Conservation programs gearing up for a big spring season

MATT GRAY

April 28, 2008 at 9:29AM AKST

For The Seward Phoenix Log

The Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance is adding new programs to an already busy list. Here is a summary of our programs, along with key dates.

Friday-Saturday, May 2-3

The Citizen Science Water Quality Team will be sampling water from several local waterways twice a month from May through August and once per month for the remainder of the year. This effort will create an important baseline dataset and make good use of our local volunteer force. Initial training will be held on May 2-3.

Wednesday, May 7

The Resurrection Bay Watershed Workshop is scheduled at the IMS Rae Building . This all-day workshop will bring together regional land managers, biologists, researchers and residents to discuss the status of our watershed and to develop proactive efforts to protect and enhance the ecological health of our watershed.

Workshop supporters include the Alaska SeaLife Center, Kenai Fjords National Park, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Chugach National Forest.

The Resurrection Bay Watershed Program goals are to replace culverts that prevent salmon passage, restore eroded creek banks, monitor water quality and provide educational opportunities.

A grant from Patagonia Inc. has allowed the Resurrection Bay Watershed Program to launch a pilot water-quality program.

Early May

The Wildlife Conservation Community Program is kicking into high gear. The aim of this program is to promote co-existence with bears while reducing "in defense of life and property" bear shootings.

Recently, all post office boxholders in the Seward and Moose Pass areas received, courtesy of the association, a "Living in Harmony with Bears" pamphlet that provides lots of good information about bear safety, including minimizing food attractants and using bear-resistant garbage containers.

In early May, more than 600 of these containers will be delivered in Seward. The association will schedule a "BRGC barbeque" on an evening after work when folks may pick up their garbage container. Say tuned.

Containers are solid with hinged lids and wheels to allow moving without lifting, even in gravel. Alaska Waste has installed a $5,000 mechanical lifter on its dump truck to assist this program. The containers are $50 each for a 35-, 65- or 95-gallon container. Call 224-4621 to reserve yours.

Saturday, May 17

As part of the RBCA Annual Beach and River Cleanup, four or five boats will visit most beaches in Resurrection Bay. We will also pick up trash on the Resurrection River and other roadside pullouts. Because we’ve been picking up trash for three years, we hope for less volume this year. To sign up and get details, call Tim Johnson at 224-7094 or RBCA at 224-4621.

Ongoing

COASST (Coastal Observation And Seabird Survey Team), a citizen-science beach survey program developed by the University of Washington, is entering its third year of operation in Seward. A dedicated group of volunteers surveys all beaches near Seward every two weeks, looking for bird mortalities.

When beached birds are found, they are fully documented, and the information is entered into a database.

This data provides baseline information of bird mortality rates in our area. Increased numbers of mortalities serves as an early warning system of a potential problem.

We encourage your involvement. For more information contact RBCA at 224-4621 or e-mail us at info@rbca-alaska.org . You can also visit our Website at www.rbca-alaska.org.

Matt Gray is a Seward resident and Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance project director.