Abstracts

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A

Kids in the Forest – Perspectives on Youth Involvement in Community Based Biomonitoring

Bob Austman, Manitoba Model Forest

Global environmental issues such as climate change, water quality, and resource extraction have permeated our collective psyches for several decades. The mantra of “think globally – act locally” has been spreading to students in classrooms across Canada by a new generation of teachers who have a high level of awareness about complex environmental issues. EMAN’s Biomonitoring Program offers students and their teachers several choices for environmental monitoring, such as IceWatch and Frogwatch, as well as more formal monitoring of permanent sample plots.

Becoming involved in the EMAN Program is a win-win situation. This presentation will examine the benefits of student involvement in the program, both to the individual students, and to the program itself. Other beneficiaries of the program include local school divisions, as well as the Manitoba Model Forest and its partners.

Students not only participate in real, “hands on” science. The information they collect today is important not only to the national database, but may eventually be useful in shaping environmental decisions in the future, such as environmental policy at the national level.

Examples of high school involvement will illustrated in the presentation. Participants will learn how to gear the program to specific high school curriculum outcomes, as well as how to deal with logistical concerns such as transportation and liability insurance. Sample data sheets completed by the schools will also be available for those interested in setting up an EMAN project in their local community.

B

Shifts in Plant Phenology in Alberta, Links to Climate Change and El Niño, and Implications for Wildlife

Elisabeth Beaubien, University of Alberta

The timing of spring plant development may be the most sensitive and easily-observed indicator of the effect of climate change. Since 1987, Alberta Plantwatch (http://plantwatch.sunsite.ualberta.ca) has engaged hundreds of volunteers in tracking spring development time for 25 plant species. Initial analysis of 20 years of bloom and leafing dates revealed spatial differences in timing trends across the province. A “spring flowering index” was a useful metric to combine selected species’ responses to better reflect the whole spring period.

Alberta’s climate is getting warmer and drier, and climate models predict an acceleration of these trends. With increasingly warm winters and springs, a trend to earlier spring development has been noted. Stronger El Niño events are associated with years of early spring phenology. In Edmonton, Aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) bloom almost a month earlier than they did a century ago. Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) and Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) shrubs are blooming about five days earlier than six decades ago. The city “heat island” effect has contributed to this change.

Warming is expected to have a major impact on the abundance and distribution of plants and animals. Almost all plant and insect growth stage timing is correlated with the temperatures in the preceding spring months. A trend to earlier springs may disrupt relationships between plants and pollinators (e.g. butterflies and bees), seed-dispersers (e.g. birds), and herbivores (e.g. deer, caribou, small mammals and insects).

Canada Plantwatch (www.plantwatch.ca) is supported by volunteer coordinators in almost all provinces and territories, Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Office Coordinating Office and Nature Canada.

Community-based Monitoring: Bridging Scales and Knowledge Systems

Fikret Berkes, Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba

Using a range of sources of information is crucially important for environmental monitoring and assessment in engaging groups of people, fostering stewardship, and improving the quality of knowledge. Community-based monitoring, also called 'citizen science', has engaged non-scientists and schools in programs such as Plant Watch to collect observations that fit into scientific monitoring systems. However, there are other kinds of knowledge systems, such as the indigenous knowledge (traditional environmental knowledge) of northern aboriginal peoples. Such knowledge is under-represented in environmental monitoring and assessment in Canada and elsewhere, despite over ten years of experience with EMAN-initiated experiments such as the Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Co-op (http://www.taiga.net/coop). There are three important lessons from our work with indigenous knowledge systems.

First, indigenous knowledge has its own distinct logic. It seems to monitor a large number of indicators continuously, accumulates large amount of qualitative data, and builds a collective mental model that is flexible. Such community-based monitoring results in holistic assessments by the consideration of a large number of variables qualitatively; this complements scientific approaches that typically result in the monitoring of a small number of variables quantitatively. Second, indigenous knowledge is not merely local, as often thought. The local can be pieced together to illuminate regional-level changes from multiple stresses over large areas, as done in Yukon-Alaska by the Co-op, and Voices from the Bay in the Hudson Bay region. Third, the key role of local-level observations in global assessments is being increasingly recognized, as in the Millennium Assessment volume, Bridging Scales and Knowledge Systems (2006). Community-based monitoring can complement scientific monitoring not only in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of scale, giving a more complete accounting at the various levels of analysis from the local to the global.

C

Monitoring the Moraine Project: A Community-led Multi-stakeholder Approach to Information Sharing on the Oak Ridges Moraine

Joyce Chau, Citizens’ Environment Watch

Monitoring the Moraine (MTM) project, a collaboration between Citizens’ Environment Watch (CEW), STORM (Save the Oak Ridges Moraine) Coalition, and Centre for Community Mapping (COMAP), is designed to engage and sustain community volunteers in effective environmental and policy monitoring across the Oak Ridges Moraine within an overall Oak Ridges Moraine monitoring framework.

The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP) was established in 2002 to protect and preserve the Oak Ridges Moraine, one of the most ecologically significant landforms in southern Ontario. To ensure that the Plan is being effectively implemented and that the ecological integrity of the Oak Ridges Moraine is maintained, a community-led multi-stakeholder approach is essential to achieving success.

Inherent in this approach is the need to integrate and communicate multiple layers of data at different scales, both laterally according to geography, and vertically according to governance/stakeholder levels. However, while community volunteers have the desire and determination to participate in environmental monitoring, there are barriers that prevent the inclusion and use of their data within a larger dataset. In addition, sustainable on-the-ground support for volunteers remains a major obstacle in the engagement of citizens in long-term data collection, analysis, integration and interpretation and presentation. This presentation will showcase strategies MTM project partners are employing to 1) improve conversation and collaboration between ORM stakeholders in order to ensure that volunteers are engaged in not only the collection, but the proper use of and communication of data; and 2) techniques to ensure the long-term engagement of volunteers in monitoring efforts.

Watershed Health Reporting to the Public

Loveleen Clayton and Lynne Parson, Credit Valley Conservation

Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) is committed to the protection of the Credit River watershed’s natural features and functions. As part of our long-term commitment, we have an intensive monitoring program to measure key environmental indicators including land use change, groundwater levels, hydrologic flow regimes, geomorphology, water chemistry, benthic invertebrate and fish communities, and terrestrial features (forests, wetlands and riparian communities).

Established in 1999, the Integrated Watershed Monitoring Program (IWMP) now includes over 150 monitoring stations watershed-wide, to provide a continuous barometer of the ecosystem’s response to change. Technical reports detailing the current condition of the key environmental indicators are published annually. After five years of data collection, CVC looked at spatial and temporal trends in the data, and explored ways to communicate change in those indicators to both public and technical audiences.

We determined that three separate documents were needed to communicate our findings: a Watershed Report Card, a Detailed Summary and a Technical Report. The Watershed Report Card targets the 600,000 watershed residents and presents the results in a four-page colourful brochure format. For those with further interest, the Detailed Summary provides a more comprehensive review of all of the key indicators, presented in a 24 page public-friendly format. The Technical Report provides the detailed methodologies and analyses in a scientific manner.

The data collected for this program feeds into many other important decisions within CVCs programs such as the Water Management Strategy, Flow Management Study, subwatershed studies, and development application reviews.

D

State of the Watershed Reporting in Saskatchewan

Heather L. Davies¹ and Terry Hanley²

¹Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Saskatoon; ²Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Regina

Effective environmental policies, decision-making and management of our watershed ecosystems requires relevant, accessible, understandable and scientifically defensible information. To date, most of the data needed for this type of decision-making has not been systematically converted into information. To address this critical information gap, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority recently adopted State of the Watershed Reporting based on the Stress-Condition-Response model. This model uses indictor-based assessment ratings of environmental stresses, watershed health and management responses. Stress indicators assess issues related to population, water use, agriculture, and industry; condition indicators assess water quality, quantity and riparian and rangeland health. Response indicators include conservation efforts, education, stewardship, and planning and policy. Indicators were calculated using a GIS-based platform enabling the integration of spatially diverse data sources, while providing easy-to-understand indicator maps as the end product. Individual indicators were given a rating to differentiate the relative stresses, conditions and responses among watersheds. This rating system is designed for the regular reporting on watershed health and allows for the assessment of changes in watershed health with time.

The State of the Watershed Report is a benchmark tool for assessing watershed health to ensure source water protection and sufficient water supplies in Saskatchewan. The framework for this report is specifically designed to allow watershed health comparisons to be made among watersheds and within watersheds over time. This reporting system will provide a basis for governments, decision makers and the community to act in the long-term interest of environmental sustainability.

This presentation will provide an overview of the Stress-Condition-Response model, indicator development and give specific examples of how this model is being used in Saskatchewan to assist in watershed planning.

Coordinating Nearshore Marine Monitoring in Canada: The Results of a National Workshop

¹ Department of Fisheries and Oceans; ² Environment Canada; ³ Jacques Whitford

This presentation will discuss the outcomes of a February 2006 workshop which aimed to facilitate collaboration and coordination among groups conducting monitoring in nearshore marine environments across Canada. Over 170 individuals from coast to coast to coast met to discuss opportunities to improve coastal marine monitoring to better inform decisions and policies. The results of regional inventories of monitoring were analyzed and presented as well as case studies of community-based monitoring activities, results and lessons learned. Recommended actions to build capacity for nearshore marine monitoring, enhance communication and better coordinate monitoring will be described.

Experimental Design Considerations for Plot-based Monitoring

Clifford Drysdale, Sustainable Ecosystem Management Systems Ltd.

To address specific study questions, and gain insight about forest ecosystem function and the effects of anthropogenic and natural stressors, use of an array of sampling protocols in a scientifically valid, coordinated fashion is essential. This paper discusses use of forest monitoring plots as a tool for assessing biodiversity and ecosystem change. It is intended to stimulate thought for effective study plot project planning and sustained long term monitoring.

Space for Habitat: Adapting to meet the challenges of habitat conservation in the 21st century

Jason A. Duffe¹, Brenda R. Morehouse²

¹Environment Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario; ² Environment Canada, Wildlife Enforcement Directorate, Gatineau, Québec

Habitat degradation and loss are now prime causes of species declines, globally and in Canada. Multiple environmental stressors are at play simultaneously across the landscape, requiring new approaches for effective habitat conservation. Earth Observation (EO) technologies, combined with in situ and airborne monitoring, can improve the ability to understand and address wildlife habitat conservation issues. Environment Canada, in collaboration with other Federal Departments, Provincial Governments, industry and non-government partners, has undertaken a pilot initiative to modernize wildlife habitat monitoring and enforcement capabilities. Focusing on Migratory Bird habitat in forests across Canada and designated Protected Areas, the Space for Habitat interdisciplinary project team is working toward developing a national compliance and effectiveness monitoring system using Earth Observation (EO) data and state of the art analysis techniques. EO technologies, tools and associated modelling techniques have the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of wildlife conservation activities for management, research, and enforcement programs. With improved and timely information in support of decision making, Canada can better target limited resources toward high priority needs.

A variety of satellite and airborne sensors are being tested for their ability to delineate wildlife habitat and monitor change through time. Work in protected areas has focused on matching the EO technology and analysis to the ecotype as well as specific monitoring requirements. Consideration of priority habitats/species, industrial development, geographic location and size of protected area were assessed. Initial work on habitat monitoring in industrial forests has focused on developing a habitat classification system for forest birds using ecological niche modelling. Compliance monitoring capabilities of EO technologies in active forests is being evaluated in partnership with Provinces.

F

EMAN Monitoring Programs in Northern Manitoba at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre

LeeAnn Fishback, Churchill Northern Studies Centre

Arctic ecosystems have been identified as sensitive areas where climate change effects are expected to be significant and result in a reshaping of the northern landscape. Transitional zones (e.g. treeline, permafrost boundary, estuaries) in particular are expected to first exhibit characteristics resulting from a changing climate. Churchill, Manitoba is located at arctic treeline, a naturally occurring environmental transition zone between the boreal forest to the south and the treeless arctic tundra to the north. To enhance EMAN data collection at arctic treeline, the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC) has selected eight main environments across the transitional zone where approximately 30 individuals from selected Plantwatch species are monitored. In addition, six lakes and ponds located in a 20 km transect across from the Hudson Bay coast inland across the transition zone are monitored for the IceWatch program. Information about site locations, plant species and preliminary results will provide an overview of the EMAN monitoring programs established by the CNSC in the Churchill area.

G

Tony Genco, Parc Downsview Park Inc.

Downsview Park is to become an unique urban recreational greenspace for the enjoyment of future generations on a self financing basis. The lands that encompass the former Canadian Forces Base in Toronto will be transformed into an exciting an vibrant public space with mixed uses that are centred on and developed from the Tree City Park design resulting from an international design competition. The transformation of Downsview Park has now begun; however, key to the development of the entirety of the site is the creation of a terms of reference, known as Sustainable Community Development Guidelines that will set the direction for the future invention of the site. These guidelines will set the standard using LEED basis for the criteria to create indicators of progress to fully achieving the goal of a sustainable community that will become a role model for sustainable development in the 21st century.

Over the last number a months a variety of stakeholders have provided insights into what these guidelines would entail. Downsview Park is about to embark on a new era and these guidelines and there adherence will create the opportunity to demonstrate sustainable practices in a social environmental and economic way, throughout a community development exercise. Parc Downsview Park Inc. is a federal crown corporation that has been tasked to create the site and to ensure that it is funded in perpetuity based on the proceeds of the land.

Ten Year Study of Water Quality in a Small Agricultural Watershed: South Tobacco Creek Manitoba

Nancy E. Glozier¹, Jane A. Elliott², Bruce Holliday¹, Jim Yarotski³, Brook Harker³

¹Prairie and Northern Water Quality and ²National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada; ³Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, Agri-Food and Agriculture Canada.

Agricultural watersheds can contribute to cumulative nutrient loads in river and lake ecosystems, potentially leading to changes in aquatic ecosystems. South Tobacco Creek (STC) is a small catchment (76 km2) located in the upper reaches of the Red River Basin in south-central Manitoba. Landowners in this watershed have long been concerned over increases in flooding, erosion, and sedimentation and although flood control was an initial priority the importance of water quality was quickly recognized. In 1992, the water quality component of the STC study began as a collaborative project between Environment Canada, the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA), and the Deerwood Soil and Water Management Association. Over several years, five water quality monitoring sites within STC were established to represent stream conditions ranging from native forest and brush, agricultural edge of field, and 2nd and 3rd order streams. In this study we evaluated the changes in water quality over a decade of monitoring with the specific objectives to: 1) describe and document natural and anthropogenic trends in nutrients and sediments within STC, 2) estimate potential impacts to aquatic ecosystems, 3) estimate nutrient loads to larger watersheds of concern, and 4) determine the major source of sediment loading to the STC. We discuss linkages between land use and water quality in STC and outline a series of recommendations regarding future directions for small agricultural watersheds such as South Tobacco Creek.

Tree composition in a pristine riverbank forest of south-central Manitoba

L. Gordon Goldsborough¹ and Maria W. Zbigniewicz²

¹Delta Marsh Field Station (University of Manitoba), Manitoba; ²Salix Consulting, Winnipeg, Manitoba

The Oxbow Woods, a 74-hectare riverbank forest on the south side of Delta Marsh, is largely surrounded by marshland. Limited access means that, unlike much of southern Manitoba, the area sees little or no human activity. Dendrochronological analyses of mature bur oaks (Quercus macrocarpa Michx.) indicate the forest has been minimally disturbed for at least 150 years old, predating the arrival of European settlers. It is probably one of the few remaining pre settlement gallery forests in this region. In 2000, two one-hectare SI/MAB plots were established on either side of a river paleochannel that bisects the site, following the EMAN terrestrial vegetation biodiversity monitoring protocol. All trees within the plots were permanently numbered, identified to species, and their diameters were measured, with remeasurements planned to occur on a five-year cycle. Species composition of 513 trees in the somewhat drier southern plot reflected a mature successional state, consisting of 41% green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh), 37% Manitoba maple (Acer negundo L.), and 20% bur oak (Q. macrocarpa). The northern plot is more prone to periodic shallow flooding which appears to maintain it at an earlier successional state; its 649 trees consisted of 52% green ash, 32% aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), 15% Manitoba maple, and 2% willow (Salix sp.). Natural disturbance between 2000 and 2005 was responsible for substantial tree death in the latter plot, as indicated by measurements done in 2005. Further results from the two survey years will be presented.

Butterflywatch: A Citizen Science Based Monitoring Program aimed at Tracking the Status of Canadian Butterfly Populations and Species Diversity

Jessica Grealey, Natural Resource Solutions Inc.

The Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network’s (EMAN) NatureWatch protocols are a suite of nation-wide citizen science monitoring programs. Administered through a partnership between the EMAN Coordinating Office, Nature Canada, and provincial and territorial Coordinators these programs encourage schools, community groups, individuals, naturalists, backyard enthusiasts, Scouts and Guides to engage in the monitoring of soil, air, water and other aspects of environmental health and quality. ButterflyWatch is designed to compliment existing NatureWatch programs such as IceWatch, WormWatch, PlantWatch, and FrogWatch. Monitoring butterflies will provide important information on not only the status of butterfly populations but also the state of the environment. As researchers have witnessed in the U.K., butterfly losses indicate a biodiversity crisis. Butterflies compared to other insect taxa, have a manageable level of diversity, are well known taxonomically, and can easily be identified by people with little experience. They are suited as indirect measures of environmental variables because they are sensitive to local climate, weather, light levels, pesticide use and changes in vegetation. An online, geographically specific butterfly identification guide will be provided to assist participants with recording presence/absence data. Participants will be able to select sites of particular importance to them such as local parks, natural areas, or backyard gardens and submit their data electronically. Data collected on the distribution of butterflies will contribute significantly to our knowledge of changing environmental trends and threats to biodiversity in Canada.

H

Migration Monitoring of Landbirds at the Delta Marsh Bird Observatory in Manitoba

Heidi E. den Haan, Delta Marsh Field Station, University of Manitoba

Migration monitoring stations employ constant effort protocols to census migratory birds moving through locations in spring and fall. It is one method of gathering data to assess population trends of landbirds over the long-term, and ultimately the health of the environment when bird populations decrease, it is an indication that the environment is out of balance.

The Delta Marsh Bird Observatory (DMBO), located at the south end of Lake Manitoba, has been operating since 1992 - initially as a fall monitoring site, and since 1995, as both spring and fall. DMBO is the only migration monitoring station in Manitoba and since its inception has banded nearly 100,000 birds migrating through the central plains region.

Baseline monitoring provides the documentation to convince land managers and the public that habitat preservation/restoration may be required. By censusing large numbers of species, each with slightly different habitat requirements, population changes can give insight and direction into habitats of concern. Basic knowledge of population and demographic changes in birds is needed to detect declines, assess their importance, and provide a rational basis for management decisions designed to ensure that populations are not allowed to decline to threatened or endangered levels. As the only monitoring station in Manitoba, DMBO is gathering much needed information on the health of boreal forest bird populations as they migrate through the Delta Marsh area.

Lessons Learned in Long-Term Watershed Monitoring and Analysis -- 15 years of data collection in South Tobacco Creek, MB

D.B. Harker¹, D. Green², B. Holliday³, L. Scott⁴, B. Turner⁵, J. Yarotski¹

¹ Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration; ² Manitoba Water Stewardship; ³ Environment Canada; ⁴ Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives; ⁵ Deerwood Soil and Water Management Association

The 75 km² South Tobacco Creek (STC) watershed project began some 25 years ago, centred on concerns with excessive runoff and potential erosion from its upland escarpment landscape. A series of small runoff dams were constructed to address the issue. From this cooperative venture between the local farmer-run organization (DSWMA), and the federal department of agriculture (AAFC), arose a long-standing relationship of conservation investigation that has come to include multiple federal, provincial, university and other partners.

Three underlying factors account for the robustness of the STC project. The first is the willingness of the watershed’s 40 landowners to share data on their land-use practices – including a field-by-field reporting of annual tillage, seeding, fertilizer, pesticide, harvest and post-harvest management practices. The second is the close cooperation between the DSWMA and the STC Steering Committee, including the personal interest and dedication of the local site technician. A third key reason is the project’s long-term, multi-agency relationships. When the study has repeatedly encountered short-term funding and resource restrictions, it is its multi-agency nature that has provided the resilience to carry on.

The sheer volume of the data collected; the ongoing need to constantly clarify project priorities, collection and analysis techniques; issues of changing land ownership and tenure, of data confidentiality and data sharing – are all of importance. And the long-standing success of the project has had its price – with an increasing array of investigators wanting to work within the project area, and a steady increase in requests to access associated data sets.

Statistical power of the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program to detect change in species occurrence over time: preliminary results

Diane Haughland^1,2, Scott Nielsen^1,2, Erin Bayne^1,2, Jim Schieck^2,1, Jim Herbers^1,2, Stan Boutin^1,2

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta
² Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program, Alberta Research Council

The goal of the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program (ABMP) is to systematically measure and report the status and trends of species and habitats in Alberta. Ideally, ABMP will have the capacity to be able to detect a minimum of 3% per annum change in a species’ occurrence over three to four monitoring cycles (15-20 years) with 90% certainty. Assuming 20-km spacing of sample sites in Alberta and using detectability estimates from 3 years of pilot data collected by ABMP, we simulated a 3% per annum decrease in occurrence for 251 species of plants and birds. We determined our ability to detect these changes with different sample sizes over time. Our results suggest that at the provincial level (n=1656 sites) the ABMP can attain the desired power for all 251 species. At an average natural subregion level (n=300), however, the desired power would be attained for approximately 60% of species, and only about 20% of species at the level of large management zones (n=50). Possible options to increase power at the species level include alternative monitoring schemes (such as an augmented panel design, where some sites are returned to twice within a single monitoring period), more focused field sampling, and refined species lists (those with high signal-to-noise ratio) for reporting. In addition, we are exploring the power to detect changes in guilds. We feel that power analyses, while challenging, ultimately help communicate the capacity of the ABMP, and provide an indicator of the confidence managers and scientists can have in monitoring data provided by the ABMP for different species.

Multi-Scaled Data Use in an Urbanizing Region

Sue Hayes, Toronto and Region Conservation: Monitoring Terrestrial Natural Heritage

The TRCA’s Terrestrial Monitoring Program protocols were developed in complement to the TRCA’s Terrestrial Natural Heritage Strategy, whose targets for natural cover form the goal against which to monitor change.

There are three components of the Terrestrial Monitoring Program – remote-sensed, systematic and fixed site inventories – which will be highlighted. These tasks, conducted by both TRCA staff and volunteers, are framed as complementary work, each component fulfilling a particular role in regional monitoring. An additional key component to the terrestrial program is the scoring and ranking of vegetation communities and species based not only on rarity but on their needs and sensitivities. This ranking system, along with the systematic data collection protocol, are integral to the range of applications that this data can be used for. The uses of this data - decisions at OMB hearings, in watershed plans, conservation land planning and in the City of Toronto Official Plan – will be showcased.

Although these data collection protocols have produced useful data, we have learned that it isn’t enough. The current data collection protocol provides excellent baseline information but it does not provide data for long term trends. It is now recognized that there is a need to expand upon the current data collection methodology to include protocols that will provide a temporal and research component to the program. This will enable us to answer more questions of our data and to further recommend good management decisions.

Turning Data into Decision Making

Patrick Henry, H2O Chelsea Project, Chelsea, Québec

As indicated by the theme of this year’s conference, data is of no use unless it (and meaningful interpretation) is successfully communicated to key decision makers. There are key features of the H2O Chelsea project that have resulted in the effective transfer of data and recommendations to municipal employees and decision makers. They include:

• Partnership feature of the program ensures that data is not conveniently ‘shelved’ by the Municipality, to be ‘reviewed and acted upon at a more convenient time’

For example, the University of Ottawa participants are eager to design new studies that take into account and follow up on the previous year’s data and recommendations. Therefore, there is great pressure by the Municipality to review, understand and react to the data and recommendations in a timely manner.

• The creation of an annual report

Like mosquitoes in the spring, the annual report appears like clockwork, containing the year’s sampling results, a follow up on past recommendations and a new list of recommendations. This report is presented to council and their prompt feedback is requested. The basics of public relations encourage the municipal government to not fall behind on attending to past recommendations (i.e. would be noted in the following year’s report).

• Municipal employee(s) plays a key role in the project

We believe that a key reason the project has so effectively impacted on water management in the municipality is the fact that the Municipality’s Sustainable Development Coordinator sits on the H2O Chelsea Steering Committee. This ensures that there is a direct line between the project leads and the Municipal council. This organizational structure promotes a more efficient transfer of information and permits the project to better understand the concerns and limitations of the Municipal government.

The presentation will look at other key features not listed above, as well as briefly review some of the impacts that the project has had on water management in the community and will wrap-up by describing our ‘2007 Water Monitoring Kits Program’ which will see H2O Chelsea make our programs available to interested communities across Canada with the assistance of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Research and monitoring of drought impacts on aspen forests in the west-central Canadian interior: an update from the CIPHA study

E.H. (Ted) Hogg¹, J.P. Brandt¹, M. Michaelian¹, E. Arsenault¹, R. Hall1, T. Hook¹, A.G. Barr², B. Kochtubajda³, T.A. Black⁴ and P. Krishnan⁴

¹Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Edmonton; ²Environment Canada, Meteorological Service of Canada, Saskatoon; ³Environment Canada, Meteorological Service of Canada, Saskatoon; ⁴University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) is Canada’s main species of native poplar, and is the most abundant broad-leaved tree in the Canadian boreal forest. Aspen is also the predominant tree of farm woodlots along the northern edge of the prairies. Public concerns about aspen dieback in the 1990s prompted the establishment of a regional monitoring study called CIPHA (Climate Impacts on Productivity and Health of Aspen). The CIPHA study includes annual monitoring of aspen forest health in 180 plots across western and central Canada, along with periodic analyses of growth using tree-ring analysis. Following the establishment of plots in the year 2000, the region experienced a drought during 2001-2003 that was the most severe ever recorded in some areas. The results of monitoring have shown that this drought, in combination with defoliation and stem damage by insects, has led to decreased growth and massive dieback of aspen and other forest types, especially in the parklands of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Although the drought ended in 2004, aspen mortality has continued to increase, suggesting that the full impact of the drought has not yet been realized. These impacts pose concerns for the future productivity and health of Canada’s aspen forests, especially if conditions in the region become warmer and drier, as projected by global climate models. They also point to the need for continued plot-based monitoring of climatically-induced impacts on Canada’s forests, along with further development of satellite-based, remote-sensing approaches for early detection and mapping of these impacts.

J

A Biodiversity Outcomes Framework for Canada: Making and Measuring Progress Towards Shared Commitments

Bonnie James, Biodiversity Convention Office, Environment Canada

In 1992 Canada was the first industrialized country to ratify the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. In 1996 we finalized the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy, with all provinces, territories and the federal government signing on as partners.

In 2001 a joint meeting of Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture and Wildlife Ministers renewed their commitment to biodiversity conservation and agreed to collaborate in advancing four cross-cutting priorities: invasive alien species, stewardship, biodiversity science and information and monitoring and reporting on biodiversity status and trends.

In October 2005, the joint meeting of ministers called for the development of an outcomes-based framework for Canada to enhance governance and strategic management of Canada's biodiversity agenda. The framework would also support Canada’s Biodiversity Strategy, be compatible with provincial, territorial and sector-based plans and strategies; and enable reporting against the Convention on Biological Diversity's global framework and target to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

Following a year of consultations with federal, provincial and territorial governments and technical input from a wide-range of NGO and industry experts, a draft Canadian Biodiversity Outcomes Framework was presented to the Joint CCME and Canadian Councils of Resource Ministers (CCRM) Meeting in October 2006.

The outcomes framework will create a demand for enhanced assessment of the status of Canada's biodiversity. To that end work has begun to scope a report on ecosystem status and trends as a first priority. This report would build on and complement similar federal-provincial-territorial assessments such as the status of wild species and status of protected areas.

Engagement of partners with respect to the scope and design of the report will be a key to its success. As such, in addition to this presentation, there will be a workshop on November 24th, at the EMAN NSM to obtain input on potential mechanisms by which community based information could be obtained and used for the report.

Taxonomic Sufficiency: The Influence of Taxonomic Detail on Freshwater Bioassessments Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates

F. Chris Jones, Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch, Ontario Ministry of Environment

Taxonomy is a hierarchical classification system, and different taxa within a given level of the hierarchy (e.g., species within genera, or genera within families) often have different biological and ecological attributes. Researchers studying physiological processes, toxicity, population dynamics, and biodiversity need species-level data because they intend to make inferences about species. Bioassessment researchers use taxa as indicators of ecosystem condition; they require only enough information to compare an assemblage to a benchmark. This paper reviews Taxonomic sufficiency from the perspective of biomonitoring: it explains how taxonomic resolution affects bioassessment outcomes, and it proposes a taxonomic-sufficiency decision framework. Examples are taken from aquatic studies using benthos, but the concepts apply more widely. Three main issues are discussed: (1) the ecological significance of different taxonomic aggregations; (2) analytical-method-specific implications of taxonomic detail, and (3) multiple trade-offs involving taxonomic detail and dataset information content versus money, time, expertise and data quality assurance. Although Species should be the default taxonomic level for ecological studies, taxonomic sufficiency is chiefly determined by a study’s purpose, and pragmatic considerations often dictate a reduction in detail. This “taxonomic minimalization” approach should be viewed as optimizing the various trade-offs associated with taxonomic resolution. Looking forward, it’s important to recognize that increased availability of autoecological information and good taxonomic keys change these trade-offs in a way that favours more-detailed taxonomic diagnoses. More coordinated taxonomic research and better delivery of information to those involved in biomonitoring would, therefore, greatly improve biomonitoring.

K

Susan E.M. Kasian, K. Beaty, M. Lyng, S. Page, D. Findlay, M. Paterson, K. Mills, and J. Shearer, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Aquatic ecosystems of pristine boreal shield lakes, at the Fisheries and Oceans Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in north-western Ontario, have been continuously monitored for over 35 years. A multi-disciplinary team of scientific researchers have been responsible for sampling design, collection, analysis and interpretation of the meteorological, hydrological, chemical, physical and biological data collected at the site. Consistent sampling and analytical methods, conducted by knowledgeable professionals, in combination with an operating principle to have quality assured data easily accessible in a shared database within the year, have resulted in uniquely available and interpretable data sets with few confounding factors.

In the 1990 Science article “Effects of Climatic Warming on Lakes of the Central Boreal Forest” D.W. Schindler et al. examined the meteorological record from the ELA and various limnological parameters of Lake 239 from 1970 to 1988. The lake is one of a set used as references for long-term experiments at the ELA. The period of time was one of almost continuous warming and increasing incidence of intermittent drought. We will revisit this examination by extending the period almost another 2 decades (17 years) to 2005. Over that time, the region again experienced shifts in average weather conditions. Responses in the aquatic ecosystem will be explored.

Investigating the Effects of Watershed Features, Land Use and Natural Disturbances on Water Quality in the Manitoba Model Forest: Blending Applied Research and First Nation Youth Involvement

Brian G. Kotak, Manitoba Model Forest

The effects of natural watershed features (soil type, forest type), land use practices (forestry, agriculture, hydro transmission corridors) and natural disturbances (wildfire, beaver activity) has been studied in 22 large rivers and small streams and creeks in the boreal forest of eastern Manitoba since 2004. The project has been a collaboration of the Manitoba Model Forest, Black River First Nation, Tembec Industries, Manitoba Hydro, and provincial and federal government departments. Water quality data obtained through the regular collection of water samples from the water bodies, coupled with flow measurement and GIS-based watershed analysis will allow for the development of watershed management tools for the forest industry in the Manitoba Model Forest area. In addition, involvement of youth from Black River First Nation in the field research has provided youth with a mechanism to learn monitoring skills and enhanced their interest in environmental research and natural resource management. This presentation will focus on both the scientific and training aspects of the project.

Sheldon Kowalchuk¹, Phil Weiss², and Dave Dobson³

¹Turtle Mountain Conservation District, Manitoba; ²Manitoba Water Stewardship, Manitoba; ³Ducks Unlimited Canada, Manitoba

Integrated Watershed Management Planning is a multi-resource, multi-interest planning process which uses a co-operative, all inclusive approach to bring together all stakeholder groups to examine the human and natural resources within the watershed, identify resource issues and concerns. Consensus building is used to determine environmentally, economically and socially sustainable solutions to watershed resource management challenges.

The Province of Manitoba has recently given priority to a new provincial watershed planning model as part of The Water Protection Act. Watershed management plans are being developed by various watershed groups in municipal Manitoba. The Turtle Mountain Conservation District, Government of Manitoba (Water Stewardship) and Ducks Unlimited Canada teamed up with various partners in the community to prepare the first integrated plan under the new provincial model in the East Souris River watershed in southwest Manitoba. The presenter will highlight the rationale for developing the plan, summarize the process used by the watershed community, highlight the successes and challenges in developing this plan, discuss the implementation phase of the plan and as well as monitoring efforts.

Lake Winnipeg – A Great Lake Threatened

Al Kristoffersen, Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium

Lake Winnipeg is the tenth largest freshwater lake in the world, by surface area, but it is one of the least studied. The Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium Inc. was formed in 1998 to address this issue. It is a partnership of industry, government, First Nations, crown corporations, academia, and recreational interests and its objective is to facilitate multidisciplinary research on this important body of water. Studies have been ongoing on a regular basis since 2002, using the research vessel MV NAMAO. Results reveal that the lake is in a state of eutrophication (nutrient enrichment) not unlike Lake Erie was in the late 1960’s. The most visible evidence of this has been the development of massive algal blooms, some of which have covered more than half of the lake’s surface area at one time. The effects of this on the trophic structure (food chain) within the lake will be discussed.

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Manitoba’s Owl Lake Woodland Caribou Herd: Conserving Caribou on a Managed Landscape

L. Kelly Leavesley, Manitoba Conservation

The Owl Lake herd of southeast Manitoba exhibits high fidelity to a winter range that is constrained spatially by habitat limitations, human encroachment and natural barriers to movement. Most of the winter “core use “area originated from a 1929 wildfire. With limited opportunities for range adjustments, the ability to adapt to similar future forest disturbances is compromised. Concerns about future shortages in habitat availability, continued demand for wood fibre and the uncertainty of how logging might be accommodated in the context of continued caribou occupancy have led to the development of a “Landscape Management Strategy” for the herd’s winter range. The strategy quantifies long term habitat maintenance goals for a defined winter zone, recognizes the potential for employing controlled forest disturbances in achieving these goals, and sets out a protocol for designing experimental forest harvest prescriptions. Two distinct harvest designs were applied within an identified experimental harvest area (EHA). The Natural Landscape design addresses projected shortages in habitat supply by creating large blocks of potential future high quality habitat. The Caribou Habitat Retention design determines if some limited timber harvest can be permitted within an area used by caribou without impacting caribou behavior, mortality and habitat use. The two designs were assigned within the EHA based on the following criteria: a) use by caribou, b) forest age, c) stand type and; d) lichen abundance. Detailed harvest and renewal prescriptions were developed for each design, and timber harvest was initiated in 2005, with a predicted 2009 conclusion. Post-harvest alterations in caribou behavior/mortality, predator/alternate prey distributions, and vegetation response will be monitored to evaluate the experimental prescriptions.

Deforestation in Canada, 1990-2004

D. Leckie¹, D. Blain², D. Paradine¹, M. McGovern², and W. Burt¹

¹Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service; ²Environment Canada, Greenhouse Gas Division

Canada prepares and reports annually estimates of areas deforested, and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions, in compliance with its commitments under the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and starting in 2010 under the Kyoto Protocol. UNFCCC reporting requires that areas deforested be estimated since 1970, and that corresponding greenhouse gas emissions be reported for 1990 onwards. In Canada deforestation, defined as the permanent loss of forest cover, is a regionally important land use change with relevance to climate change, habitat, socio economic development and environmental integrity. A deforestation monitoring system has been designed and developed to provide deforestation information not only to meet the requirements of international agreements, but to also help serve the needs of policy makers, land managers and the public. The system was first implemented in Canada’s 2006 submission to the UNFCCC. This presentation outlines the general approach and presents results of the 2006 first implementation, along with preliminary findings.

A combination of Landsat image interpretation, land use and activity records and expert knowledge was used, with satellite remote sensing being the main information source. Knowledge of forest conversion practices, forest type and maturity at the time of clearing, and end land-use are primary components underlying the estimation. To optimize the use of available resources and accuracy, a sampling strategy was designed based on regionally dominant causes and spatial patterns of deforestation.

In 2004, an estimated 45 kha of forests were converted to other land use, down from 62 kha in 1990. Throughout the 1990-2004 period, the highest annual deforestation rates consistently occurred in the Boreal Plains and Boreal Shield East zones, although punctual, large events may disrupt other regional trends. Forest conversion to agriculture and to roads and infrastructure respectively accounted for 55% and 20% of total area of deforestation in 2004. The highest relative increase occurred in the oil and gas sector.

These results suggest that in Canada deforestation rates are decreasing but there are still regions with expanding human footprint into forests. Improvements are still required in the spatial coverage and temporal resolution of estimates.

Road Watch in the Pass: A Community-Based Monitoring Initiative to Monitor Wildlife Crossings Using an Innovative Web-Based GIS

Tracy Lee, Danah Duke and Michael Quinn

Miistakis Institute for the Rockies

Wildlife-vehicle collisions constitute a significant public safety concern and a detrimental effect on wildlife. Road Watch in the Pass (www.rockies.ca/roadwatch) is a project that involves the local community in monitoring wildlife crossing locations along Highway 3 in the Crowsnest Pass of southwestern Alberta through the use of an innovative web-mapping tool. The project objectives are to create a valuable data set for decision makers and the community. The information collected through Road Watch will be extremely valuable for the development of mitigation strategies for future highway improvements. Additionally, the project aims to provide a working model for community- based monitoring that highlights the value of data collected by volunteers and creating an environment where citizens can learn and share knowledge about local wildlife and conservation issues. This community-based monitoring initiative, launched in November of 2004 has proven to be very successful in engaging citizens with over 65 participants contributing over 1200 wildlife observations. Initial results have demonstrated the importance of community-based monitoring by highlighting new insights to wildlife movement offered by citizen collected data. Road Watch highlights the success of a web-based tool in facilitating data collection, storage and visualization of data and the communication of information in a format appropriate for decision makers. Road Watch data has been requested by government agencies and non-profit organizations and used in planning processes in the Pass. We discuss project success as well as lessons learned and challenges experienced since the inception of Road Watch.

Measures and outcomes of restoration performance: what can be learned from early-stage forest restoration outcomes?

Leah Lefler, Department of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo

Ecological restoration occurs along a continuum, from a degraded beginning point towards a desired endpoint. Restoration practitioners rely on ecological monitoring to evaluate short- and long-term project success. Measures included within monitoring frameworks must, therefore, be carefully chosen and interpreted to appropriately assess the progress of the restoration throughout the recovery process. A successful monitoring strategy can detect undesired ecosystem change, provide opportunities for mid-course correction, and increase project effectiveness and efficiency.

The progress of several early-stage forest restoration projects were examined within the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario to determine an appropriate method to use in the evaluation of initial restoration outcomes. Forest restoration outcomes were predicted by monitoring the regenerating vegetation for each site. At an early stage, restorations with higher species diversities and densities, coupled with a high percentage of native species, indicate a more advanced level of progress. Results showed that restoration progress varied within each project at the transect-level and was significantly impacted by the location of the restoration project and the restoration technique used. The findings indicate that a monitoring program focused on regenerating vegetation may be appropriate for measuring early-stage restoration performance.

Restoration projects are most often monitored or evaluated during the later stages of ecosystem development despite the recognition that long-term success is dependent upon the progress of earlier stages. This study provides an example of how restoration outcomes can be easily evaluated and reported throughout the recovery process. From a practitioner’s perspective, determining restoration outcomes at different stages along the restoration trajectory will provide information that is crucial for reducing the frequency of failed restoration projects. From a scientist’s perspective, early-stage evaluation can help to advance restoration as a scientific field and contribute to ecological theory.

J. Philip Lemieux¹, Ross G. Vennesland², and Susan Pinkus³

¹Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; ²BC Ministry of Environment; ³BC Conservation Corps

Habitat and distribution models for species with few known observations necessarily make use of historical records taken over a long time period. In some cases it is difficult to verify the persistence of the species in question, creating uncertainty regarding sources of error in the modeling effort. In this talk we review a habitat model constructed for the coastal giant salamander (CGS), and communicate data collected from surveys designed to: 1. Determine frequency of CGS persistence at documented sites in historical records, and 2. Consider whether certain habitat features of streams are associated with either observed persistence or non-detection.

A Geostatistical Model Explaining Ungulate Damage to Agricultural Crops in Farmlands of Saskatchewan

J. Philip Lemieux, Donald J. Thompson, and Lavona Liggins, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Through environmental farm planning and the promotion of best management practices, agricultural producers are encouraged to maintain habitat on farmlands across Canada. In the case of some species, perceived conflict in the form of damage to crops may affect willingness to adopt such practices. We present here the initial development of a geostatistical model considering ungulate damage as a result of both on-farm factors (those which producers can control), and off-farm factors (factors determined by the landscape matrix in which a producer is imbedded). This work is part of a national effort to develop trend indicators for biological diversity on farmlands through the National Agri-environmental Health Analysis and Reporting Programme (NAHARP; http://www.agr.gc.ca/env/naharp-pnarsa/).

Evaluation and Maintenance of Woodland Caribou Habitat in the Lake Winnipeg East Forest Area

Jianwei Liu, Ed East and Greg Carlson, Forestry Branch, Manitoba Conservation

Woodland caribou habitat requirements were integrated into the forest resource management within portions of the Lake Winnipeg East Forest Section. Eastern Manitoba Woodland Caribou Advisory Committee updated the Owl Lake woodland caribou strategy in 2005, and stated that at least 2/3 of the overall winter range needs to be maintained at the current level of high habitat units through time. This “2/3 Rule” provided a basis for forest resource planning, and it was implemented as a minimum of high quality winter habitat in the resource analysis over a 200 year planning horizon. The forest resource planning model was developed to assess future change of the habitat, and the tradeoffs between the habitat and wood supply at landscape level. The temporal and spatial distributions of the habitat were forecasted with forest ecosystem process. And they are mapped not only over 200 years at strategic level, but also over first 25 years at tactical level. Wildlife tree retention, harvest block size, adjacent distance and green-up delay were considered for the wildlife habitat management at the tactical level. This study maintained woodland caribou habitat and implemented harvest activities through integrated forest management practices. The resource indicators including the wildlife habitat were evaluated for sustainable resource management. In addition, habitat suitability index and their habitat unit for other 5 wildlife species were also projected for evaluation at landscape level. The results provide practical and operational examples to manage and monitor wildlife habitats in forest resource management at landscape level.

Towards a Canadian Invasive Plant Strategy

Cory Lindgren, Invasive Alien Species Section, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Invasive plants present Canada with an immediate and growing threat deleteriously impacting Canada’s environment, economy, and society, including human health. Invasive plants are recognized as one of the greatest threats to our croplands, rangelands, aquatic areas, and natural areas. Invasive plants degrade the productivity and biological diversity of all Canadian ecosystems and can significantly influence trade relationships with foreign countries. The number of new plant incursions and their impacts increase each year, accelerating in the last 30 years due to exponential increases in air travel, increased speeds at which commodities and people traverse the globe, increased ports of entry, expanded exports and imports into new international markets, increased interest in the use of exotic plants in gardening and water gardening, and increased access to foreign ecosystems. Global warming will also allow invasive plants to further extend their ranges north, west, and east into novel regions of Canada. The need for Canada to take measures to address invasive alien plants and protect and conserve Canada’s natural resources and associated industries and trade markets, as well as the health of wildlife and humans, is critical. With Canada being a signatory partner on the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (1992), developing its own Canadian Biodiversity Strategy (1996), and following with the Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada (2004), we have demonstrated our commitment to addressing the threats of invasive alien species. A Canadian Invasive Plant Strategy will further demonstrate our local and global commitment; and integrate and harmonize with similar national and international strategies. The objective of this paper is to introduce a general path, consultation process, and key elements of a Canadian Invasive Plant Strategy.

Invasive Species Prediction without Long-term Ecological Monitoring

Cory Lindgren and Dave Walker, University of Manitoba

Invasive species management has typically been a form of reactive management initiated in retrospect after an incursion has caused significant ecological, economic and cultural impact. Predicting biological invasives moves the science from reactive towards proactive. Once established, invasive species are difficult and costly to eradicate, hence the importance of developing predictive tools that would allow for early detection of and rapid response to biological invasions. Ecological niche modeling integrated with geographic information systems, may provide the tools to predict spatial invasions in one area based upon known occurrence points from another. Ecological niche modeling has been used across a wide range of disciplines to predict various biological distributions. In this paper, data collected through long-term ecological monitoring programs on three high impact invaders, purple loosestrife, saltcedar and Eurasian watermilfoil, will be used model predictive spatial distributions. Purple loosestrife is an invasive alien plant that established in Canada in the late 1800s and has established in Canada. Saltcedar and Eurasian watermilfoil have recently extended their biogeographical distributions towards Manitoba. Predicting biogeographical distributions is also one component of a pest risk assessment, which is a step one in overall risk analysis. The objective of this paper is to discuss how long-term monitoring programs build the necessary foundation for robust spatial predictive modeling.

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Reconciling Rural Settlement with the Conservation of Representative Carolinian Flora

David N. Morris, University of Waterloo

The Carolinian life zone of southern Ontario is the most biologically diverse and populous ecological region in Canada. Because of extensive habitat loss and extreme fragmentation of the remaining natural areas, it is also considered Canada’s most endangered major ecosystem. Since protected areas in the Carolinian zone will likely be inadequate to protect the distinctive biodiversity of the region, innovative measures that reconcile conservation efforts with other human activities must be implemented. Improving conditions within the rural matrix is an important strategy within this “reconciliation ecology” approach. By planting dispersed patches of native vegetation within the Carolinian countryside, it may be possible to supplement existing natural populations and improve connectivity between the remaining protected areas. A study within the rural areas of the city of Hamilton in the eastern Carolinian zone found that an overwhelming majority of rural residents either planted or planned to plant native Carolinian floral species. Farm owners and non-farm residents were equally likely to plant Carolinian species although farm owners generally planted larger areas. However, because of continuing exurban development in the area, the agglomeration of smaller, non-farm plantings of native plants may ultimately have a greater impact on rural matrix conditions than the larger farm plantings. Significant barriers were also found to the planting of many Carolinian species. These barriers present important obstacles to the preservation of Carolinian floral biodiversity.

ZoAnn Morten, Pacific Streamkeepers Federation

This long standing program (1993) is supported by core federal funding (DFO with additional support from all levels of government through complimentary programming and knowledgeable staff.

This program is coordinated by the Pacific Streamkeepers Federation (1995) a society which provides a delivery model for the program through training and support to thousands of volunteers across the province.

The Federation supports community-based environmental activism through training in measurement of baseline stream health. This is done through a network of qualified trainers and a Handbook and Modules. These are government developed, scientifically sound techniques described in plain language.

This winning combination has been successful in building community capacity across British Columbia. The results have been positive changes in government regulations and attitudes and a growing and knowledgeable stewardship community taking action in their local waterways.

Making a Difference

ZoAnn Morten, Pacific Streamkeepers Federation

This series of informative posters highlights Module 10 of the Streamkeepers Handbook, "to heighten community awareness of the value of your stream". They describe some of the concerns for stream health that are brought to light during monitoring works, which Streamkeepers Modules were associated with the findings, methods used to solve the problems and the successful results that are an outcome of community's commitment to stream health.

Sharing our Data to Encourage Changes within Land Use Decision Making Process: A Volunteer’s Perspective

ZoAnn Morten, Pacific Streamkeepers Federation

Zo Ann Morten has been involved in monitoring of her local streams in North Vancouver since 1993 through volunteering with the North Shore Streamkeepers (NSSK). Using the Streamkeeper Program the NSSK’s has collected data on stream health, watched for change overtime and have been successful in using this data to inform consultation processes. This has resulted in positive changes within their Municipality as well and within Provincial and Federal Policy.

Mixed-grass Prairie Inventory Project

Kathy Murray, Critical Wildlife Habitat Program, Manitoba Conservation

Mixed-grass prairie has been dramatically reduced in the last 200 years. It has been estimated that less than 25% of this community remains in its native state (WWF 1989). In 1996, the Critical Wildlife Habitat Program initiated an inventory to identify and rank the remaining parcels of mixed-grass prairie in Manitoba. To date, approximately 72 037 hectares (178 000 acres) have been included in the inventory, with approximately half of this area rated as good quality mixed-grass prairie. Inventory information includes a species list, general condition assessment and a grade. The grading follows the Manitoba Conservation Data Centre grading guidelines, based on the relative abundance of native and nonnative species and the extent of negative impacts on the community. Grades range from “A” through “D”, where a grade of “A” indicates excellent quality habitat and “D” indicates a community dominated by exotic species. In 2006, the project focused on reassessment of privately owned sites graded as “C” or better to evaluate the long term viability of these prairie habitats. As part of the reassessment, landowners were interviewed to assess their attitudes and awareness about mixed-grass prairie management and conservation. The inventory has helped to determine the status of remaining mixed-grass prairie habitats and to identify the most common threats in the mixed-grass region of Manitoba. This in turn helps to focus future efforts for habitat conservation, including management recommendations and long term protection through perpetual conservation agreements.

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Tobacco Creek Model Watershed: EMAN Review and Critique of Plan

Les McEwan, Bill Turner and Bryan Oborne, Tobacco Creek Model Watershed

The TCMW would benefit from an expert critique by a broad range of experts. This presentation will outline the evolution and future plans of the TCMW, and solicit structured feedback (according to TCMW Goal) on how we could increase our effectiveness in implementing our five year watershed management and research plan. Session participants are encouraged to visit our website for detailed session information/instructions prior to the conference (www.tobaccocreek.com)

EMAN partners interested and involved with agricultural watershed management, community development, scientific monitoring, and extension/communication will be the key target audience. The TCMW will be seeking their guidance on our plans.

The Tobacco Creek Model Watershed (TCMW) is a community-based initiative to develop a 400 square mile “living watershed laboratory,” addressing inter-related agriculture, environment, and community development issues. The TCMW location is representative of the Canadian Prairies, while the combination of available scientific research, landowner interest, and political support is unique in Canada, creating a timely opportunity for agricultural watershed research.

In partnership with the Deerwood Soil and Water Management Assoc. (www.deerwood.mb.ca), five Manitoba rural municipalities (local governments) have been working to address longstanding issues related to water management, while addressing emerging community concerns related to water quality, fisheries habitat, and the overriding issue of farm income.

Local, Provincial, and Federal watershed priorities will be implemented through the TCMW, in association with Manitoba’s planning districts, conservation districts and other interested groups. The TCMW research network will also serve to assist in evaluating real watershed solutions, through scientific inquiry, communication/extension, and broad application throughout the Northern Great Plains.

TCMW Goals have been developed based on local community priorities and identified public policy concerns of both the Federal and Provincial governments. Project Teams will be formed on either sub-watershed or regional boundaries (based on elevation) – where common interests bring people together – to solve problems using science (Project Zones).

The TCMW will implement watershed management and research goals using a flexible structure – for action and progress focused on: 1) Improving Net Farm Income and Landscape Diversity; 2) Building Producer Participation and Scientific Monitoring; 3) Planning for Drought, Storage, and Water Management; 4) Protecting Water Quality and Riparian Areas; and 5) Addressing Drainage and Fisheries Habitat.

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Combining science and community involvement in rapid biodiversity assessment: Concept, recent international initiatives and potential implications for Canada

Laszlo Pintér¹, L., T. Kovacs², C. Wieler¹ and M. Simpson³

¹International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD); ² Birdlife Hungary – MME (Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society); ³ Department of Environmental Science, University of Manitoba

Assessing and understanding species richness, one of the core measures of biodiversity is a great scientific challenge but also an opportunity for initiating public engagement. Organized around ‘biodiversity days’, nature walks involving taxonomic experts and local citizens in designated ecosystems have been used for over a decade in monitoring species richness and building baselines for the analysis and appreciation of biodiversity.

The presentation reviews key conceptual, organizational and methodological aspects of these assessments. We describe earlier attempts in Canada, focusing on both scientific and community based initiatives. We also scan international efforts, starting with the first biodiversity day organized by Peter Alden in the US and continuing with more recent efforts.

As a featured case study the presentation will provide a more detailed overview of the approach and results of a biodiversity day species count in Gyűrűfű, Hungary in 2006. The Gyűrűfű event involved over 20 taxonomic experts, assisted by local citizens and schoolchildren in sampling a 1km2 ecosystem over a 24-hour period and lead to the identification of 1,600+ species.

Based on the general concept and lessons from international efforts, we will discuss strengths and weaknesses of the approach. We will raise the possibility for initiating similar efforts in Canada, considering both the scientific merit of such exercises but also their potential for engaging local citizens and raising awareness about the value of and risks to biodiversity.

Julie Suzanne Pollock, Science & Technology Liaison Division, Environment Canada

Many Environment Canada scientists are involved in monitoring and assessing ecological functions in water, wildlife and air. As leaders, collaborators and advisors, our scientists must produce credible results to support decisions for conservation, regulation and policy making. Along the road to these decisions, many different groups must come to understand why environment monitoring is needed and what the results actually mean.

This is where the science liaison role comes in. The Science & Technology Liaison Division shows the value and results of conservation research to Canadians who can make a difference. To make data useful to environmental policy makers and managers, we connect with the right people at the right time and convey information to them in a form they can use to address environmental problems.

We inform, engage and activate our priority audiences: to articulate the civic benefits of our science; to link research results to policy and management goals; and to build on our institutional identity as a principal source for environmental knowledge. We shine a light on science to help people see what it means for them and for Canada.

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Diana B. Robson, Curator of Botany, The Manitoba Museum

Human activities continue to endanger the existence of many species. The purpose of the /Species at Risk Act/, /2002/ is to identify those organisms that are at risk and develop strategies to reverse their decline. Rare species identification, and recovery plan development requires a good understanding of the current population size and what it should be to reduce the likelihood of extinction. Many rare plants, particularly annuals, experience population size fluctuations from year to year. Thus, to accurately determine the size of rare plant populations, monitoring must occur over several years with substantially different weather conditions. Rare plant monitoring can be achieved by tagging individual plants (for perennials) or populations (for annuals), and revisiting them periodically. Monitoring can also help ascertain which environmental factors limit the growth and reproductive output of rare plants. Monitoring information can be used to determine the degree of a species’ endangerment as well as the best time to collect seeds for in-situ or ex-situ conservation purposes.

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Monitoring Environmental Change: Results Differ among Taxonomic Groups

Jim Schieck¹, Erin Bayne², Diane Haughland², Jim Herbers² and Scott Nielsen²

¹Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program, Alberta Research Council; ² Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta

During the last nine years governments, industries, and academia have developed the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program (ABMP). This program, monitors a diversity of terrestrial biota, aquatic biota, terrestrial and aquatic habitats, and human land uses. 1656 sites have been established in a grid pattern throughout Alberta with a 20 km spacing between sites. Each site will be surveyed once every 5 years. As part of the ABMP pilot (2003-2006), we collected information on five taxonomic groups (mammals, birds, vascular plants, mosses, lichens) at 133 sites. We analyzed this data to determine the degree to which species presence and abundance were related to specific types of human footprints. Although the analyses are preliminary, the presence and abundance of many mammals and vascular plants were related to the amount linear features (including roads) in the surrounding landscape. Presence and abundance of birds, lichens, and mosses were more closely associated with the amount of agriculture in the surrounding landscape. Not surprisingly, relationships were positive for some species and negative for others. In addition, the scale of analyses influenced the results with mammals, birds, and vascular plants most closely associated with human land uses at broad scales, whereas lichen and mosses were most closely associated with human land uses near the site. Variation in results among taxonomic groups, and among species within taxonomic groups, means that many different types of species must be tracked to understand the multitude of ecological responses to human development.

Moose Management in the Manitoba Model Forest

Doug Schindler, University of Winnipeg, Centre for Forest Interdisciplinary Research (C-FIR)

First Nations, wildlife organizations, environmental groups, trappers, industry and government are repersented on the Committee for Moose Management (CMM). The CMM was established in 1994 as a result of the Manitoba Model Forest Program. The overall goal of this committee was to promote the sustainable management of moose in the Model Forest area and as a result has initiated several moose management projects over the years and continues to act as an advisory committee to government and industry on road management, hunting closures, surveys, and hunting seasons.

Today, First Nations are taking a lead role in moose management and are the process of considering a moose management concept on Traditional Lands. Over the years, the First Nations have expressed concern about over hunting of moose, particularly within First Nations Traditional Areas. First Nation members have discussed the impacts of excessive hunting which has caused some local moose populations to be suppressed. Moose harvest and use by local First Nation communities in the area is thought to be a small percentage of the overall harvest of moose. Licensed hunters take approximately 50 moose annually in GHA 26, and there is poor information on overall Treaty Indian Harvest of moose. It is also well known that a significant number of moose are harvested by a small number of hunters and poachers living outside the Traditional Areas of the respective First Nations. The First Nations impacted understand the impacts of unregulated harvest and that there are significant benefits that could be accrued from a healthy moose population.

As a result, Black River and Hollow Water First Nations have endorsed a process to consider an experimental test on Moose Hunter Management in their Traditional Areas. It is thought that existing moose populations could be increased through the establishment of a managed hunting system. No specific test area has been identified as the selection of an appropriate location will depend on community and stakeholder consultation. Ideally, First Nations would have the opportunity to distribute moose tags or licenses throughout the community based on local needs and community values.

First Nations believe that many benefits could be realized through this type of system. The redistribution of moose harvest to First Nation and local communities would have a positive impact on the traditional, social and economic environment. First Nation people may have increased opportunities for employment in tourism, wildlife management and enforcement while enjoying enhanced opportunities for traditional hunting. Youth and Elders could potentially benefit from increased communication, sharing, and teaching of traditional ways.

Increased opportunities for resident hunters through more flexible seasons and reduced vehicle regulations throughout the area could improve the hunting experience and success rates if higher moose populations were achieved. Public access for non-hunting purposes could also be facilitated, as access is typically restricted to protect the moose resource. . The forest industry may benefit from savings incurred by the elimination of road closures and gates. This would also reduce enforcement confrontations between hunters and Natural Resource Officers on road and area closures. Various ways to employ First Nations people in the management of moose could include technical jobs such as population surveys, harvest monitoring and enforcement.

This is only a concept at this time. Much work will be required in the process of developing the idea further. Black River and Hollow Water First Nations are currently working with Manitoba Conservation on an appropriate consultation process to develop the regulatory mechanisms required. . It is hoped that First Nations can scope out the various opportunities and constraints to such a project and report on the findings. Hopefully, a test project area and system can be recommended. Opportunities for other First Nations in the Model Forest area are also recognized, and their participation has been solicited throughout this process.

The WEBs (Watershed Evaluation of BMPs) Project - Quantifying Environmental and Economic Effects across Canada

T. Scott¹, B. Harker¹, M. Boyle², K. Broersma³, L. Chow³, S. Gabor⁴, D. Hebb³, M. Khakbazan³, D. Lapen³, J. Miller³, H. Rees³, C. Ross⁵, E. van Bochove³, J. Yarotski²

¹WEBs Project Manager, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada - Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration; ² Agriculture and Agri-food Canada - Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration’ ³ Agriculture and Agri-food Canada - Research Branch; ⁴Ducks Unlimited Canada; ⁵ Agriculture and Agri-food Canada - Policy Branch

The objective of the 4-yr WEBs project is to assess the environmental and economic effect of agricultural BMPs (Beneficial Management Practices) on water quality. This approach includes an Integrated Modeling component, meant to facilitate longer-term planning purposes. From the beginning, WEBs has sought a balance between consultation, initiative and cooperation. In this, the two principal funding partners, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), are joined by some 35 federal and provincial government, local government, university and private agencies.

The 7 regionally-located WEBs watershed sites, have been established where long-term data sets were known, existing research networks in place, and on-the-ground watershed organizations operating – greatly facilitating project establishment and operation. The goodwill and cooperation of local farmers and landowners remains essential to WEBs success, as is liaising with partner agencies and others.

An ongoing issue within the project has been to consistently value the component parts of WEBs while looking to their longer-term integration within the whole. The collection of on-farm environmental and economic data at watershed scale are, in their own right, significant and needed achievements. The calibration and adaptation of associated hydrologic models is an additional requirement. In all aspects of the project, it is readily apparent that “one size does not fit all” — hence the distinctive design and analysis approach of each project site, notwithstanding a uniform requirement to meet certain minimum standards.

All sites are operating well as we move into the latter half of WEBs, and discussions are also underway to identify the possible content of a more diversified Phase II of the WEBs study.

A Biodiversity Outcomes Framework for Canada: Making and Measuring Progress Towards Shared Commitments

Risa Smith, Biodiversity Convention Office, Environment Canada

In 1992 Canada was the first industrialized country to ratify the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. In 1996 we finalized the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy, with all provinces, territories and the federal government signing on as partners.

In 2001 a joint meeting of Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture and Wildlife Ministers renewed their commitment to biodiversity conservation and agreed to collaborate in advancing four cross-cutting priorities: invasive alien species, stewardship, biodiversity science and information and monitoring and reporting on biodiversity status and trends.

In October 2005, the joint meeting of ministers called for the development of an outcomes-based framework for Canada to enhance governance and strategic management of Canada's biodiversity agenda. The framework would also support Canada’s Biodiversity Strategy, be compatible with provincial, territorial and sector-based plans and strategies; and enable reporting against the Convention on Biological Diversity's global framework and target to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

Following a year of consultations with federal, provincial and territorial governments and technical input from a wide-range of NGO and industry experts, a draft Canadian Biodiversity Outcomes Framework was presented to the Joint CCME and Canadian Councils of Resource Ministers (CCRM) Meeting in October 2006.

The outcomes framework will create a demand for enhanced assessment of the status of Canada's biodiversity. To that end work has begun to scope a report on ecosystem status and trends as a first priority. This report would build on and complement similar federal-provincial-territorial assessments such as the status of wild species and status of protected areas.

Engagement of partners with respect to the scope and design of the report will be a key to its success. As such, in addition to this presentation, there will be a workshop on November 24th, at the EMAN NSM to obtain input on potential mechanisms by which community based information could be obtained and used for the report.

A Methodology for Summarizing Fisheries Data from Sites to Ecological Reporting Areas and all Scales in Between

Les W. Stanfield, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

In this study, we developed and tested techniques for summarizing the condition of stream fish communities, using techniques that incorporated their hierarchical organization. We used previously developed models and their datasets to compare existing and hindcasted reference conditions for various sizes of reporting areas: i.e. sites to segments>subwatersheds>watersheds>quaternary watesheds etc. Areas were classified as unimpaired, likely impaired, or impaired and were given a confidence rating for the classification based on consistency and number of observations available. Ratings for sites were based on thresholds of the distribution of data around the model regressions (standard deviations), such that unimpaired sites were within 2 SD and impaired sites were > 3 SD. Data were summarized to larger reporting areas based on the median classification of sites within a segment and then a rank sum approach based on the length of stream sampled for each of sub-watersheds, watersheds, quaternary and tertiary watersheds. Thresholds for reporting on the condition of each reporting area were based on school report cards (e.g. < 50 = F). We also tested the ability of model predictions to summarize condition in areas without field data by comparing both the fish community predictions and the distribution of brook trout for each reporting area.

The approach is a clear and defensible means of summarizing condition across hierarchies. This approach resulted in a consistent trend of higher impairment in proximity to Toronto and the Lake Ontario shore, and improving conditions with increasing distance from Toronto. The approach was able to classify smaller reporting units (segments and sub-watersheds), both unimpaired or impaired. Reporting areas classified as likely impaired often contained all three categories of conditions. These results suggest that local land use/land cover conditions were influencing stream condition. This classification was identified as being in need of additional data to determine management directions and may offer the optimal area to apply local stewardship actions to remedy limiting factors. Field data assisted with diagnosing condition in likely impaired areas, when information was sufficient to capture up and downstream effects. Overall ratings decreased as data from downstream and less-managed areas were added. As a result all tertiary watersheds had ratings of < 50 (“F”). Brook trout distribution is currently highly restricted in the study area. However, limitations with landscape data reduced predictability of brook trout distribution in areas where field data were not available. Ours is the first report on the state of the tributaries for this region. As well, we make recommendations that set a benchmark for measuring a reversal in the incremental loss of fish habitat and fisheries. The recommendations will also improve the transference of this approach to other areas.

Towards a Stream Monitoring Network for Ontario: A New Way of Doing Business

Les W. Stanfield, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

In Ontario monitoring environmental health is the mandate of thousands of individuals representing NGO’s, private sector, municipal, provincial and federal agencies. All share a common interest in tracking change in ecosystem health, but for years, their efforts have been on parallel tracks that precluded a comprehensive picture of the true state of the ecosystem. Methodologies differ, bureaucratic barriers, professional mistrust, incompatibility of data and lack of knowledge of how to conduct large scale surveys or integrate methodologies all contributed to a sense that integrated comprehensive monitoring was unachievable. Recently, a grassroots initiative has established that a network of like minded organizations can develop a broad-based stream monitoring program. The group recognizes the benefits in sharing data collected using comparable methods and in sharing the responsibility for analyzing the data to further scientific understanding around large scale questions. The network works because each partner has a responsibility to help develop and adopt standard protocols, establish, use and share applications for data management, share in designating priorities for analysis and providing training and support for field crews. In the demonstration area, two universities, 4 conservation authorities, 3 federal departments and a provincial ministry have collectively obtained field data from 1800 sites in the last ten years. In this presentation we focus on how network collected data can be linked with GIS applications to develop quantitative relationships between biophysical properties of streams and overall land use in the catchment. Biophysical data (fish, inverts, instream habitat, temperature and baseflow) were collected on wadeable streams flowing into the Lake Ontario basin. The methodology includes a novel approach (hindcasting) for characterizing the health of a site (deviations from expected) that we use to demonstrate how model results can be used to classify sites or stream segments based on predicted conditions and how results can be used to generate coarse population estimates for keystone species.

Closing the Loop: Are Broad-scale Field Applications of Landscape Ecology Informing Landscape-ecological Theory?

Sari C. Saunders¹, Pamela A. Wright² and Glenn D. Sutherland³

¹BC Ministry of Forests and Range; ² Resource, Recreation, and Tourism, University of Northern British Columbia; ³ Cortex Consultants Inc., Victoria, British Columbia

Landscape ecology is entering its third decade as a formalized scientific discipline within North America. The need for a guiding framework within which to develop testable hypotheses is still apparent; empirical data are also required to evaluate predictions and build upon modeling and theoretical work. We examined links between field applications and development of principles of landscape ecology using four Canadian case studies that span broad research, management, and policy initiatives. We evaluated if these applications are being utilized efficiently to examine and evolve landscape ecological theory. We describe difficulties and potential for broad-scale field and policy activities to advance landscape ecological theory. All case studies illustrated the ability to think across large areas, integrate social and ecological systems, examine multiple levels of ecological organization, and consider the influence of multiple types or levels of political and social governance. Yet we found few explicit attempts to formulate projects using conceptual frameworks derived from landscape ecology. Working hypotheses associated with principles of landscape ecology were rarely presented during project conception. Further, there were few formal attempts to close the loop from these applications back to the advancement of theory. We recommend coordinated efforts in development of conceptual models, data collection, analysis, and funding acquisition. Formal roles for landscape ecologists within planning and assessment programs could increase the likelihood of data being incorporated into subsequent meta-analyses and supporting theoretical investigation. Initiatives and sustained vision to support long-term data collection for field studies are essential for advancing and coalescing landscape cological theory and practice.

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Deanna Trowsdale-Mutafov, Saskatchewan PlantWatch Coordinator

Saskatchewan PlantWatch, an extension of the Canadian PlantWatch program, is a joint venture of Nature Saskatchewan, Environment Canada’s Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) and Nature Canada, with funding from EcoAction and SaskPower. PlantWatch has been delivered by Nature Saskatchewan since 2004, so is still a relatively new program. Nature Saskatchewan is a member-based, not-for profit charity dedicated to protecting nature, its diversity, and the processes that sustain it. PlantWatch has been an excellent fit for Nature Saskatchewan, as Nature Saskatchewan already provides opportunities for members and the public to participate in monitoring initiatives. PlantWatch enables volunteer “citizen scientists” to contribute to an understanding of how and why our natural environment is changing by watching specific indicator flowers bloom. In Saskatchewan, 20 species have been identified as key indicator species for the program – 18 native and 2 non-native plants. In 2005, these plant images and descriptions were printed in a poster format, along with climate change information, and made available to any interested individuals or groups. In June, 2006, a poster sized wall chart, with a graphing area, was created to help schools and community groups record the flowering of indicator species over a period of several years. This will provide a better picture of how climate change is affecting biota over time.

PlantWatch Saskatchewan has been taking the program, the posters, and the climate change message into schools! In 2005, myself, along with Saskatchewan Watershed Authority and Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan representative Ben Sawa, teamed up to talk to school children about planting urban prairie restoration gardens. On a small scale, these restoration projects will represent native plant communities, create wildlife habitat, provide educational opportunities, and preserve biological diversity of native plants from the Regina Plain Landscape area. Along with the focus of native prairie restoration, this project has added the monitoring of climate change as an equally important initiative. Saskatchewan PlantWatch will have key indicator species planted in the native prairie observation plots and hope to have children, our “citizen scientists”, watch the plants and record blooming times to aid in climate change research. PlantWatch delivers its message to schools and groups through a youth-friendly PowerPoint presentation and talk, through which the program and climate change issues are discussed with the students. A very important part of the presentation is what each of us, including children, can do to reduce our own greenhouse gas emissions and help the earth.

A total of 12 presentations were given to schools and community groups in the first year of collaboration (2005), including a special school fall media event where the excited children “buffalo stomped” the native seeds into their own garden. So far, in 2006, there have been 6 presentations together. More joint presentations are forthcoming in the fall. This is a good example of how the collaboration of different agencies helped create the end result of prairie gardens, along with educating the students on the benefits of restoring our native prairie, and participating in a program that helps scientists monitor climate change.

We expect positive outcomes from our school based presentations and garden plantings, and I plan to continue to take PlantWatch into the schools, along with our poster and wall chart, to discuss both participation in the program and climate change issues. Education of youth will continue to be a very key component of the Saskatchewan PlantWatch program.

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Geographical Analysis of Cumulative Threats to Prairie Water Resources

Henry David Venema¹ Richard Grosshans^1,2 and Stephan Barg¹

¹International Institute for Sustainable Development Winnipeg; ²Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba

Dryland agro-ecosystems such as the Canadian prairie provinces have been identified by the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (www.MAweb.org) as ‘‘hotspots’’ for future environmental degradation, because of the compounding effects of climate change induced water scarcity, and nutrient over-enrichment. The objective of this study is to gain an integrated perspective on water quality and quantity vulnerabilities across the Canadian prairie provinces. We use environmental indicator methods and GIS techniques to rank and map water quality, water use, and water availability and their compounding effects across the prairie agro-region. A composite index identifies “hotspot” areas of concern with high cumulative stresses. We then compare the hotspot analysis with parallel geographic analyses of water conservation practice, and water conservation policies to illustrate where integrated water resources management will be a policy priority.

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The Use Lichen Bioindicators to Monitor Terrestrial Pollution and Ecological Impacts of Coal, Oil and Gas Industries in the Pechora basin, NW Russian Arctic

Tony R. Walker^{1, 2}, Peter D. Crittenden² and Tatyana Pystina³

¹Jacques Whitford, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; ²School of Biology, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; ³Institute of Biology, Komi Science Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Federation

The chemical composition of lichens and abundance and diversity of lichen communities were assessed at sites in the Pechora Basin, NW Russia, to assess local impacts of coal mining and oil and gas operations. Sites close to industrial areas were compared with areas considered to be pristine in addition to transects through Vorkuta, Inta and Usinsk. The objective of the study was to identify changes in chemistry of terricolous lichens that could be caused by pollutants from the industrialization. The Pechora Basin is bounded by the Ural Mountains to the east and by the Timan range to the west. The area has extensive natural resources, both renewable (e.g. forests) and non-renewable (e.g. minerals, coal, oil and gas).

Elevated nitrogen concentrations and modified cation ratios in lichens within 25-40 km of Vorkuta and Inta were attributed to local deposition of alkaline coal ash. Differences in lichen biodiversity were sought between industrial and background sites to yield information on air pollution impacts. There were limited modifications in the chemistry of lichens and lichen diversity close to a large oil and gas complex, near the Kolva River, showing signs of an early indicator of industrial activity, probably as a result of local emissions from gas flaring, rather than from long-range transport. All other sites remained unmodified and reflected background concentrations and the ecological impacts of the measured pollution loads were low. Lichen monitoring employed in the Russian Arctic may be used to evaluate pristine sites in the Canadian Arctic that may be subject to future impacts.

Integrating Research and Monitoring to Inform Forest Management

S.L. Van Wilgenburg^1,2 and K. A. Hobson^1,2

¹Environment Canada, Science and Technology Branch; ² Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan

Large-scale monitoring programs such as the North American Breeding Bird Survey are well designed to capture large-scale, long-term variation in the abundance of many of the species monitored. However, general monitoring schemes are unlikely to detect changes related to management actions unless the scheme is very intensive, or the management actions have extreme effects. Furthermore, often we wish to know not only by how much species abundance has changed, but how the local landscape has influenced changes in abundance. Therefore, schemes that incorporate spatial approaches and contrast different “management” actions may provide more meaningful data. We will outline recent integration of avian research and point-count monitoring efforts in Boreal forest of Saskatchewan and how these efforts have allowed several landscape-scale disturbances to be contrasted. These results allow assessment of current forest policy and can guide adaptive management. We will discuss how these data will allow assessment of forest management plans, and/or can allow future assessments of spatio-temporal trends in relative bird abundance. These approaches will allow greater ability to infer or subsequently test for cause and effect in relation to forestry management actions on the landscape.

Correlated Cycles of Snowshoe Hare and Dall's Sheep Lambs

John F. Wilmshurst¹, R. Greer², and J.D. Henry²

¹ Parks Canada, Manitoba; ²Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon

Determining population trends from ecological monitoring data is often the end-point of analyses from long-term data sets. While this can help establish population tendency and patterns, it often cannot shed light on the causes of the observed dynamics. However, analyzing two or more long-term data sets from the same ecosystem can provide greater insight into causal mechanisms leading to population dynamics. , we analyzed Dall’s sheep (Ovis dallii) population count data with respect to snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) population density data collected in and adjacent to Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon Territory. We found that productivity in the sheep population on Tachal Dhal (Sheep Mountain) cycled with the snowshoe hare population but showed a two-year time lag. By analyzing the data using population phase-plane diagrams in which the sheep numbers are plotted against hare densities, temporal, clockwise cycles appeared. In the absence of a strong external cue or food competition, we hypothesize that the cycles are caused by the behaviour of a common predator, the coyote (Canis latrans). Lambs of Dall’s sheep are secondary prey of coyotes, which focus on snowshoe hares when hares are abundant. During the snowshoe hare peak, lambs are somewhat vulnerable simply due to the abundance of coyotes. Shortly after the hare population collapse, coyotes continue to be abundant and lamb predation increases. But since the density of lambs and other prey cannot support the coyote population, it soon declines and lamb numbers recover even though the snowshoe hare population remains low for the next 3-4 years. Hence, by analyzing one long-term data set with respect to another, we can point to causation and direct research efforts. Although these data were not collected with this question in mind, their long time line and sympatry has made them relevant for understanding this one component of the complex boreal ecosystem.

Leslie Wilson, Environment Canada and Carey Ogilvie, Environment Canada

The Northern Ecosystem Initiative (NEI) began in 1998 with the vision “to enhance the future health and sustainability of northern communities and the ecosystems on which they depend.” Monitoring, and the need to report on status and trends, represents one of five key program priorities.

Entering its current Phase II mandate (April 1st 2003 to March 31st 2008), NEI set strategic project funding objectives for this program priority that included the need to expand the geographic scope of existing monitoring sites; support efforts to combine local, traditional and scientific knowledge and methodologies; and make information more accessible and useable. Key accomplishments of NEI- supported projects to date include the development of standard monitoring protocols for plants, caribou, and water. Enhanced linkages and improved communication among existing project managers all contribute to Canada's northern environmental information base.

A key product for NEI in Phase II is a State of the Environment (SOE) type report. In working towards that objective, NEI along with other government agencies, First Nations and Inuit Organizations are now developing an Indicators Report for the Canadian North. It is scheduled to be completed by March 2007 and could serve as the basis for a more comprehensive SOE-type report.

Through these projects and activities, NEI is helping Canada better meet the challenges of understanding and tracking changes in an area of Canada under increasing pressure from both human and abiotic drivers of change. At the same time, NEI fills a significant gap at the pan-northern level within Canada, bridging efforts at the international and more regional/local level.

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Using Statistical Process Control to Establish Monitoring Thresholds for Point Pelee National Park

Paul Zorn, Parks Canada, Ontario Service Centre

Statistical process control (SPC) is a valuable tool in the toolbox for analyzing monitoring data. Traditional statistical approaches that focus on hypothesis testing are not always ideal in monitoring situations. For example, the null hypothesis used in most traditional statistical tests is one of "no change". However, we know that ecosystems are dynamic and likely to change at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Testing a null hypothesis we know a priori to be false, therefore, sheds little light on the patterns found within a dataset. SPC, on the other hand, does not attempt to test null hypotheses but rather identifies when the signal and noise (the process) within a time series of data exhibits non-random behaviour (is "out of control"). SPC identifies "warning" and "critical" limits that indicate when a magnitude of change is beyond what we would expect due to random fluctuations. These warning and critical limits can represent monitoring thresholds and risk management "decision points". SPC, while not commonly taught in ecology, has been in use for almost 100 years in other fields of study. An example of the application of SPC in establishing thresholds is given using Point Pelee National Park's ecological integrity monitoring program. In particular using the park's forest bird monitoring data. SPC will be used by Parks Canada as a tool for thresholds identification for other monitoring measures including EMAN forest plot data.

Paul Zorn, Parks Canada

It is widely recognized in ecology that ecosystems are hierarchically structured with higher levels of organization (e.g., landscapes) possessing constraining relationships on lower levels of organization (e.g., species populations). It is also widely recognized that the patterns formed by these relationships are scale dependent. The explicit inclusion of these two ideas, however, are often not brought to bare in species distribution studies. While spatial autocorrelation is addressed more commonly in species distribution studies, landscape-species relationships are often assessed using correlation type analyses versus constraining or limiting type analyses. These issues regarding multi-scaled limiting factors in landscape-species relationships were addressed for a habitat study of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake in the upper Bruce Peninsula region of Ontario using a combination of principal coordinate analysis of neighbour matrices (PCNM) and quantile regression.

Using Ecologically Scaled Landscape Indices to Monitor Changes in Landscape Pattern Surrounding National Parks

Paul Zorn, Parks Canada

Ecologically scaled landscape indices (ESLI) are an approach to assess the potential effects of landscape pattern within the context of specific species and their attributes to effectively disperse throughout an area. A landscape may exhibit a certain pattern of fragmentation, for example, but may still be functionally connected for some species while being functional disconnected for others. ESLI's have been developed for national parks in Ontario that represent a range of forest and wetland associated species. These ESLI's are used to assess the potential effects of landscape patterns within "greater park ecosystems" (GPE). GPE's are then compared to areas of the same size throughout the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone to give Parks Canada some context in interpreting the patterns surrounding national parks in Ontario.