ShoreZone puts the Arctic on display
A new Coastal Impressions exhibit was unveiled at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium in January. Coastal Impressions: A Photographic Journey along Alaska's Arctic Coast, featured dozens of spectacular photos from the Arctic leg of the Alaska ShoreZone Mapping Program, taken along 10,000 km (6,000 mi) of shoreline during 2012 and 2013. Dozens of vivid, large format aerial images of the beautiful Beaufort Sea to St. Lawrence Island landscape lined the walls of the Captain Cook Hotel and were a definite highlight of the symposium.
 | | Arctic coastal Alaska (NOAA). |
This collection is the second Coastal Impressions exhibit inspired by the ShoreZone habitat mapping program first initiated in Alaska as a Cook Inlet RCAC pilot project in 2001.
It became clear during the Gulf of Alaska aerial surveys, that the images are worthy of any art exhibit. And much like the first exhibit sponsored by us (Cook Inlet RCAC), named Coastal Impressions: A Photographic Journey along Alaska's Gulf Coast, the images were not just selected for their interest to coastal scientists, but also for their artistic composition, amazing colors, odd shapes, or interesting features. Both exhibits leave viewers with an appreciation for how coastal landforms develop and the significance of these features within broader coastal ecosystems. Each image has a story to tell, and interpretive materials accompany each collection.
Future plans are to bring the newest exhibit to coastal villages in the Arctic for outreach with the schools and community members. An expert knowledgeable about Coastal Impressions will travel with the exhibit. Coastal Impressions booklets will be provided and presentations if requested. The exhibit will also be available for other venues such as conferences, galleries, and museums. As well, we continue to provide the Gulf of Alaska exhibit and were most recently asked to display a subset of the exhibit at the April Kodiak Island Marine Science Symposium.
The new Arctic Coastal Impressions exhibit is sponsored by Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management (BOEM), National Park Service (NPS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative (ALCC), and developed in partnership with NOAA Fisheries Auke Bay Laboratories, Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council, and Coastal and Ocean Resources, Inc.
|
|
Cook Inlet RCAC welcomes new certified members
As part of our annual election process, we seek organizations with no previous participation or representation to join us as certified members of the Council. In January, our Credentials Committee reviewed applications of organizations wishing to become engaged in our mission. As a result, three new certified members joined our organization this month--the Native Village of Eklutna, the Anchorage Waterways Council, and Great Land Trust.
OPA 90 mandates that the Cook Inlet RCAC create partnerships between industry, state and federal governments, and specified local governments and special interests. Our Board of Directors consists of representatives of those stakeholder groups. With certification, these organizations, representing Alaska Native and environmental communities, are eligible to nominate and vote for individuals to represent their interests on the Council. We welcome the experience and knowledge they bring to the table and look forward to working together to protect Cook Inlet. Learn more about the Native Village of Eklutna, Anchorage Waterways Council and Great Land Trust. For more information, contact Jerry Rombach or 907-283-7222. |
|
|
Elections are coming up
Ballots for two special interest board positions will be in the mail soon, and we're looking forward to hearing from our Certified member organizations with their vote to fill seats to represent environmental interests and Alaska Native organizations. Respectively, Deric Marcorelle and Michael Opheim currently represent these groups.
We are also soliciting letters of interest and resumes for public member committee seats, including the Environmental Monitoring Committee and the Prevention, Response, Operations, and Safety Committee. These are due by March 14. Public committee members who are currently serving can seek reappointment. These positions carry three-year terms. The committees will make their selections at their upcoming meetings in late March or early April. The appointments will be accepted by the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting on April 25th.
The Environmental Monitoring Committee (EMC) is tasked by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to conduct a monitoring program that provides early detection of any environmental effects due to oil industry operations in Cook Inlet and to determine whether oil industry operations are causing adverse impacts to Cook Inlet's ecosystem.
The Prevention, Response, Operations, and Safety Committee (PROPS) develops work plans, as well as projects and studies designed to minimize oil spill risks in Cook Inlet. The Committee's secondary focus is to review and monitor spill response efforts and promote the use of the best available technology. To learn more about these and other committees, click here.
For more information, contact Jerry Rombach.
|
|
