Principles and Guidelines for Ecological Restoration in Canada

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Dealing with Uncertainty Navigating Biodiversity
Change in Canadas Arctic National Parks
Arctic Biodiversity Symposium Museum of Nature,
Ottawa, November 2010
Torngat Mountains National Park, Labrador Photo
D. McLennan
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Outline

1. Parks Canada in the North
2. Arctic climate change - synopsis
3. Navigating biodiversity change - a proposed
   proactive adaption strategy for Arctic national
   parks
4. A strategy for the Arctic?

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• Parks Canada Agency
• one of most extensive systems of protected areas
  in the world.
• protects and presents these treasures on behalf
  of Canadians
• celebrating 125 years of natural heritage
  conservation

On behalf of the people of Canada, we protect
and present nationally significant examples of
Canada's natural and cultural heritage and foster
public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment
in ways that ensure their ecological and
commemorative integrity for present and future
generations.
Protected Areas in the Canadian Arctic
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• Sirmilik NP
• increased greening
• increased productivity
• permafrost slumping
• lemming cycle dampening?

1992-2008
Analysis by Rob Fraser and Ian Olthof, CCRS
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5-8 km/yr ??
Application of Lawler (2009) models by Katherine
Lindsay, EC
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Synopsis Arctic Change

• Arctic climate is changing rapidly
• Arctic ecosystems are also responding, but much
  less rapidly
• terrestrial physical environment showing
  important changes
• biota less responsive mainly in situ
  productivity/relative dominance changes
• How fast? What species? Species interactions?
  Disease? Species adaptation? Climate feedbacks? C
  dynamics?
• more questions than answers
• monitoring and research to reduce uncertainty

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Reducing Uncertainty A Model for Proactive
Adaptive Management
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Focal watershed Ivatak Brook
Focal watershed Nachvak Brook
Mapping Ecological Integrity Biodiversity
Ecosystem process
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na
Long Term Sites (Focal Ecosystems) Tundra/Wetland/Forest vegetation change (ITEX, surveys, structure, biomass) active layer (CALM) soil temperature snow small mammals songbirds (arthropods) Streams benthic inverts discharge water quality char/fish community Other Ground Measures Tundra/Wetland grizzly, fox, caribou, muskox, raptors, BBS, lemmings, plant phenology Lakes and Streams char/fish community, Harlequin ducks Coastal polar bears, coastal fish, shorebirds/waterfowl, raptors Remote Sensing ParkSPACE Measures land cover (ecotype/community) productivity (biomass and VIs) permafrost (NEST) lake and river ice coastal change glaciers (area, retreat, mass balance)
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Ecotype Map Ivvavik NP

• eastern boundary of Beringia unglaciated
• most northerly forests in NA south facing
  slopes
• 28 ecotypes
• important range for Porcupine Caribou Herd

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Opportunities for Development
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The Challenge

• navigating the combined ecological effects of
  climate change and Northern development to
  foster social-ecological resilience and mitigate
  biodiversity loss
• Success will depend a new kind of inclusive
  approach that coordinates and optimizes the
  efforts of all Northern actors.

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An Arctic Model for Proactive Adaptive Management
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Ongoing Arctic Monitoring Initiatives

• Territories and Others

• Federal

• Parks Canada EI Monitoring
• EC/MSC/WSC climate, water quantity and quality,
  CABIN
• EC/CWS caribou, polar bears, migratory birds,
  seabirds,
• EC CBMP EMG Freshwater
• DFO CBMP EMG Marine
• INAC BREA , MGP

• Territories (INAC)
• NWT - CIMP
• Nunavut - NGMP
• Communities
• Arctic Borderlands
• Sea Ice Nunavut
• others
• Industry
• Akati Mines
• Mackenzie gas pipeline
• Academia
• CEN
• Arctic Net

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Tundra Ecosystems Olthof et al. CCRS
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Canadas Arctic and PAs

• Arctic National Parks as INoRMs
• Integrated Network of Research and Monitoring
• baselines of Arctic ecological change
• Focal Watersheds Model ecological inventories,
  long term monitoring sites, stream discharge,
  weather stations
• sites for science
• long term commitment to EI monitoring and
  reporting
• cooperative management with Indigenous partners
• present in northern communities/ operational in
  the field
• research logistical support transportation,
  safety

Canadian Arctic and Sub-Arctic Protected Areas
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Northern ScienceBuild on IPY Momentum

• world-leading science coordinated nationally and
  cooperating internationally
• From Knowledge to Action IPY Montreal 2012
• strong outreach/communication component
• effective interaction with Arctic communities
• legacy of young scientists to carry the torch

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Keys to Success

• Work together on pan-Arctic objectives set out in
  the Northern Strategy
• Empower northern communities as a key component
  of the solution
• Invest in a knowledge system to reduce
  uncertainty and understand change

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An unknown future
Please Contact Donald McLennan Parks Canada
Agency 25 rue Eddy, Hull, QC, K1A0M5 Tel (819)
953 6464 email donald.mclennan_at_pc.gc.ca
working together for a common future
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Science Management Support

• Research Summaries
• plain language summary of research results
• implications for park management objectives
• risks/benefits of acting/not acting
• identify emerging issues
• Process Models and Projections
• scaled down climate models, weather projections
• 5 15 year projections of ecosystem change
• model monitoring/model improvements/model
  iterations

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The Role of Traditional Knowledge

• There is now less snow fall and the only snow
  fall we get, the wind blows it away so it doesnt
  have time to build up and get compact. Now we
  just have very small snowdrifts. The snow drifts
  in the past were so big that the igloos were
  automatically half way built.
•  Original in Inuktitut Inuit Knowledge
  Project

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The Need to Collaborate Internationally

• the circum-polar Arctic is one interconnected and
  interdependent ecosystem - need for cooperation
• build on IPY progress and further increase
  circumpolar cooperation and collaboration (ITEX,
  PPS, seabirds, others)
• SAON, IASC, and many other initiatives ongoing
• broaden opportunities for science funding access
  to global expertise
• CBMP links biodiversity monitoring Expert
  Monitoring Groups
• Canada takes over Chair of Arctic Council next

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ST Program

• Extensive process to define ST priorities for
  CHARS
• Scoping and synthesis papers
• Visioning Workshop
• International panel convened by Council of
  Canadian Academies

Canadian Visioning workshops proposed ST
priority themes
Sustainable resource development
Environmental science stewardship
Climate change
Healthy sustainable communities