Citizen Scientists Study Oil Spill Response

Citizen scientists gather on Sept. 20-21

From Marta Branch, MRC Coordinator

How do we respond to the threat of an Oil Spill?  A group of concerned local San Juan Islanders gathered with the Marine Resources Committee (MRC) at a Citizen Scientist workshop September 20 and 21, 2013.

Representatives from the State Oil Spill Response team—scientists from Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Washington Dept. of Ecology(DOE), led the group in obtaining sediment samples and biological tissue samples for storage.  These samples would provide a snapshot of the baseline beach conditions before an oil spill, which would allow comparisons to be made in the event of spill damage.

Participants learned how to take scientifically valid samples, using the accepted state protocols that have been established by Oil Spill response officials and also about how “chain of custody” works.  Each sample must be verifiably tamper free, so there must be documentation about its handling from the time the sample is taken until final analyses are completed.  The samples taken during this workshop are destined for the MRC’s Specimen Bank, a new project that is being conducted in conjunction with the UW Friday Harbor Labs.  Ultimately the data collected from these samples will be publically available through the County GIS database.  Barbara Bentley, current chair of the MRC, has worked on the Specimen Bank, and generated the idea for this new project.  She has taken the lead of custodian of the samples until they are warehoused.

Dale Davis (DOE) and Dan Doty (WDFW) taught the group how to set out a transect on the beach and take scientifically valid sediment samples using standardized technique and supplies.  Kira Kranzler (WDFW) presented an overview of the forage fish in the Pacific Northwest, and then taught the group how to gather beach samples to analyze for eggs of Surf Smelt and/or Sand Lance.

Participants were enthusiastic about the workshop:

As Barbara Bentley noted in her presentation, “Citizen science is an indispensable means of combining ecological research with environmental education and natural history observation.  Contributions by citizen scientists are proving to be critical in on-going ecological research especially to collect data to document environmental change. We need, want, and can use your help!”  At evaluation time, one participant appreciated both the hand-on approach, and the use of her interest and skills.  “Barbara Bentley (MRC chair) and Marta Branch (MRC coordinator) have put on a workshop worthy of my time.”

“The presenters’ energy and enthusiasm was obvious and contagious while you told us, then you told us what you told us–it worked well!” said one participant.

“Kira [Kranzler-WDFW] was amazing, she gave a great presentation”, said another.

“The small class size, the professional approach with standardized, accepted protocol was great.  Dan [Doty-WDFW]  and Dale [Davis-DOE]  were wonderful.  This was not just another ‘let’s gather some data and figure out what to do with it’.  I appreciated the real deal.”

The workshop was conducted with support from the state agencies involved (WDFW and DOE), the San Juan County MRC and the Northwest Straits Commission.  This workshop is the pilot for an ongoing project.  The coordinators of the workshop have been working with the state agency personnel for a number of months to plan and coordinate this concept of Citizen Scientists collecting and maintaining a database of samples and information throughout the region.  Plans are underway to refine and expand this workshop approach.  Funding will now be sought for the implementation of this project.

The Northwest Straits Foundation and the San Juan Marine Resources Committee will help community members understand the world of oil spill planning and response through a workshop to be held on September 28th. Through this day-long workshop, spill responders will help community members understand oil spill contingency planning, the fate and effects of oil in the marine environment, and the unique challenges posed by local geography for spill response. Community engagement and volunteer opportunities will also be discussed.

Come to this exciting workshop held in San Juan County: September 28, 2013, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Friday Harbor Labs Lecture Hall. (Please bring your own sack lunch)

To pre-register for this workshop: email marineresources@sanjuanco.com or contact Marta Branch, MRC Coordinator at 360-370-7592