Research Team:
The Far North Terrestrial Biodiversity Project is a Ministry of Natural Resources cooperative effort led by Wildlife Research and Development Section and Northeast Science and Information Section.
- Ken Abraham, Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Scientist, WRDS
- Alex Howard, Research Biologist, WRDS
- Shannon Page, Research Biologist, WRDS
- Jane Devlin, Far North Intern, WRDS
- Dean Phoenix, Wildlife Assessment Program Leader, Northeast Science and Information Section
- Kevin Downing, Logistics Coordinator, Northeast Science and Information Section
- Derek Goertz, Project Biologist, Northeast Science and Information Section
- Kelly Major, Project Technician, Northeast Science and Information Section
- George Edwards, Project Technician, Northeast Science and Information Section
Project Objectives/Overview:
The Far North Biodiversity Project aims to provide a foundation of information on the terrestrial living resources of the Far North of Ontario. The project supports community based land use planning and the development of the Far North Land Use Strategy. This study, over the course of the Far North Information and Knowledge Management Plan period (2009–13), is intended to systematically inventory a variety of terrestrial vertebrate and invertebrate species and plants using standardized surveying protocols in two modules: 1) a stratified random selection among National Forest Inventory plots across the landscape and 2) in areas of recognized high natural heritage value that are candidates for enhanced management or protection.
2012 Collaborators and Participants:
- MNR Natural Heritage Information Centre: Don Sutherland, Mike McMurtry, Mike Oldham, Sam Brinker, Colin Jones, Tanya Taylor
- MNR Parks and Protected Areas Program: Bill Crins
- MNR Species at Risk Branch: Chris Lewis, Eric Snyder
Funding Partners:
- MNR Far North Branch, Far North Information and Knowledge Management Program
- MNR’s Applied Research and Development Branch
Interesting Fact! The project has produced a series of northern range extensions for invertebrates, plants, amphibians and fishes and has filled in distributions of birds and mammals.
