The Observer, September 2005
Community Corner: Summer takes council around region
by Linda Robsinson
Lisa Ka’aihue, environmental monitoring project manager, and I represented the council at the annual Kenai Industry Appreciation Day on August 27. This is a well attended community event and we handed out Observer newsletters and the new edition of the Prince William Sound coloring book.
The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce meeting was held in Valdez September 13-15. The booth was assembled to distribute information about the council and to update attendees on our projects.
Educational Video
The council plans to work with Red Bradley of the University of Alaska to produce an educational video. The video would be aimed at Alaska high school and college students and provide information on career and education opportunities in the area of oil transportation, spill response and regulation.
World Wilderness Congress
The 8th World Wilderness Congress is being held September 30-October 6 in Anchorage. The congress – with representatives from governments, the private sector, native peoples, academia, and non-governmental organizations – is held every three to four years around the world.
The citizens’ council will have an information booth, and we are facilitating a panel discussion on citizen oversight organizations. The panel will consist of John Devens, representing our council; Rick Steiner, University of Alaska; Walt Parker, citizens’ council board member; Ann Rothe, former citizens’ council board member and owner of Halcyon Research; Jonathan Wills, Scotland; Naki Stevens, People for Puget Sound; Mike Cooper, People for Puget Sound and the Oil Spill Advisory Council; and Lois Epstein of Cook Inlet Keeper. The panel will discuss various citizens oversight organizations, successes and failures, with the idea of forming an international umbrella group as a vehicle for sharing information.
The congress’s theme is “Wilderness, Wildlands and People – A Partnership for the Planet.” There will be a special focus on Alaska, the Russian Far East, Canada, and the North Pacific. For more information, go to www.8wwc.org on the Internet.
Coloring Book
A third edition of the Prince William Sound coloring book has been published and is available. Thanks to all of the artists who donated work for this edition. We will be distributing the book at various community events. Contact either council office for copies.
Oil Spill Curriculum
The Oil Spill Curriculum update is nearing completion. The curriculum, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, was developed in 1990, updated in 1995, and is currently available only in hard copy. The new update is being completed by the Prince William Sound Science Center and the council. We plan to make it available on CD, and have links to it on our web site.
On the Road Again
This month, Patience Andersen Faulkner and I will be making presentations at the 25th Anniversary of the Syndicate Mixte, and the Center for Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution, both in France. Patience is the board representative from the Cordova District Fishermen United. And in November the booth will be taken to the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, in Baltimore, and Pacific Marine Expo, in Seattle.
CRAB WATCH – Staffers Marilyn Leland and Dan Gilson traveled to Cordova last month for the council’s European Green Crab trapping project. The project checks for the presence of the invasive species, which has caused problems in other areas – but not, so far, in Prince William Sound. One goal of the project is to involve school children. Above, Craig Bailer, seventh-grader at Cordova Junior High, checks a trap. Photo by Marilyn Leland.