Valdez Youth Area Watch Project 2006

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
(No Transcript)
4
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.

5
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.

6
Dedicated YAW Students fighting the harsh
conditions to gather data at Mineral Creek.
7
Mineral Creek State Park Existing Conditions-Plan
DUndeveloped
8
Mineral Creek State Park Development Plan A
9
Comments about Plan A

• PROS
• Easier access for people with disabilities or
  young children.
• Toilet facilities close by- more sanitary?
• CONS
• The parking lot is 50m from an active eagles
  nest.
• Toilet facilities and garbage too close to
  pristine area. (flood danger)
• Boardwalk crosses known bear trails.

10
Mineral Creek State Park Development Plan B
11
Comments about Plan B

• PROS
• Parking lot- less impact on eagles nest
• Less potential pollution from toilet garbage.
• CONS
• Access is more restrictive and a longer walking
  distance is required for people with disabilities
  or with young children.
• Boardwalk crosses known bear trails.

12
Mineral Creek State Park Development Plan C
13
Comments about Plan C

• PROS
• Easier access to area
• Toilet facilities close by- more sanitary?
• Boardwalk doesnt cross known bear trails
• CONS
• Parking lot is too close to active eagles nest
• Toilet facilities too close to pristine area.
• Boardwalk in lower intertidal zone may affect
  feeding of shore birds, introduce more garbage

14
Mineral Creek State ParkData Collected in 2005
and 2006
15
Barnacles Maximum Density
Our hypothesis We had a difficult time locating
the barnacles this year due to an overabundance
of rockweed.
16
Barnacles Random Density Count
Poor weather conditions prevented us from
collecting as much data as we had planned. ?
17
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.
18
Mussels Random Density Count
Analysis Our population count could be slightly
lower due to an increase in the rockweed
population.
19
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.
20
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

21
Marine Animal LifeFound in Mineral Creek State
Park

• 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)

Limpets
22
Marine Plant Life

• Sea Lettuce (Ulva)
• Rockweed (Fucus)
• Red Algae
• Black Seaside Lichen

23
Other Animal Life 2006
4/2/06 A Sitka Black-tail deer was seen feeding
along the coastline. A unique occurrence in
Valdez!
24
Bird SpeciesSeen in Mineral Creek State Park area

• Bald Eagle
• Common Merganser
• Black-legged Kittiwake
• Northwestern Crow
• Arctic Tern
• Black Oystercatcher
• Barrows Golden Eye
• Canada Goose
• Black-billed Magpie
• Mew gull
• Glaucous-winged gull

25
YAW students and Mrs. Heckathorns 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.