Citizen Science for Cluing in to the Health of Alaska’s Coastal Parks: Engaging Local Communities in Tracking Seabird Mortality

Project ID: P19AC00147

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: University of Washington

Fiscal Year: 2019

Initial Funding: $41,857

Total Funding: $41,857

Project Type: Education

Project Disciplines: Biological

National Park: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

Principal Investigator: Parrish, Julia

Agreement Technical Representative: Wald, Eric

Abstract: This Cooperative Agreement (Agreement) is being entered between the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), and University of Washington (UW). This project will provide a mechanism for increased detection and tracking of unusual mortality events that can inform ongoing Alaska-wide mortality-monitoring efforts with partner agencies and organizations (US Fish & Wildlife Service [USFWS] Migratory
Bird Management and Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, US Geological Society [USGS] Alaska Science Center and National Wildlife Health Center, National Ocean and Atmospheric Association [NOAA] Sea Grant, Bering Watch, Local Environmental Observer [LEO] Network, and Gulf Watch Alaska) and provide baseline information on mortality of seabirds at and near parks to help improve detection and assessment of future die-offs.
One objective is inform resident communities through workshops of mass seabird mortality events and the health of marine resources along Alaska’s coasts. Another objective is to increase awareness among avian biologists working across Alaska and train them in the COASST Seabird Die-off Alert protocol at the 2019 Alaska Bird Conference.
Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) will conduct workshops in FY19/FY20 to: 1) initiate COASST at Deering (Bering Land Bridge National Preserve [BELA]), Illiamna (Lake Clark National Park & Preserve [LACL]), Kivalina (Cape Krusenstern National Monument [CAKR]), Sitka (Sitka National Historical Park [SITK]), Wales (BELA), and Barrow ( Iñupiat Heritage Center [INHC]); 2) refresh COASST at Gustavus (Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve [GLBA]), Nome (BELA), Kotzebue (CAKR), Seward (Kenai Fjords National Park [KEFJ]), and Skagway (Klondike-Gold Rush National Historical Park [KLGO]); and 3) present COASST at the 2019 Ocean and Science Learning Center (OASLC) Teacher Workshop and the Alaska Bird Conference.