Oil spill response, the Barry Arm landslide hazard, glaciers in the 21st century and wildlife are all on the agenda for the third annual Prince William Sound Natural History Symposium, which will be online and free to the public again this year.
Eighteen experts in specific fields are participating in the event, which was also held online in 2020 as a health and safety precaution due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The morning agenda includes an introduction to the Chugach people and land acknowledgement by Willow Hetrick and Allison Carl of the Chugach Regional Resources Commission, and a presentation on the mission of the Prince William Sound Science Center by the center’s research scientist, Scott Pegau.
There will also be two presentations on land management in Prince William Sound. Josie Hickel, executive vice president of lands and resource development for Chugach Alaska Corp., will speak about the Alaska Native regional corporation’s land management efforts.
The second presentation will be led by Jack Blackwell, Alaska State Parks superintendent for the Kenai/Prince William Sound region, and Tim Lydon, whose work pertains to Chugach National Forest.
Lydon and Heather Thamm, board chair of the Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation, will speak about volunteer opportunities with the Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation.
After a short lunch break, geologist Brent Higman of Ground Truth Alaska, and David Snider, tsunami warning coordinator for the National Tsunami Warning Center, will provide background information and updates on the Barry Arm Landslide and tsunami hazard issue.
The large steep slope in Barry Arm fjord, 30 miles northeast of Whittier, has the potential to fall into the water, generating a tsunami that could adversely impact the area around Whittier and northern Prince William Sound.
Concurrent sessions on four issues, including Prince William Sound weather, will follow.
After a mid-afternoon break U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist Robb Kaler of the Migratory Bird Management Office in Anchorage will speak about marine birds of Prince William Sound.
Glaciologist Louis Sass of the U.S. Geological Survey will discuss Alaska’s glaciers in the 21st century and Cordova’s Milo Burcham, a wildlife biologist for Chugach National Forest, is scheduled to do a presentation on the region’s black bears, along with Charlotte Westing area wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Pre-registration is available online at www.princewilliamsound.org/natural-history-symposium.
The symposium is hosted by the Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation, Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council, the city of Whittier and the Chugach School District.
