NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: biology, native plants, revegetation, botany, seeds, greenhouse, plants

Objective(s): The primary objective of this project is to conduct initial greenhouse and field trials in propagating seed from native plant species. This will allow the researchers to measure the growth and productivity of a number of different plant species and evaluate their potential as species for reclamation in the Inuvik region.

Project Description: The primary objective of this project is to conduct initial greenhouse and field trials in propagating seed from native plant species. This will allow the researchers to measure the growth and productivity of a number of different plant species and evaluate their potential as species for reclamation in the Inuvik region. The project activities include germination, growth and field trials for twenty plant species found in the Inuvik region. The researchers will grow these species both in the greenhouse and in field and measure both their productivity and seed production to evaluate their potential for revegetation on disturbed sites. Greenhouse trials will be conducted in the Inuvik Community Greenhouse and field trials will be conducted in three separate disturbed sites in the area surrounding Inuvik. The community will be informed and involved in a number of ways. The greenhouse has public visiting hours daily from 1pm until 3pm in which the staff provide tours of the facility and the garden plots. School groups and summer camps regularly have classes and tours of the greenhouse. The project will be presented at the Annual General Meeting of the greenhouse members, posters will be put up describing greenhouse activities and events, as well as at conferences that our staff and board members attend. The researchers will post information and updates about this project on the Community Garden Website. They anticipate that community volunteers and summer students will assist with the project. Community awareness and community capacity can be measured by the number of school groups who learn about the project, the number of volunteers who assist in the propagation and measurement of the plants and the summer students who will be involved in the work. Fieldwork will be conducted from May 01 to September 30, 2007 within the Inuvik Community Greenhouse and at field trial sites within the Inuvik Town limits. The field trial sites are located near the water tower (N 68°21'43.6" W 133°41'58.0"), in an abandoned gravel pit near Boot Lake (N 68°20'56.3" W 133°41'55.0") and along the fire break (N 68°21'37.5" W 133°41'33.0").