The Kenai Peninsula District area includes 21 myriad communities with a total population of just over 60,000. The district serves communities from across Cook Inlet in Tyonek and throughout the peninsula, which is just south of Anchorage. Larger communities include Kenai, Soldotna, Homer and Seward.
Many of the communities are accessible by road, but others can only be reached by air or boat. Oil, tourism and fisheries drive the economy, and the Kenai Peninsula is also the fastest-growing agricultural region in Alaska, with the number of farms increasing at almost three times the rate of the rest of the state.
Outreach includes agriculture and horticulture; home, health and family development; integrated pest management; nutrition; and 4-H and youth development.
Soil Testing and Interpretation
Visit our soil testing page for all the information you need to test your soil and interpret how much fertilizer you need (plus free online calculators).
Spruce Bark Beetles: What you need to know
Spruce Bark Beetles are making an impact on spruce trees across the Kenai Peninsula. Visit then type "bark beetle" in the search box in order to:
- learn what bark beetles are and how they damage trees.
- learn bark beetle groups in Alaska.
- learn signs and symptoms of bark beetle activity.
- learn potential bark beetle threats to Alaska.
- become familiar with the vocabulary of bark beetles.
For even more information, view this Spruce Beetle publication.
Upcoming events
Events
Mar 25
UAF online/virtual event, Matanuska Experiment Farm & Extension Center Kerttula Hall 206
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 12 – 1pm
Did you know the sap that comes from birch trees is a healthy beverage? We will discuss how to tap the birch trees in your backyard, how to store the sap safely and how to make birch syrup.
This class will be held in person at the UAF Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center, 1509 S. Georgeson Drive, Palmer, as well as via Zoom. Please use for either option or visit .
For more information, please contact the front desk at the Matanuska Experiment Farm, 907-745-3360.
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris at amnorris2@alaska.edu or 907-474-7120. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to amnorris2@alaska.edu.
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture&/ces/districts/kenai/39;s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Categories: Public events calendar - Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension calendar, Anchorage CES calendar, Bethel CES calendar, Bristol Bay/Dillingham CES calendar, Delta Junction CES calendar, Southeast CES calendar, Kenai/Soldotna CES calendar, Kodiak CES calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River CES calendar, Northwest/Nome CES calendar, Sitka CES calendar, Fairbanks/Tanana CES calendar, Tribes CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Mar 26
UAF online/virtual event
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 10 – 11am
Heidi Rader, Â鶹¹ÙÍø Fairbanks professor of Extension, will discuss how and why to re-purpose one story into multiple outreach products: from an article to a blog post to a video and more. Drawing on almost two decades of experience producing dozens of YouTube videos and writing a successful blog, this session will equip non-videographer educators with practical tools for creating &/ces/districts/kenai/39;good enough&/ces/districts/kenai/39; videos. Participants will learn how to identify story ideas, choose between scripted or interview-style approaches, consider their target audience, and improve audio and video quality using simple techniques.
This session will focus on building a repeatable content workflow that helps educators adapt their messages across formats efficiently, while adapting the content for different target audiences to maximize reach and maintain relevance.
The talk is geared to Extension professionals at land-grant universities throughout the United States. Register using the .
Categories: Public events calendar - Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension calendar, Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension calendar, Anchorage CES calendar, Bethel CES calendar, Bristol Bay/Dillingham CES calendar, Delta Junction CES calendar, Southeast CES calendar, Kenai/Soldotna CES calendar, Kodiak CES calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River CES calendar, Northwest/Nome CES calendar, Sitka CES calendar, Fairbanks/Tanana CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Mar 31
Contact organizer
Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 12 – 1pm
The UAF Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension will host a series of hourlong lunch seminars. Presentations will focus on engaging people in a conversation about the issues their research surrounds, and will be relatively informal and friendly. Talks will be about 30 minutes long, with plenty of time for questions and conversations. Register using the or visit .
During these seminars, researchers will present ideas to inspire interdisciplinary collaboration and build relationships around Alaska&/ces/districts/kenai/39;s food systems.
Â鶹¹ÙÍøers and students at Â鶹¹ÙÍø, other circumpolar institutions, and land-grant university Experiment Stations are invited to listen to IANRE researchers present ideas that spark curiosity and inspire new pathways forward.
While the seminars will focus on agriculture in the sub-Arctic and Arctic, the broader aim is to create a space for connection and dialogue, ultimately strengthening research across disciplines to support the circumpolar food system.
For more information, contact Laura Weingartner at lgweingartner@alaska.edu or 907-474-6009.
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris amnorris2@alaska.edu or 907-474-7120. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to amnorris2@alaska.edu.
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture&/ces/districts/kenai/39;s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Categories: Public events calendar - Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension calendar, Anchorage CES calendar, Bethel CES calendar, Bristol Bay/Dillingham CES calendar, Delta Junction CES calendar, Southeast CES calendar, Kenai/Soldotna CES calendar, Kodiak CES calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River CES calendar, Northwest/Nome CES calendar, Sitka CES calendar, Fairbanks/Tanana CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Events
Monday - Thur., 9 am - 2 pm
Phone: 907-262-5824
Email: soldotna.ces@alaska.edu
