NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: physical sciences, environmental impact, aquatic ecosystems, wildlife population, Beaver

Objective(s): To address changing beaver population and the impacts on lakes and streams, fish and communities and wellbeing.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5640. Objectives: To address changing beaver population and the impacts on lakes and streams, fish and communities and wellbeing, including: a) research with communities to develop an approach for mapping beaver occupancy using photo, video and drones b) research in to the impacts of beavers on people c) research in to the impacts of the BARIN project and community perspectives on its progress and achievements To develop a community-based approach for mapping beavers, Inuvialuit experts have been consulted to co-develop methods. The intent is to use a combination of photo-collection of images of beaver feature (houses, dams) and other signs of beaver activity and drone-based imagery collected by community-members and collaborators to identify where beavers are present and support the development of methods for ongoing monitoring past the project end. A regular newsletter will be produced to provide updates on all parts of the BARIN project. Researchers will regularly attend meetings of the FJMC, Inuvik, Tukoyaktuk and Aklavik HTCs and provide updates and get feedback. An Arctic Beaver Observation network (A-BON) meeting will be organized in Fairbanks, Alaska in February 2024 and hope to provide further feedback on the project there. Meetings will continue through preferred means of communication with community organisations and update our plan as needed The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: July 15 - December 31, 2023