NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region, South Slave Region

Tags: mining, vegetation, land use planning, environmental baseline, industrial development, conservation plan, ecological risk assessment

Objective(s): The objectives of this study are to: develop vegetation classification maps for local and regional study areas around the Thor Lake project; conduct rare plant surveys that conform to an established protocol; collect lichen and other forage species samples for contaminants analysis; survey for the presence of invasive plants in the study area.

Project Description: The objectives of this study are to: - Develop vegetation classification maps for local and regional study areas around the Thor Lake project. This new mapping can be used to identify or assist in the location of sensitive or ecologically important ecosystems, culturally important plants, rare plants and rare ecosystems, and will be the basis for wildlife habitat availability mapping. - Conduct rare plant surveys that conform to an established protocol - Collect lichen and other forage species (e.g., willow) samples for contaminants analysis. - Survey for the presence of invasive plants in the study area (e.g., in association with existing human disturbances) There will be one field visit in the summer of 2009 for the production of the regional and local ecosystem mapping. Field survey transects and plot points will be planned in order to meet ground truthing targets (percent visitation) while considering mapping accuracy and area access and logistics. The field team will include a vegetation ecologist, a wildlife biologist, and a bioterrain (geomorphologist) specialist. Two vegetation specific field trips covering three different baseline surveys are planned in 2009: a rare plant survey, an invasive plant survey, and the collection of lichen and other forage species (e.g., willow) samples. The focus of these surveys is in the project footprint and the local study area. The surveys will be conducted concurrently in two sessions, once in the spring to target early-flowering plants, and again in the summer to target later flowering plants. Rare plant surveys will be directed at plant communities with a high potential for rare plant occurrence (e.g., wetlands, eskers) and the invasive plant survey will be directed at existing disturbed sites within the project area (e.g., access roads, camp). Survey methods will follow protocols available for the NWT as available. The final scope of the lichen and forage sampling (e.g., number and location of sample sites) will be determined in consultation with the human health and ecological risk assessment discipline (see HHERA work plan). Some additional sampling may occur during the field verification for the ecosystem mapping work. As the Thor Lake Project proceeds further into the regulatory process, regulatory review and environmental assessment processes will provide information to affected Aboriginal communities and First Nations. Plain language information and summaries on the proposed research program will also be provided to interested and affected Aboriginal communities, First Nations and other stakeholders. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from May 01 to October 30, 2009, within and adjacent to the Thor Lake Property (62 06’ 27” N; 112 36’ 25”W).