Reblogged from cravedfw:

by Andrew Chalk

The battle of the Copper River Salmon has been crazy in Dallas. With the announcement from Matt McCallister (FT33) and Scott Romano (Nick and Sam’s) taking to the waters of Cordova, Alaska to procure their very own specimens. John Tesar (Spoon Bar and Kitchen) quickly lashed out that he was expecting his own shipment well before the chefs dipped their poles into the water.

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Reblogged from JuneauTek:

That's Right!  It's salmon time in Alaska!  Local fishermen will head out in early this morning for a 7 A.M. opener, which marks the start of the 2013 salmon season.  The webcam is a view is from the top of My Eyak, overlooking Cordova's beautiful harbor.  Unfortunately, the weather forecast is a bit nasty.   Alaska doesn't want to break free of winter's icy grip this spring.  

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Reblogged from JuneauTek:

Cordova fisherman, Micah Ess, heading out for the first opener of the Copper River Salmon Season, 2013. Photo by Michelle Dockins.

But Cordova fishermen aren’t so concerned with this kind of pageantry, as with little things like the new hydraulics they hope will work like they’re supposed to, fishery projections, the weather, and whether all their licenses and permits are all filed correctly (paperwork is not always their strong suit). Born-n-bred Cordovan and Cordova District Fishermen United employee, Kelsey Appleton, gives a nice synopsis here:

Tomorrow marks the start of the 2013 salmon season, obvious to those of us who have seen it a time or two by the hustle of people around the harbor, busy with last minute prep. 541 commercial fishermen have renewed their S03E permits in order to fish the flats tomorrow. Some fishermen have already taken off, unable to quell the fishing itch any longer. Whether on the flats or holding down the fort in town, folks are eagerly awaiting the moment when the clock strikes 7 and the gillnets are launched in the water. Going into the season with a commercial harvest projection of 1.3 million sockeye, a season bigger than last year, has fishermen and fisherwomen hopeful and excited, but the anticipated 40 knot winds and 15 ft seas are daunting to say the least. Here in the office we are channeling good fishy vibes to those on the grounds and wish everyone a safe and prosperous season!

Good luck and great fishing, Cordova!  Hope you get “In ‘em”!

Reblogged from Connecting Cordova:

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It's that time of year again, time for CTC's Annual Membership meeting!  It's this Friday, March 22nd starting at 5:30pm.  It might not sound too exciting (I mean, who wants to go to a "meeting" on a Friday night), but trust me... you don't want to miss this event!

Don't believe me?  I'll give you 4 reasons!

1.  Prizes!  Anyone who went to our last Annual Meeting will tell you that it's pretty hard to walk out of that room without a prize...

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A homemade Valentine I whipped up juuuuuuuuuuust for you Cordova-lovers!

This has not happened in weeks here in Cordova. A massive difference from last year this time, December 2012 and January 2013 have been nothing but rain and winds so far. And then came today… Just glorious! And tomorrow doesn’t look too bad either.  We might get through this winter yet

Cordova Arts is proud to welcome John Lilly for a live concert at Mt. Eccles Elementary on Thursday, September 20th!

John Lilly is a multi-talented acoustic music performer from Charleston, West Virginia, specializing in Americana, country roots, and traditional folk music. He writes new songs that sound as old as the hills, and performs older songs like they were made yesterday. According to one reviewer,

“If Hank Williams had a sunny disposition, he’d be John Lilly.”

Recognized widely as a powerful performing songwriter, John is the 2010 acoustic winner of the “Next Great Road Song” contest, sponsored my Midas and Spin for his original song “Come and Go.” In 2005, he won the national Ghost Writers In the Sky songwriting contest, sponsored by HankFest, a Chicago-based festival honoring the music of Hank Williams. John won a customized guitar for his original song “Blue Highway.” He was a finalist in the 2002 Chris Austin Songwriting Competition at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, chosen from 853 entries and placing third in the Country category for his song “Broken Moon.” John Lilly’s 2008 Mountain Stage radio performance is available at NPR Music. He has traveled extensively, including 48 states and three tours of Scotland.

We’re excited to welcome him to Cordova and think his music’s unique mix of old school and new will be sure to please!  Come out and support Cordova Arts and enjoy some great music next Thursday with us!   Tickets will be sold at the door!

And if there’s one thing Cordovans know how to do, it is to feast on and celebrate the bounty of goodness this land provides!  Enter…  Cordova Fungus Festival!

This year, the festivities commence Sept. 7th – 9th and feature a variety of events.

Starting on Friday, 9/7/12, go gather your fungus-grabbing fingers off and then come in any time for the all-day Fungus ID Tables with:

• Steve Trudell (PNW “Fungus Master” and co-author of the Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.)
• Else Vellinga (Mycological researcher)
• Kate Mohatt (Local Forest Service Mycologist)
• Then, later that night, join in on the Evening Program at the USFS Courtroom, where (among others) award-winning nature photographer and writer Amy Gulick talks about ‘Salmon in the Trees: Life in AK Tongass Rain Forest’

The fun continues on Saturday, 9/8/12 with your choice of Fungal Forays:

• At 9am, “Intro to Mushroom” with Steve Trudell
• At 9am, “Collecting for Science” with Else Vellinga
• At 1pm, “Edibles” with Kate Mohatt
• And another all-day Fungus ID Table is available!
• The weekend crescendos on Saturday night for the annual Fungus Feast at the Pioneer Igloo with guest chef, David Bonom!  Test your skill at the mini ID table, silent auction with locally made fungus dyed textiles, pottery & more!  Tickets available only at Orca Books on Main Street, Cordova.

Tanya Zastrow and her forte: dyeing with fungus! Image courtesy of http://www.mushroomsofcolor.com

On Sunday, 9/9/12, you can branch out with

• 9am – Photography Workshop “From Snapshot to Wow! Shot in Nature Photography” – learn how to go beyond point and shoot snapshots with Amy Gulick.  Register at the Net Loft, and call Tanya Zastrow for more info at (907) 424-4741.
• 10am – Meet at USFS for morning Foray:  Beginners with Ken Hodges, USFS biologist.
• 1pm – Dyer’s Workshop with Tanya Zastrow, local artist and mushroom dyeing expert at St. Joseph’s Church.  Register at the Net Loft, and call Tanya Zastrow for more info at (907) 424-4741.  $ Fee $

All Forays and ID Tables meet at USFS building on 2nd Street, Cordova AK.  For more information on workshops, contact Tanya Zastrow at the USFS at 907-424-4741 or 907-424-7661.  Both are limited and registration is required.

Along with (of course) silver salmon sport-fishing, this event is usually a highlight of our fall season here in Cordova.  If you’re in the area and can make it to town for this event, you won’t regret it!  And for all of you locals out there, get your butts out foraging.  The time is very NEAR for mycological bliss!!  :)

For more great pictures from Cordova Fungus Festival 2012, check out our facebook album!

But the environment is a complicated, extremely interconnected thing and there are a lot of ways to look after it responsibly.  Today is Arbor Day, so we’re going to talk about one of the most basic environmental entities in need of protection (and appreciation)… the TREE!  The New York Times recently published a great article, Why Trees Matter.  Here some of my favorite excerpts:

We take [trees] for granted, but they are a near miracle. In a bit of natural alchemy called photosynthesis, for example, trees turn one of the seemingly most insubstantial things of all — sunlight — into food for insects, wildlife and people, and use it to create shade, beauty and wood for fuel, furniture and homes…

What trees do is essential though often not obvious. Decades ago, Katsuhiko Matsunaga, a marine chemist at Hokkaido University in Japan, discovered that when tree leaves decompose, they leach acids into the ocean that help fertilize plankton. When plankton thrive, so does the rest of the food chain. In a campaign called Forests Are Lovers of the Sea, fishermen have replanted forests along coasts and rivers to bring back fish and oyster stocks. And they have returned.

That is especially important to think about when you live in a place like Cordova!  Who knew terrestrial trees were so vital to a healthy marine ecosystem!

In Japan, researchers have long studied what they call “forest bathing.” A walk in the woods, they say, reduces the level of stress chemicals in the body and increases natural killer cells in the immune system, which fight tumors and viruses. Studies in inner cities show that anxiety, depression and even crime are lower in a landscaped environment.

In honor of Arbor Day, here are my top 9 reasons trees are awesome!

1. TREES PRODUCE OXYGEN!  Let’s face it, we could not exist as we do if there were no trees. A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year. What many people don’t realize is the forest also acts as a giant filter that cleans the air we breath. (source:  www.forestry.about.com)
2. TREES ARE AIR AND WATER FILTERS!  One acre of trees removes up to 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide each year.  Trees are nature’s water filters, capable of cleaning up the most toxic wastes, including explosives, solvents and organic wastes, largely through a dense community of microbes around the tree’s roots that clean water in exchange for nutrients, a process known as phytoremediation. Tree leaves also filter air pollution.  (sources:  New York Times, http://www.treesaregood.com)
3. TREES ARE USEFUL!  Thousands of products are made from trees!  From wood and pulp products (like furniture and paper) and food (nuts, syrup, fruit & spices) to chemicals (like natural dies, shoe polish and toothpaste) and cellulose products (like rayon clothing, adhesives and photographic film).  The list goes on and on!  For more info on this, visit http://www.ehow.com/about_5438865_products-made-trees.html.
4. TREE SLOW WATER RUN-OFF & PREVENT EROSION!  Here in Cordova, this is especially important, with all the rain we get in a normal summer.  But this is important all over the world.  Flash flooding can be dramatically reduced by a forest or by planting trees. One Colorado blue spruce, either planted or growing wild, can intercept more than 1000 gallons of water annually when fully grown. Underground water-holding aquifers are recharged with this slowing down of water runoff. They also improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water, as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds.  (source: http://www.forestry.about.com & http://www.treesaregood.com)
5. TREES KEEP US COOL!  This may not seem so much of a “benefit” for us here in Alaska where we relish every day it’s above 50 degrees, but it’s great for the planet as a whole!  The obvious reason is shade.  Trees protect plants, animals and people from excess UV rays.  They also keep the concrete and asphalt of cities and suburbs 10 or more degrees cooler. Trees also, of course, sequester carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that makes the planet warmer. But trees also have an ever cooler trait (that’s punny!).  A study by the Carnegie Institution for Science also found trees can hold moisture in near the ground, which has been shown to better regulate temperatures over time.  We’ve all heard about “Global Warming” or “Climate Change” as its called in some circles.  Planting trees and grasses may be one of the few things we can do to counter this. (source:  New York Times)  
6. TREES MAKE US HEALTHIER!  A study conducted at the University of Delaware showed that surgical patients who had a view of trees and landscaping outside their windows shortened their hospital stays by 8%, received fewer negative comments in nursing reports and took fewer pain killers than patients who had no views. Studies also found that nature and forest scenes tend to decrease stress in drivers and also tend to improve thought processes and problem solving skills.   In a Chicago study focusing on low-income government subsidized housing developments, apartment buildings with high levels of greenery had 52% fewer total crimes. Proximity to trees also tends to increase levels of exercise in an area and its sense of community.  (source:  Houston Area Urban Forestry Council & Waverley Council)
7. TREES ARE ECONOMICAL!  As an energy source, they are renewable… much more easily created than our country’s main sources of fuel: oil, coal & gas.  If you live in a part of the country that is warm enough to necessitate air conditioners, you might be interested to know that the net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.  If you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in 5 years your energy bills should be 3% less. In 15 years the savings will be nearly 12%.  They’re also great for property values.  Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent.  Trees can be a stimulus to economic development, attracting new business and tourism. Commercial retail areas are more attractive to shoppers, apartments rent more quickly, tenants stay longer, and space in a wooded setting is more valuable to sell or rent.  (source:  Arbor Day Foundation)
8. TREES CREATE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE!  It’s almost impossible to name all the insects, birds, rodents, and mammals that live in trees.  Many of these animals are specifically habituated to a particular tree and can be directly affected if that tree population is attacked.  For example, the Willow Flycatcher is a type of bird that almost went extinct when the willows that it called home were almost completely wiped out.  Trees also increase biodiversity.  A variety of trees provides a range of food and habitat, for a myriad of microorganisms that live around the roots in the soil, insects living under bark, birds, lizards and small mammals living in tree hollows and within the canopy. (source:  Waverley Council)
9. TREES ARE SPIRITUAL!  Trees are included in most religions. Some hold certain trees sacred; other use trees to help teach beliefs. Besides the Garden of Eden story many have heard, there is also a story that Buddha received his enlightment under the wisdom tree.  Trees are also shown to relax you.  In laboratory research, visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension. Just look at how they are used in movies like Pocahontas, Fern Gully, and Avatar. (source:  www.ncsu.edu and Texas A&M University)

So celebrate Arbor Day today by appreciating these organisms that do so much for us:  Hug a Tree!  :)