Prince William Sound is an ecosystem like no other. Its brew of nutrient rich glacial runoff, swirling currents, huge salmon runs and diverse intertidal life support abundant birds, marine life and land mammals. Thousands of Black Legged Kittiwakes nesting in a single colony, breaching Humpback Whales and the chance to catch a Halibut are a few of the appeals to visitors and residents. The longest being the Sugpiak and Eyak peoples who have lived and thrived there for thousands of years These qualities are threatened by events like the Exxon Oil Spill of 1989, and long term issues like climate change and invasive species. Even it’s popularity contributes to increased human impacts. Despite the challenges the Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation and Silvia Earl’s organization Mission Blue have teamed up to designate PWS an Ocean Blue “Hope Spot.” On this edition of the show host Paul Twardock discusses what this means for Prince William Sound with the Foundation’s Executive Director Charla Hughes, Georgia Aquarium’s Dr. Dayne Buddo, and Mission Blue’s Hope Spot Program
Manager Shannon Rake.
HOST: Paul Twardock
GUESTS:
Charla Hughes, Executive Director, Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation
Dr. Dayne Buddo, Georgia Aquarium
Shannon Rake, Mission Blue Hope Spot Manager
LINKS:
Mission Blue website
Mission Blue “Hope Spots”
Georgia Aquarium website
Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation website
BROADCAST: Thursday, December 7th, 2023. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, December 7th, 2023. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT
Paul Twardock is a Professor of Outdoor Studies at Alaska Pacific University, where he has worked since 1988. He is the author of Kayaking and Camping in Prince William Sound and help found the Alaska Sea Kayaking Symposium/Paddle Sport Fun Day. At APU he teaches a variety of undergraduate classes included Sea Kayaking, Recreation Program Design, Nordic Skiing, The Business of Recreation, and Wildland Ecosystems and Human Impacts. Paul received his BS in Outdoor Recreation from Western Illinois University, went to work instructing for NOLS in Alaska, then received his MBA from APU. Paul’s research includes monitoring of campsites in Prince William Sound and Chugach State Park for human impact, trail use in Chugach State Park, and the Alaska Recreational Boating Safety Incident Database. His passions include sea kayaking, river boating of all sorts, hiking, mountain running, climbing, skiing of any kind, and birding. One of his last adventures involved a mule ride.
Paul is one of several hosts for Outdoor Explorer
