Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #88:Yukon North Slope Interdisciplinary Grizzly Bear Research and Outreach Project  (North Slope Grizzly Bear Project)

Outline
We are proposing a comprehensive study of grizzly bears in the Yukon North Slope. This study will tie in with other comprehensive studies that have been and will be conducted across the circumpolar north of North America. These studies will lend to development of a circumpolar model of population size, change and health, as well as a circumpolar model of bear movement and of habitat status. Specific elements of the Yukon component of the study include: 1.Scientific research on grizzly bears in the north: a. population status b. habitat status (including denning), c. health of bears (toxicology, fat condition, and diet) d. cumulative effects modelling and determine the impacts of climate change 2.Research on traditional and local knowledge of grizzly bears in the north a. population status b. habitat status c. diet d. hunting methods and human use patterns e. local perceptions and understanding how local knowledge is formed 3.Integration of scientific and knowledge-based systems to develop a management and monitoring strategy a. Use of dialectic forums for residents to interpret scientific data and share knowledge on bear ecology b. Exploration of expert-based systems for integration of knowledge types 4.Carry out community involvement strategy for residents to conduct and participate in research a. Community participation in field work b. Student programs for student projects c. Hunter programs with hunters collecting data while on the land 5.Carry out communication and outreach programs a. Videos, publications, and presentations b. Community education workshops on-the-land

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
1) The current state of the polar environment - This project will acquire baseline data on an Arctic grizzly bear population status, reproductive rates, grizzly bear health, and habitat use. 2) Change in the polar regions - The project will be multifaceted in its approach and will help us identify issues related to climate change and changes in human use patterns. 3) Polar-global linkages and interaction - The project will be linked with other grizzly bear research programs across the circumpolar north of Canada and the USA. 4) Investigating new frontiers - We will investigate the potential to apply new methods to the problem of integrating science and different knowledge systems. 5) Human societies in polar regions - We will document the way local communities use the landscape, which is an aspect of Arctic change that is often overlooked. Grizzly bears are an important part of the wage and subsistence economy of the Inuvialuit.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
While the project will be conducted on the Yukon North Slope, it is an integral part of a major collaboration with other agencies and institutions. This collaborative effort will focus on meta-analysis of populations and habitat. The data from this project is required to complete that meta-analysis.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The field work will take place on the Yukon North Slope, including Herschel Island. This study area is the northern shore of the Yukon Territory, which abuts the Arctic Ocean. We will engage the communities of Inuvik and Aklavik, and the residents of the fishing camp of Shingle Point.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 03/07 – 10/07 (plus fieldwork completed in 2005, and 2006)      03/08 – 03/08      03/09 – 03/09
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Helicopter and fixed-wing transport aircraft support will be used. These resources could be shared with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Infrastructure such as incinerators will be placed on Shingle Point. The incinerators are for waste disposal to prevent human bear conflicts.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has been endorsed by Parks Canada, The Yukon Government, The Wildlife Management Advisory Council for the Yukon North Slope, and the Aklavik Hunter and Trappers Committee. This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Ecosystems: Terrestrial Processes

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
yes

This project is part of an existing program that was initiated in May of 2004. The program was initiated at the community level. The larger program, to which this program will contribute, the meta-analysis of bear populations, habitat and movement, is a new proposal.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be self-managed, and activities will be free-standing. The project is part of an existing program with an established management structure. The project will be managed by the project partners (the Yukon Government, Parks Canada, and the Wildlife Management Advisory Council – North Slope).

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Communication and outreach are key components of this project. Communication and outreach will be conducted through community involvement programs, through production of video and reading materials, through presentations and through workshops that happen at field sites.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data will be held by the managing authorities for the communities (e.g., Yukon Government, Parks Canada, and Wildlife Management Advisory Council), and released when approval is given by the Aklavik Hunter and Trappers Committee.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Partial funding for this project came from the Yukon Government, Parks Canada, and Polar Continental Shelf in 2004. We anticipate that some level of funding from these sources will continue for 2005-2009, though the amounts are uncertain. Estimated costs for the project, over the life of the project are $1 500 000. If the same level of support continues from these agencies we will have approximately 65% ($975 000) of the required funding to complete this project. We are looking for the remaining contribution to come from non-government organizations, and other federal and territorial sources of funding. We are also looking for private donations or in-kind support.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
A grizzly bear study conducted in the neighbouring Northern Brooks Range, Alaska, prior to 1976 showed that the population there was likely in decline (Reynolds 1980). Nagy et al. (1983) speculated that, because the reproductive parameters observed in the Barn Mountain population most resembled the Northern Brooks Range population studied by Reynolds (1980), the North Slope population was either declining or in long-term equilibrium. With the population parameters so close to a decline and because the population densities are among the lowest in North America, the North Slope population has less resilience to human perturbation than southern populations. Human disturbance in the area is increasing at a rapid and alarming rate. The North Slope grizzly bear population should be placed high on the list of grizzly bear populations in North America that are vulnerable to decline. Literature Cited Nagy, J.A., Russell, R.H., Pearson, A.M., Kingsley, M.C.S., and B.C. Goski, 1983. Ecological Studies of Grizzly Bears in the Arctic Mountain, Northern Yukon Territory, 1972 to 1975. Canadian Wildlife Service, Edmonton, AB. Reynolds, H.V. 1980. North Slope Grizzly Bear Studies, Volume 1. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Juneau, Alaska, US

PROPOSER DETAILS

Ms  Ramona Maraj
Fish and Wildlife Branch, Department of Environment, Yukon Territorial Government
Box 2703 Whitehorse, YT
Y1A 2C6
Canada

Tel: 867-393-7423
Mobile: no
Fax: 867-393-6263
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation