Charting human use in Prince William Sound

The effects of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Alaska are still felt on the landscape of Prince William Sound. The area is also seeing anincrease in tourism and recreation as infrastructure has made the area more accessible. New research undertaken in part by Dr. Randy Gimblett in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment asks: How do recreation and subsistance activities interact with a region still recovering from the Exxon Valdez Oil spill?

Five projects comprise Phase I of this project, coordinated by the US Forest Service, and the School of Natural Resources is involved in three of these: 

• Documentation and spatial delineation of human use "hot spots"
• Description of subsistence use patterns
• Assessment of PWS users' experiences and perceptions

This work will serve to ensure that increasing human use does not adversely impact sensitive resources, including resources and services still recovering from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. The comprehensive analysis in Phase I of this project will enable the development of a consistent, Sound-wide approach to planning for, managing and permitting human use of the region, into the future. The inclusion of  stakeholders from the onset of this project enables their investment in subsequent management actions. Researchers in the School of Natural Resources continue to contribute to science and solutions to real problems on real landscapes.