| Principal Investigator: | Henry, Greg H R (4) |
| Licence Number: | 15274 |
| Organization: | UBC- Geography |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2013
2012
|
| Issued: | Jun 24, 2013 |
| Project Team: | Sarah Desrosiers |
Objective(s): To establish a long-term community-based monitoring program in arctic communities using culturally important berry species as indicators of climate change; to bring awareness to the effects of climate change; and to expand environmental stewardship.
Project Description: The main objective of the Berry Project is to establish a long-term community-based monitoring program in arctic communities using culturally important berry species as indicators of climate change. The project’s main objectives for the Daring Lake Tundra Science Camp are to bring awareness to the effects of climate change and to expand environmental stewardship. These goals can be achieved by delivering entertaining educational workshops in a wilderness learning environment. In order to attain the main objectives, the research team plan to integrate basic scientific protocols into the grade 10-12 high school curriculum where students will participate in data collection, analyze their findings back in the classroom and have the opportunity to work with scientists on their research. The research team have developed detailed scientific protocols that were designed for high school students and teachers. The activities described in the protocols can be conducted efficiently and be easily replicated. By allowing the Daring Lake Tundra Science Camp to implement the protocols, they can monitor berry productivity independently, contribute to scientific research and students will gain awareness in the changing environment due to climate change. Camp Berry Productivity Project: - Within permanent plots, randomly position 25 small plots (25cm x 25cm) and collect ALL the berries inside, ripe or not; - In a laboratory setting, the berries should be weighed and counted, then shipped frozen to the University of Quebec at Trois-Riviere for further analysis; - Measurement of ground temperature all-year round with sensors; The Tundra Science Camp is a ten-day multidisciplinary and multicultural summer outdoor educational program for grade 10-12 students from the southern regions of the Northwest Territories. The camp has been running since 1995 and is managed and supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR), Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and local education boards. The research team will establish two new long-term berry monitoring sites and instruct berry productivity and vegetation workshops. They will also serve as mentors for students responsible for conducting their own scientific project. Education is an important factor in socioeconomic development. Thus, the research team hope this initiative will engage the interest of youth for science and technology. In each preceding year of data collection, a presentation at the Daring Lake Tundra Science Camp will be planned to share knowledge and results. Thus, allowing participating students to experience the collaborative efforts of a long-term monitoring experiment. In the long-run results will be shared/exhibited with Heritage/Archive Centers. At the end of the research, several coauthored publications are planned in ethnobotany, social sciences and biological journals. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 26, 2013 to December 31, 2013.
