Sitka High Grad Gets
Results in PSP Project
By MARGARET PETERSON
Special to the Sentinel
A dark, wet winter night doesn’t stop an enthusiastic marine science student, but when the tide is negative two, research calls.
My name is Margaret Peterson, I graduated in May from Sitka High School, and this article is meant to give you a taste of why research is necessary for understanding toxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, and what makes it so exciting.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning is a harmful illness that causes paralysis and can lead to severe respiratory problems. The major contributor to this illness is phytoplankton, tiny microscopic plants that sometimes produce paralytic shellfish toxins. The clams that we eat filter ocean water and eat phytoplankton. When there is a harmful algal bloom that contains PSTs the shellfish that eat the phytoplankton will accumulate these toxins. There is a need to study the algal blooms and toxins so we can protect our food source.
The shellfish we’re talking about are butter clams and other bivalves. Bivalves are animals with no backbone and two shells. The butter clam can hold PSP toxins for up to two years, and this is why we really need to have them tested before they are eaten.
Sitka Tribe of Alaska, one of 229 tribal governments in Alaska, established the Southeast Alaska Tribal Oceanic Research network. It’s committed to doing the research necessary to keep the public informed about this food resource. Kari Lanphier is the environmental lab manager for Sitka Tribe of Alaska, the primary coordinator for the network.
“SEATOR started as an idea in 2013, and by 2015 six tribes in Southeast Alaska were working together to collect baseline data on harmful algal blooms in our region. Currently, there are 17 tribal communities working together in the network.” Lanphier said. “SEATOR’s goals are to perpetuate tribal sovereignty through the collection of environmental data on subsistence resources to help ensure public health in the communities where it works.”
SEATOR secures funding through multiple grants from federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, she said.
There is a large cultural element when it comes to shellfish. Many people in our community, including my own family, practice subsistence food gathering. When I was younger I went out with my dad to go clam digging. Though the weather was cold it was extremely meaningful to find the food and then eat it. This experience has impacted my life tremendously. I learned how food can be harvested from the beach and be very nutritious and, most importantly, what this food means to our community. From my personal experience with clams and digging, I understand the importance of studying paralytic shellfish poisoning.
This school year I got to connect that understanding with the RASOR program. Rural Alaska Students in One-Health Research is a partnership between the University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka Sound Science Center and Sitka Tribe of Alaska. Ellen Chenoweth is program director.
“Its goals are, first, connecting together rural Alaska students that are interested in researching their environment; second, connecting the students with research mentors and helping them to develop research projects in their communities; and, third, to help them develop strategies for success in college,” Chenoweth said.
Will Peterson, an environmental lab specialist with STA, is my mentor, who helped guide our project.
Being a RASOR student I got the privilege to work with these amazing people and organizations. Together with Kari and Will, and my student partners Kanish Djaker and Jayvan Kowchee, we developed a modified crab pot to hold blue mussels that could be an efficient way to test for PSTs.
I went out on a winter night and collected mussels to put in the cage. Back at the lab I measured the weight and length of the mussels and deployed the cage off the float plane dock on Katlian Street to begin monitoring. After about a month we pulled the mussels so we could test for the toxins. (Only a slight amount was found.)
Results so far have shown that this cage method is effective in testing for PSP in areas we normally wouldn’t be able to get to.
I have enjoyed the time I got to work with the amazing science community in Sitka.
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Margaret Peterson, 18, will be attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks this fall, where she plans to major in fisheries and ocean sciences in the Biomedical Learning and Student Training scholarship program. This article was her final project under the RASOR program
Climate Connection: Going a Long Way Together
By Leah Mason
I was about 12 years old when my father introduced me to the greenhouse effect. I was 16 or so when my mother began telling me about planning for an “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro. I’ve been living with the invisible menace of global warming for so long that most renewable energy technologies are now cheaper than the standard fossil fueled versions. Something nobody thought would happen, back then. Which just proves that if you live long enough, you will see change.
Time can be funny, though. We have all just lived through what may be the longest two months of our lives. In that short/endless period we have seen a LOT of change, and we’ve learned a lot about ourselves. Many of us know that we’re not as extroverted or introverted as we thought we were. We know we can work productively from home, and some of us know we never want to do that again. Importantly, we’ve seen our friends, family and neighbors working together (but a safe distance apart) to protect our elders, our children and ourselves. We’ve taken precautions and we have been accountable for each other.
Some might have found that restrictive and uncomfortable, but a lot of people have had their faith in the strength of their community restored. When we were asked to sacrifice our elders - by people we thought we respected - we said “Heck No!” It made me hopeful that when we are called back to “situation normal” we will CHOOSE to tackle another invisible menace - climate change - and give the next generation a chance at reaching a ripe old age.
With that in mind, I’ve been looking for a way to keep all the COVID-inspired, greenhouse-safe habits going. I want a way to be accountable for my actions. So, I’m taking the Drawdown EcoChallenge. Why would I take on ANOTHER challenge at a time like this? Well, the challenges are there...and I’ll be working on them. So, tracking progress on my list of things to do for my community and future generations is just ... convenient. And SATISFYING. I love crossing things off my lists.
I’m telling you about this because a lot of people would like to work as a community on a plan to tackle the challenges of climate change. It would be nice to have the City and Borough of Sitka officially on board, but we don’t have to wait for the slow machinery of government to declare a climate emergency to start working together. I’m inviting anyone who is interested in doing more to join me - safely online - using the Drawdown EcoChallenge to set goals and get going.
Or you can fight me! The Drawdown EcoChallenge is also a competitive team activity! If you aren’t motivated by good deeds, then competitive spirit works too! Start your own team and challenge my team to a very positive duel! Kick off is June 21, 2020. See more about the challenge on the Sitka CCL facebook page.
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Leah Mason is a member of the Sitka Citizens’ Climate Lobby and will be leading the Sitka CCL EcoChallenge Team.
Berry Picking,
Pie Camp Set
Sitka 4-H will offer a berry-picking and pie-making camp 9:30 a.m.-noon June 15-17.
Campers will explore salmonberries and where and how to forage them, and their significance to locals.
A storytelling event and pie-making workshop are included. Sessions will take place via Zoom, and will include recipes and instruction for safe, socially distanced berry-picking.
All ages are invited. Camps are $10 and scholarships are available. Contact emily@sitkawild.org for information.
4-H to Offer
Running Club
Sitka 4-H will kick off the summer season this month with a running club.
Individuals can register to be sent a weekly training plan then join via Zoom 10-11 a.m. Thursdays to process, stretch, and get ready for the week ahead.
All ages are invited to join. The series will finish with a solo 5K along the Cross Trail.
Contact emily@sitkawild.org for information and to register.
Intertidal Event
Slated Via Zoom
All are invited to join 4-H and the Sitka Sound Science Center 9-10:30 a.m. June 8-10 for intertidal exploration and discoveries.
The group will share findings and collect treasures for arts and crafts. Participants will learn about the variety of species found along local beaches.
Sessions will take place via Zoom and include informational videos and tools to allow for families to safely tidepool together, organizers said.
It is open to ages 5-8. Contact emily@sitkawild.org to register.
Extension Week
Classes Offered
From controlling bird vetch (a plant) to cooking with beans, 20 community classes will be offered via distance delivery June 8-12 by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service agents and staff around the state.
The Zoom classes are free and offered as part of Statewide Extension Week. The extension service switched to distance delivery in March after the university canceled face-to-face classes because of coronavirus concerns.
One-hour classes will be offered at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on most days. Topics include:
–Bird vetch control, 10 a.m. June 8;
–Air quality in the home and out, 11 a.m. June 8;
–AgrAbility program and helping Alaska’s agricultural workers, 2 p.m. June 8;
–Fundamentals of Alaska gardening, 3 p.m. June 8;
–Zumba fitness, 10 a.m. June 9;
–Preparing your home for disasters and for aging, 11 a.m. June 9;
–Kids Activity Corner, with exercise and ball making, 2 p.m. June 9;
–Healthy homes, 3 p.m. June 9;
–Lilacs: Landscape options for Interior and Southcentral Alaska, 6 p.m. June 9;
–Scaling up? How to increase food production, 10 a.m. June 10;
–Enjoy beans! 11 a.m. June 10;
–Canning 101: Safety and science, 2 p.m. June 10;
–Kids in the Kitchen, for ages 8-14, 3 p.m. June 10;
–Growing together: The ways gardeners support each other, 6 p.m. June 10;
–Choosing which vegetable varieties to grow, 10 a.m. June 11;
–Starting a cottage foods business, 11 a.m. June 11;
–From field to fork: Reducing food waste, 2 p.m. June 11;
–Climbing Denali, 3 p.m. June 11;
–Green care: The intersection of agriculture and health care, 10 a.m. June 12; and
–Kids Kitchen Fun Friday: Making tortillas and tacos, 11 a.m. June 12.
Register for the free Zoom classes at https://bit.ly/statewide extension events. For information, contact Extension at 877-520-5211.
Guided Tidepool
Walks at SSSC
Sitka Sound Science Center will host summer Guided Tidepool Walks 9:30 a.m. Monday, June 8, and 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 9.
The group will meet in front of the Mill Building, and after a brief intertidal overview by SSSC Aquarium Manager Sandy McClung, will head out to Sage Beach (adjacent to the science center) to look for the animals that call the intertidal zone home.
The walk will last approximately one hour. Due to COVID-19, the center is asking participants over the age of 5 to wear a face covering, and to maintain social distancing. The cost is $10/adults, $5/kids (ages 3-12). Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.
To book a spot, go to www.sitkascience.org and click ‘‘book now.’’
