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Valdez Youth Area Watch Project 2006

Valdez Youth Area Watch Project 2006. 2006 Youth Area Watch. Site Coordinator: Mrs. Jenny Heckathorn YAW Members: Michelle Beyer Sherstin Cullen Kelly Walker Katie Carr Jackie Engebretson Jay Stevens. What did we do?.

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Valdez Youth Area Watch Project 2006

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  1. Valdez Youth Area Watch Project 2006

  2. 2006 Youth Area Watch Site Coordinator: • Mrs. Jenny Heckathorn YAW Members: • Michelle Beyer • Sherstin Cullen • Kelly Walker • Katie Carr • Jackie Engebretson • Jay Stevens

  3. What did we do? • Valdez YAW is currently carrying out a long term project aimed at mapping and surveying the plant and animal life in Mineral Creek State Park. • We are also monitoring our port waters for non-indigenous species like the European Green Crab.

  4. Why? • There had been no baseline data collected for the Mineral Creek State Park area or the Port of Valdez concerning native species. • Creating a detailed list of native species and noting population fluctuations is crucial to identifying non-native species and predicting their potential impact on the local ecosystem.

  5. Dedicated YAW Students fighting the harsh conditions to gather data at Mineral Creek.

  6. Mineral Creek State Park Existing Conditions-Plan DUndeveloped

  7. Mineral Creek State Park Development Plan A

  8. Comments about Plan A PRO’S • Easier access for people with disabilities or young children. • Toilet facilities close by- more sanitary? CON’S • The parking lot is 50m from an active eagle’s nest. • Toilet facilities and garbage too close to pristine area. (flood danger) • Boardwalk crosses known bear trails.

  9. Mineral Creek State Park Development Plan B

  10. Comments about Plan B PRO’S • Parking lot- less impact on eagle’s nest • Less potential pollution from toilet & garbage. CON’S • Access is more restrictive and a longer walking distance is required for people with disabilities or with young children. • Boardwalk crosses known bear trails.

  11. Mineral Creek State Park Development Plan C

  12. Comments about Plan C PRO’S • Easier access to area • Toilet facilities close by- more sanitary? • Boardwalk doesn’t cross known bear trails CON’S • Parking lot is too close to active eagle’s nest • Toilet facilities too close to pristine area. • Boardwalk in lower intertidal zone may affect feeding of shore birds, introduce more garbage

  13. Mineral Creek State ParkData Collected in 2005 and 2006

  14. Barnacles Maximum Density Our hypothesis: We had a difficult time locating the barnacles this year due to an overabundance of rockweed.

  15. Barnacles Random Density Count * Poor weather conditions prevented us from collecting as much data as we had planned. 

  16. Mussels Maximum Density Count Hypothesis: We believe our numbers are down due to the larger population of Fucus rockweed, which is covering the blue mussel beds.

  17. Mussels Random Density Count Analysis: Our population count could be slightly lower due to an increase in the rockweed population.

  18. European Green Crab Monitoring Data 2006 6 minnow traps and 1 bucket trap were used in our monitoring. *25cm Sculpin had a 1.5cm ulcer-type sore on its back.

  19. Eagles • 2 Eagles Nests have been located • The first has a GPS location of • 61˚ 07.91 N 146˚ 23.54W • On the Mineral Creek Plan Maps • Have not seen any activity 2005 or 2006 • The second has a GPS location of • 61˚ 07.78 N 146˚ 24.14 W • Not on the Mineral Creek Plan Maps • It is an active nest- 2005 & 2006

  20. Pacific Blue Mussel (Mytilis edulas) Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita) Acorn Barnacle (Chthamalus dalli) Thatched Barnacle (Balanus cariosus) Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Sunflower Star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) Clam Worm (Nereis virens) Pacific Littleneck Clam (Protothaca staminea) Rockweed Isopods (Idotea sp.) Sand Flea (Traskorchestia traskiana) Plate Limpet (Notoacmea scutum Butterclam (Saxiomis giganteus) Marine Animal LifeFound in Mineral Creek State Park Limpets

  21. Sea Lettuce (Ulva) Rockweed (Fucus) • Red Algae Black Seaside Lichen Marine Plant Life

  22. Other Animal Life 2006 4/2/06 A Sitka Black-tail deer was seen feeding along the coastline. A unique occurrence in Valdez!

  23. Bird SpeciesSeen in Mineral Creek State Park area • Bald Eagle • Common Merganser • Black-legged Kittiwake • Northwestern Crow • Arctic Tern • Black Oystercatcher • Barrow’s Golden Eye • Canada Goose • Black-billed Magpie • Mew gull • Glaucous-winged gull

  24. YAW students and Mrs. Heckathorn’s science classes will continue to work on mapping and surveying the plant and animal life and monitoring the ecosystem as development of this area looms on the horizon.

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