June 10, 2009 FBR Meeting to feature Mark Weddig, Black River Falls Assistant High School Principal
Mark Weddig, Black River Falls Assistant High School Principal, will recount his first hand experience of the Exxon Valdes oil spill clean up for the June 10th Friends of the Black River meeting. Weddig was the Director of Environmental Education at the Alaska center for Environment in Anchorage in 1988 and 1989. He was involved in the hands on effort to document, clean and rehabilitate wildlife, especially sea otters, affected by the spill. To be held at the CCU Community room in Black River Falls, the meeting is free and the public is invited.
On March 24th, 1989, one of the most devastating environmental disasters ever to occur at sea took place in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The vessel, Exxon Valdes, spilled almost 11 million gallons of crude oil into the sea, eventually covering 11,000 square miles. Accessible only by helicopter, the region is habitat for salmon, sea otters, seals and seabirds. Exxon has been widely criticized for its slow response to cleaning up the disaster area.
Short- and long-term effects of the oil spill have been extensively studied. Thousands of animals perished immediately including up to half a million seabirds and at least 1000 sea otters and billions of salmon along with hundreds of bald eagles and seals. Other victims include river otters and orcas. Although much of the damage has been visibly removed the impact on sea animal populations due to contaminated food chains continues. It is estimated that 26 thousand gallons of oil remain in the sandy soil according to a 2007 study conducted by NOAA.
Mark will recount his first hand experiences in Prince William Sound in 1989. He will also relate some of the history leading up to the spill. He has MS and BS degrees in Resource Management, Environmental Education and in Educational Leadership and taught biology for 15 years at Merrill High School in Merrill Wisconsin, prior to coming to Black River Falls.
Join Friends of the Black River for this fascinating program at 7:00 PM, Wednesday, June 10 at the Coop Credit Union Community Room in Black River Falls. The meeting is free and the public is invited.
For more info contact FBR at info_fbr@yahoo.com
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