Research and Policy: Two Solitudes
Dr. Peter Johnson

June 5, 2003, Whitehorse

The circumpolar north may be leaving Canada behind. Although there is a great deal of research in the north, Canada may be missing out on the opportunity to use science and policy to its advantage.

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Using lake sediments to reveal past climates
Joan Bunbury

A trip to the bottom of a lake is a trip back through time. The fossilized material at the bottom of Yukon lakes is helping Joan Bunbury provide us with information about changes in climate.

Going W.E.S.T: A New Compass for Finding Green Energy
Robert Benoit

May 25, 2003, Whitehorse

Mary Gamberg is a Whitehorse-based researcher with many years' experience working on issues related to contaminants and Yukon wildlife.

The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) project evaluates and synthesizes knowledge on climate variability, climate change, and increased ultraviolet radiation and their consequences. It is an international project of the Arctic Council and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC).

The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum. Members are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States of America. IASC is a non-governmental organization that facilitates cooperation in all aspects of arctic research in all countries engaged in arctic research and in all areas of the arctic region.

The ACIA Secretariat is located at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Funding for the Secretariat is provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area (SPA) was established in 1975 and encompasses 53,000 km² of fragile desert steppe and desert habitat. In 1991, the United Nations designated the Great Gobi an International Biosphere Reserve, the largest in Asia and the fourth largest in the world. The Gobi desert is home to several rare or globally threatened large wildlife species, but is also used by nomadic herders and their livestock.

The Great Gobi SPA consists of two separate parts (part A and B), about 350 km apart. Whereas the Gobi A is largely untouched by people, due to the remoteness of the area and the scarcity of water, the Gobi B is important grazing habitat for nomadic herders.

The Gobi B SPA has also been the last stronghold of the Przewalski horse, the ancestor of the domestic horse. Last sightings occurred in the mid 1960s and the species has only survived due to captive breeding. Since the early 1990s two projects in Mongolia have focused on the reintroduction of the species into its former range with the aim to re-establish sustainable and viable populations. In the Gobi B SPA the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse is used not only to re-establish a globally threatened species of high cultural importance, but also to help implement protected area management.

National laws concerning protected areas and wildlife conservation are very strict in Mongolia, but awareness of park regulations is generally low and law enforcement is limited by insufficient funding of park staff. Overgrazing, poaching and illegal collection of saxaul brush for firewood are some of the problems that urgently need to be addressed. Community development and local involvement however are crucial for resolving these problems. In the Gobi B SPA, the Przewalski horse, highly valued in Mongolian culture, seems a very good vehicle to raise awareness for conservation issues and park management.

Marmots are one of the most widespread alpine mammals in the world living in most of the mountain areas in the northern hemisphere. They are often portrayed as a symbol of mountain wilderness, but are marmots a symbol of ecosystem integrity in mountain regions? Five of the six marmot species in North America inhabit mountain areas. The conservation status of these marmots is uncertain except for one which is certainly on the verge of extinction.

Climate change is the greatest threat to our mountain ecosystems. Will marmots be the first animal to respond to change? Near Kluane Lake, we have been conducting a detailed study of hoary marmots since 1999 in order to determine what environmental factors control their population size.

This information serves two purposes. First, to make predictions about the future state of marmot populations under climate change scenarios, and second, to make informed decisions for reintroduction strategies of the endangered Vancouver Island marmot.

Greg Allen explored what is at hand if we decide to develop as if our species belongs to Earth. Allen is one half of Allen Kani Associates. They specialize in energy-efficient and environmentally-appropriate design and engineering of residential, institutional and commercial buildings. Related activities include research, development, technical transfer and policy definition for the low energy building industry. Their designs stress the use of ecological building practices and the creation of healthful indoor environments.

These practices range from greenfield environmental measures planning to engineering of low-toxicity buildings implementing closed-loop and renewable systems. Strategies for mitigating environmental impacts include: conservation of energy and water with the remaining energy supply provided by renewables; and water supply and waste treatment provided by alternative means such as bioregenerative systems (Living Machines).

Since the original discovery in 1997, melting alpine ice patches in southern Yukon have produced an unprecedented assemblage of ancient hunting tools, faunal remains and evidence of past climates. More than 70 ice patches with preserved organic deposits have been documented, with some ice patches extending back more than 8,000 years.

These discoveries have initiated a variety of multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural research efforts involving Government, University, and First Nations researchers and managers.

Cool, wet summers over the past three years have slowed the melting process but the research continues. Ice patch investigators will present the latest results and interpretations of ongoing research, and examine the role Yukon First Nations are playing in this internationally significant scientific research.