ~750-foot driveway off Amanita Road along the State-managed section line easement. Discussion with area residents generated additional access ideas, and the Arctic Audubon Society Board decided to delay driveway construction plans. As an interim solution, an arrangement was made to access the Reserve by parking at a neighbor’s property.

In Fall 2019, UA Land Management offered two adjacent 40-acre parcels for sale. Arctic Audubon Society and Gail Mayo successfully bid on the parcels. Gail gifted her parcel to Arctic Audubon Society in memory of Larry Mayo, a longtime conservationist and Arctic Audubon board member who provided vision, passion, persistence, and leadership for the Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve.

In early 2022, Arctic Audubon Society received a generous donation of 80-acres from the Colleen Herning estate. The land is close to the current Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve and connected by the main trail system which winds between Chena Hot Springs, Amanita and Esro Roads. Colleen passed in January 2021 after a brave battle with breast cancer. Her estate has honored her vision and honored Arctic Audubon with the donation of eighty acres of her beautiful land. This gift stipulates that the undeveloped land is to remain in its natural state for the enjoyment by all people forever.

What’s next? Adjacent to the Audubon Riedel Nature Preserve is 360 acres of Borough land, at one time the site of a seismic device operated by the Air Force and UAF. The seismic site is no longer active and has been dismantled, leaving an open hillside with primitive road access. Arctic Audubon is in discussion with the Borough to expand and enhance the Nature Reserve by leasing this property.