The Mat-Su Copper River Cooperative Extension Service district office is located in Palmer, 42 miles northeast of Anchorage. The district is the size of West Virginia, covering a region stretching from Valdez in the south to Cantwell to the north.
It is the fastest-growing region in Alaska, with a population of about 116,000 with a diverse economy. It is considered Alaska’s agricultural heartland and world-famous for the giant vegetables grown there, as well as potatoes, oats, hay, greenhouse produce and sod. The offices are located on the Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center, a working research farm.
The district offers outreach programs in agriculture and horticulture; health, home and family development; integrated pest management; nutrition; and 4-H and youth development.
Upcoming events
Events
Apr 23
UAF online/virtual event
Thursday, April 23, 2026, 9am – 5pm
This three-day course is for Alaskans preparing for the certified pesticide exam with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. The training will be offered over Zoom and includes all necessary study materials for the categories of your choice. Category descriptions can be found on the DEC Pesticide Control Program website: &/ces/districts/matsu/160;
Two sessions are scheduled in 2026: Jan. 27-29; April 21-23. For information on course content, contact Phil Kaspari, pnkaspari@alaska.edu or 907-895-4215. Register at .&/ces/districts/matsu/160;
To pick up training materials at a local Cooperative Extension office: $75. To have training materials mailed to you: $100.&/ces/districts/matsu/160;
REGISTRATION CLOSES 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20 for the January class; 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 for the April class. The Zoom link will be emailed to registrants prior to the training date.
Participants are encouraged to become familiar with the materials and math needed prior to the training. Visit &/ces/districts/matsu/160;for more information and PSEP math links. Post-training exams need to be scheduled separately with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation office.
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.&/ces/districts/matsu/160;
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture&/ces/districts/matsu/8217;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
Apr 28
Contact organizer
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 9am – 4pm
The Alaska Lumber Grading Program provides a free certification course to allow small and medium-scale sawmill operators to produce dimension lumber for home construction in Alaska. When the program conditions are met, the lumber may be accepted as an alternative to grade-stamped lumber for structural applications where required by residential building codes.
This is a special offering that will be attended by Municipality of Anchorage Building Department officers and home inspectors as they prepare to integrate the Alaska Lumber Grading program into Anchorage&/ces/districts/matsu/39;s residential construction code. It is also open to sawmills that are seeking the ALG certificate.
Location: Municipality of Anchorage - Building Permits Department, 4700 Elmore Road, Anchorage
For more information, contact Matt Labrenz at mtlabrenz@alaska.edu or call 907-474-7192.
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris at&/ces/districts/matsu/160;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/matsu/39;s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Categories: Public events calendar - Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension calendar, Anchorage CES calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Apr 29
UAF online/virtual event, Contact organizer
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 12 – 1pm
This winter&/ces/districts/matsu/8217;s record-cold temperatures in Interior Alaska have highlighted the value of firewood as an efficient and cost-saving heat source. However, many who live here know the significant time and effort it takes for trees in the forest to become usable and dry firewood. This free presentation will explain how you can apply the practical results of a firewood drying study conducted by ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø forestry researchers Dr. Jessie Young-Robertson and Matt Robertson. Learn how to implement efficient strategies for harvesting and drying firewood to reduce firewood drying times by up to 6 months.
Register using the or visit
For more information, contact Molly Johansson at 907-786-6313 or mjohansson@alaska.edu.
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/matsu/8217;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 -10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closed for lunch 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Phone: 907-745-3360
Fax: 907-745-6268
Email: matsu.ces@alaska.edu
We are located at 1509 S. Georgeson Dr. in Palmer at the Matanuska Experiment Farm. Find us with !