Assess Possible Cruise Ship Impacts on Huna Tlingit Ethnographic Resources in Glacier Bay

Project ID: J8W07090011

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: Portland State University

Fiscal Year: 2009

Initial Funding: $25,000

Total Funding: $229,304

Project Type: Research

Project Disciplines: Cultural

National Park: Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

Principal Investigator: Deur, Doug

Agreement Technical Representative: Howell, Wayne

Abstract: Situated within Glacier Bay National Park (GLBA), Glacier Bay proper (GBP) represents an important component of the Hoonah Tlingit traditional territory. Glacier Bay is also a significant tourist attraction, most commonly visited by cruise ship passengers as part of larger Alaska cruise itineraries. The National Park Service has completed an environmental impact tatement, the Vessel Quotas and Operating Requirements Environmental Impact Statement (VQOR), to assess the potential outcomes of different cruise ship number scenarios. As a result of the VQOR, the Superintendent of GLBA, based on the best available data, can increase or decrease the numbers of cruise ships entering GBP. The Glacier Bay Science Advisory Board (GBSAB) has directed the Superintendent to develop a research and monitoring plan to identify and address the effects of cruise ship numbers on Huna Tlingit cultural values within GBP. To date, many of those values have been identified but no attempt has been made to assess how federal actions, such as increasing cruise ship numbers, might affect them. The objective of this study is to compile data that will be accessible to the Superintendent for use in an adaptive management approach in making decisions about annual cruise ship entry permit numbers. This research endeavor has two phases: Phase 1 will design the study plan, while a planned Phase 2 will implement the study and produce a report.