Julia Parrish is a Professor of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington, where she also serves as the Director of the Program on the Environment and as the Executive Director of the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST). (Photo credit: University of Washington)

The Seventh Annual Yakutat Tern Festival is June 1st through June 4th. The festival’s keynote speaker is Julia K. Parrish, a leader in coastal citizen science studying the recent seabird die-offs in the North Pacific. She joined us on the Morning Interview today.

Downloadable audio.

Parrish leads the largest beached seabird project in the world, nicknamed COASST (Coastal Observation ans Seabird Survey Team). She was honored as a NOAA Environmental Hero in 1998 and received a “Champions of Change” award from the White House in 2013 for her leadership in coastal citizen science. She is the University of Washington Professor of Ocean Fishery Sciences and the Associate Dean of the College of the Environment.

The Tern Festival takes place in Yakutat,  one of the largest and southernmost known nesting colonies of Aleutian Terns and Arctic Terns. The festival is family-friendly and offers activities for birders and non-birders; including field trips, seminars, kids’ activities, evening banquets, a bird banding demonstration, live music, and more.

To download a festival schedule and more information, go to the Festival’s website or call the Yakutat Ranger District at 907-784-3359.