The Observer, December 2003

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Council staff visits Cordova, hears from the community’s organizations

By Linda Robinson
Community Liaison

In mid-October, members of the citizens’ council staff traveled to Cordova to meet with member organizations and other groups in the town. Monday morning was spent at the Prince William Sound Science Center where presentations were given by Nancy Bird, the organization’s president; Shelton Gay, oceanographer; Richard Thorne, deputy director of Nowcast/Forecast programs and director of research; and Kate Alexander, education staff.

The Science Center was established in 1989 to conduct and facilitate scientific studies on the ecology of the region. Its mission is to contribute to the comprehensive description, sustained monitoring and ecological understanding of Prince William Sound, the Copper River, and Gulf of Alaska; to promote the goal of maintaining long-term, self regulating biodiversity, productivity and sustainable use of renewable resources; and to educate and inform the youth and the general public about the critical interdependence of the biology and regional economies of Alaska.

One recent project has been to survey three clam beds at Orca Inlet and Hinchinbrook Island. The average age of the clams was determined to be 3.3-5.4 years, in contrast with 7-9 years in the 1950s. The center’s recommendation was that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game investigate the seeding of natural beds as a way to restore a recreational razor clam fishery.

The center’s education department has a number of projects, including a “Discovery Room,” in which an environment is transformed monthly to cover different topics. Students visit the Discovery Room to enjoy hands-on displays, experiments and games. Upcoming topics include astronomy, anatomy, chemistry, geology and the annual shorebird festival activities.

A recent project was developed when an orca whale beached itself and died in spite of attempts to rescue it. It was decided that the skeleton of the whale should be salvaged and re-assembled for educational purposes. This has been completed and the skeleton is displayed in the Native Village of Eyak’s arts center.

In the afternoon presentations were given by Dave Regianni of Prince William Sound Aquaculture, Riki Ott of Copper River Watershed, and Page Herring, Executive Director of Cordova District Fishermen United. Board member Patience Andersen Faulkner also discussed the Oil Spill Recovery Institute.

Monday evening a public reception was held at Orca Lodge. The reception culminated in a slide presentation by Milo Burcham, a well known wildlife photographer.

On Tuesday, we toured the Coast Guard buoy tender Sycamore. The crew showed us around the vessel and explained its capabilities, focusing especially on those related to oil-spill response.

We are very grateful to all of those who assisted and participated in this educational experience.

Environmental education conference

The North American Association for Environmental Education held its annual conference in Anchorage for the first time in early October. Approximately 800 environmental educators from throughout the United States and several foreign countries attended the conference, titled “Thinking Globally While Acting Culturally”.

Presentations were given on ways to reach new audiences by adding diversity, and on urban-rural interfacing. Of particular interest to many participants was the council’s information on invasive species, as this has been a major concern in many parts of the world. The council booth was visited by many interested educators and our mission was received with enthusiasm.

Environmental toxicology conference

The annual Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry conference was held this year in Austin, Texas. Representing the council were staffers Lisa Ka’aihue, Tony Parkin and Linda Robinson, Scientific Advisory Committee member Roger Green, and board member John French. The conference had over 700 sessions, and council contractors Jeff Short, Mace Barron and Jim Payne gave presentations. Jim Payne and Lisa Ka’aihue presented a poster session as did Mace Barron. This conference is attended by scientists and students from around the world and is a forum for the newest in toxicology and chemistry studies.