The Kasitsna Bay Laboratory is a cooperative endeavor between NCCOS
and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) with a strong emphasis on educational outreach and community service.
One
of the Laboratory’s goals is to promote environmental and natural resource
education for Chugach tribal members to increase tribal ability to manage
their coastal resources. Areas of emphasis include:
- coastal management
- fisheries, ecology
- taxonomy
- environmental monitoring
Planned is development of a virtual classroom via the Internet to allow
students to interact readily with each other and with instructors from
among UAF faculty as well as scientists and managers from state and federal
agencies.
University of Alaska Fairbanks is developing a multi-level program
for the education and training of elementary school, high school, undergraduate
and graduate students. The Kasitsna Laboratory serves as a center for
graduate student research in marine and coastal studies.
NCCOS and NOAA research will focus on topics relevant to the local area and its resources. The Kasitsna Laboratory provides a field site support
base for Kachemak
Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (KBNERR) research. NOAA Office of Response and Restoration research on clam feeding ecology and rocky intertidal ecology is supported from the Laboratory. Several NCCOS research projects are conducted
through the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory: