Northwest Territories State of the Environment 2010 Biodiversity Special Edition Cover concept: As a northern region, the Northwest Territories is often regarded as having low biological diversity– but look again. The Northwest Territories is home to fully functioning ecosystems, a surprising number of species, and unique species adapted to cold.
Ice: Brintnell– Bologna Ice field, in the Ragged Range of the Mackenzie Mountains, is the only ice field remaining in the Northwest Territories. Credit: DUC A Korpach
Northern Mountain Caribou: J Nagy
Polar Bear: P Nicklen / National Geographic Image Collection
White– crowned Sparrow: J Nagy
Cranberries on the tundra: S Carrière / GNWT
Tree line– Spruces: S Carrière / GNWT
Hudsonian Whiteface Dragonfly: P Catling
Drummond’s Bluebell–a globally rare species found on the Beaufort Sea coast: Jo Overholt Northwest Territories State of the Environment 2010 Biodiversity Special Edition
In collaboration with: Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Northwest Territories Northwest Territories state of the environment: 2010 biodiversity special edition.
Previous title: Northwest Territories state of the environment report, highlights 2009.
ISBN 978-0-7708-0186-1
1. Environmental protection--Northwest Territories. 2. Environmental degradation--Northwest Territories. 3. Environmental management—Northwest Territories. 4. Environmental policy--Northwest Territories. 5. Northwest Territories--Environmental conditions.
I. Northwest Territories. Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources II. Title.
TD171.5 C32 N55 2010 333.709719’3 C2010-901187-2
Recommended citation: Government of the Northwest Territories and NWT Biodiversity Team. 2010. Northwest Territories State of the Environment - 2010 Biodiversity Special Edition. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife. NT. Canada. 36 p.
Copyright © 2010 by the Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Environment and Natural Resources. All Rights reserved. Portions of this report may be reproduced for educational purposes, provided credit is given to the Government of the Northwest Territories.
This document summarizes findings on NWT biodiversity that are fully detailed in the NWT State of the Environment Report available at www.enr.gov.nt.ca.
Design, layout and printing by KELLETT Communications, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Table of Contents
Message from the Minister ...... ii
What is biodiversity? ...... iii
Celebrating 2010 – International Biodiversity Year ...... iv
Northwest Territories overview – Reaching the 2010 Biodiversity Targets...... v
Map of the NWT ...... vi
Status and Trends of NWT Biodiversity ...... 1
Ecosystem Integrity ...... 11
Status of Traditional Knowledge, Innovations, and Practices ...... 19
Ecosystem Goods, Services and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, ...... 21
Threats to Biodiversity ...... 25
Planning, Programs and Partnerships for the Future ...... 33
Sources and Acknowledgements ...... 35
This special report on biodiversity was prepared to commemorate the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) in collaboration with the NWT Biodiversity Team – 2010. Team members are listed in the Sources and Acknowledgements section.
All members contributed information, reviewed findings, and provided final approval for the content of the printed report. The GNWT would like to thank all members for their valuable contributions. Any errors and omissions in the report remain the sole responsibility of the GNWT.
- i - the Minister Message from
Message from the Minister
NWT State of the Environment Biodiversity Report – 2010
2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is celebrating this year by publishing a special Biodiversity Report.
Compared to other places in Canada, the Northwest Territories’ (NWT) diversity of plants and animals is essentially unchanged. This is because our land and waters remain productive but there are some disturbing trends, such as widespread declines in some bird species.
The NWT continues to meet the 2010 United Nations’ Biodiversity Goals and Targets. The Biodiversity Report provides the needed information to understand what components of the NWT’s biodiversity are changing and why. This information is used to assess the success of our actions in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in the NWT and to plan for the future.
The threats to our biodiversity are increasing and must be watched. These threats include climate change and fragmentation of our landscape. It is essential to ensure some parts of each ecosystem in the NWT remain protected throughout the NWT. The NWT Protected Areas Strategy (PAS) and the NWT Water Stewardship Strategy will help to maintain our biodiversity.
I would like to thank all the organizations who participated in the publication of this report. Your participation ensured the information in the NWT Biodiversity Report is complete and compelling.
Provide your input – contact [email protected] J. Michael Miltenberger Minister Environment and Natural Resources
- ii - Biodiversity? is What
What is Biodiversity?
BiodiversityBiodiversity inin thethe NWTNWT Biodiversity = the web of life BiodiversityBiodiversity in in thethe NWTNWT This dragonfly is called Biodiversity is the diversity of life – BryophytesBryophytes the Hudsonian Whiteface 2%2%Bryophytes ( ). the plants and animals that live in 2% Leucorrhinia hudsonica AlgaeAlgae the forest and tundra, the mountains, VertebratesVertebrates VascularVascular There are 41 known species 3%3%Algae 2%Vertebrates2% plantsplantsVascular FungiFungiSingle-celledSingle-celled organisms organisms the lakes and rivers, and the skies. 3% Fungi Single-celled organisms 2% 4%4%plants 2%2% 3%3% of dragonflies and damselflies 4% 2% 3%
OtherOther Nonvertebrates Nonvertebrates P Catling Other Nonvertebrates "Simple""Simple" invertebrates invertebrates Biodiversity includes: 1%1% "Simple" invertebrates in the NWT. More than ¾ 1% 2%2% 2% •Ecosystems – a biological EchinodermsEchinoderms of all the species in the NWT are insects and spiders. Echinoderms community of interacting organisms 1%1% 1% MollusksMollusksMollusks More information on this large part of our biodiversity is and their environment 2%2%2% gathered every year, but relatively little is known about •Species – group of organisms capable them compared to other animals, such as the vertebrates, of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring of both genders which include humans. •Genetic resources – genetic material of actual or potential This species is a Brittle Star, a value to human beings kind of echinoderm living on the sea floor of the Beaufort
Sea. Results from studies Collared Pika A vertebrate mammal, member of the hare order, the lagomorphs. undertaken during the
Arthropods International Polar Year will Arthropods(Insects,Arthropods spiders) (Insects,(Insects, spiders)77% spiders) reveal more on the biodiversity
77%77% Cases Source: NWT General Status Ranking Program. in the Beaufort Sea. Percent of total number of species estimated to be in the NWT
Echinoderms (starfishes, urchins) Fungi
EchinodermsEchinodermsOther Nonvertebrates (starfishes, (starfishes, urchins) urchins) FungiFungiSingle - celled organisms OtherOther VertebratesNonvertebrates Nonvertebrates (mammals, birds, fish) SingleSingle“Simple” - -celled celled invertebrates organisms organisms (jellyfishes, corals,sponges, worms) VertebratesVertebratesBryophytes (mammals, (mammals, (liveworts, birds, birds, mosses) fish) fish) “Simple”“Simple”Mollusks invertebrates invertebrates (jellyfishes, (jellyfishes, corals,sponges, corals,sponges, worms) worms) BryophytesBryophytesVascular (liveworts, (liveworts, plants mosses) mosses) MollusksMollusksArthropods (insects, spiders, crustaceans) VascularVascularAlgae plants plants ArthropodsArthropods (insects, (insects, spiders, spiders, crustaceans) crustaceans) AlgaeAlgae
For more information on the lesser-known species in the NWT, go to www.enr.gov.nt.ca,
J Nagy follow the links to the General Status Ranking Program.
- iii - International Biodiversity International Year 2010 — Celebrating
Celebrating 2010 - Biodiversity is life. International Biodiversity Year Biodiversity is our life.
This report is part of the NWT’s contribution How is this report organized? Goals and Targets The NWT State of the Environment: to the celebration of the 2010 International The report is organized using the 2010 United A summary of key findings, using the 2010 Biodiversity Special Edition Year of Biodiversity. Nations’ Biodiversity Targets and Indicators indicators, on how the NWT is meeting 2010 summarizes key findings on biodiversity as a reporting framework listed below. United Nations’ Biodiversity Goals from the web-based NWT State of the Biodiversity is essential for supplying Environment Report. More information and Targets is presented on the next page. the vital ecosystem services for a healthy on biodiversity and other aspects of our environment can be found in the living planet including clean water, Status and Trends of NWT Biodiversity full version of the NWT State of the productive soil, clean air, and food. An assessment of the status and trends of the NWT wildlife Environment Report on the internet Loss of biodiversity threatens the health populations and genetic diversity. at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. The web-based report is to be updated whenever of people and of ecosystems that people new information becomes available. live in. Nature’s capacity to adapt to Ecosystem Integrity a changing environment decreases with An assessment of the integrity of NWT’s ecosystems. a lack of biodiversity, reducing nature’s More information on the 2010 United ability to provide those vital services. Status of Traditional Knowledge, Innovations, and Practices Nations Biodiversity Target can be The 2010 International Year of Biodiversity A report on our efforts to protect traditional knowledge, found at www.cbd.int/2010-target/ innovations and practices. background.shtml celebrates the life on earth and the value of biodiversity. The NWT is a part of this celebration. Ecosystem Goods and Services, and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity A report on how we are promoting the sustainable use of biodiversity, and an assessment of how ecosystem goods and The goal of the 2010 Special Biodiversity services support the health and well-being of human communities. report is to provide information on
the state of NWT’s biodiversity. It provides Threats to Biodiversity information to help us understand what An examination of major threats to biodiversity, including those components of NWT’s biodiversity arising from invasive alien species, climate change, contaminants and habitat fragmentation. are changing and why. This information is used to assess the success of our Planning, Programs and Partnerships for the Future actions in biodiversity conservation A summary of how we are adapting to changes in our biodiversity, B Latham and sustainable use in the NWT how we are planning to reduce threats and how we are working and to plan for the future. together to develop in an ecologically sustainable manner. Sparrow’s Egg Lady’s Slipper Orchid
- iv - Overview Territories Northwest
Northwest Territories Overview Reaching the United Nations 2010 Biodiversity Targets
Status and Trends of NWT Biodiversity Ecosystem Goods and Services, and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Goal: Promote the conservation of species diversity Goal: Maintain capacity of ecosystems to deliver goods and services and to support livelihoods of people, and promote sustainable use of biodiversity UN Targets Indicators NWT Key Findings UN argets Indicators NWT Key Findings •Trends in range exten- •Some mammal species are seen further north sions of mammals than before. •Status of sustainable •Formal renewable resource co-management systems Maintain capacity of sources for ecosystem stemming from land claim agreements are in place in Reduce declines and •Trends in birds in the NWT •Some migratory birds are still common but have shown ecosystems to deliver goods and services 60% of NWT. There are declines in all herds of barren monitor changes in significant declines in populations. goods and services ground caribou in the past decade. Recovery efforts are populations of key species •Status of Dolly •Fisheries of Dolly Varden at Rat River showed loss of larger/ increasing. Varden and Bull Trout older fish and recovery in recent years. Populations of Bull Maintain resources that •Trends in country food use •NWT residents still show a high reliance on country food Trout appear small and fragmented. support sustainable as a daily source of energy. •Trend in Species at •Less than 1% of NWT species are at risk of extinction in the livelihoods, local food Improve the status of spe- Risk Index next 100 years, but the risk is slowly increasing. security and community cies at risk health
•Status of endemic and •Conservation measures are in place to preserve for future globally rare species generations all globally rare and endemic birds and Maintain genetic diversity mammals in the NWT, but we still have some work to do to Threats to Biodiversity protect our rare plants. Goal: Reduce pressures from habitat loss, unsustainable water use, invasive species, pollution, and climate change
UN Targets Indicators NWT Key Findings Ecosystem Integrity Decrease rate of loss and •Status of fragmentation •Fragmentation due to human activities has reached more Goal: Promote the conservation of the biodiversity of ecosystems degradation of natural due to human activities than 40% density in 4 forested ecoregions, or about 2% of habitats in forested areas forested NWT. UN Targets Indicators NWT Key Findings Monitor the effects of •Trends in observed •The rate of change in temperature and precipitation is •Trends in extent of NWT •High resolution information to detect trends in the change climate change and effects of climate faster than what climate change models have predicted. ecosystems of land cover is not available for all areas maintain or enhance change Climate change is increasing the pressures of other of the NWT. Manage and protect resilience of biodiversity to changes in land use and disturbance on our biodiversity. areas of particular •Trends in Arctic sea ice •Reductions in minimum sea ice cover in the NWT are not adapt to climate change importance to biodiversity occurring at the same rate everywhere. Prevent the spread or •Trends in invasive •NWT has seen few invasive alien species to date. However, to maintain ecosystem •Trends in integrity of im- •Deltas and wetlands are important for biodiversity in the eliminate invasive alien alien species a changing climate and additional industrial development integrity. portant aquatic habitats NWT. Biological indicators need to be developed to help species that threaten will increase the potential for more invasive species. monitor the integrity of deltas and other important aquatic ecosystems or species habitats. •Trends in Arctic •Country foods continue to be a safe and healthy food Conserve at least 10% of •Trends in protection of •9.5% of the NWT is protected as of 2010. Less than 4% of the contaminants choice for northerners. Levels of most contaminants each ecological regions important ecological Taiga Plains and Taiga Shield ecozones are in protected Reduce pollution and its are declining slowly, but some contaminants may be by 2010. areas areas. impacts on biodiversity increasing (mercury in fish), and new compounds, like flame retardants, are being detected. Change in mercury levels may be due to climate change. Status of Traditional Knowledge, Innovations, and Practices Goal: Maintain socio-cultural diversity of indigenous and local communities
UN Targets Indicators NWT Key Findings Protect traditional •Status of Traditional •TK is being incorporated into a wide range of initiatives; knowledge and the rights Knowledge in the NWT there is opportunity for further implementation. However, of indigenous and local use of Aboriginal languages is slowly declining in the communities over their NWT. The loss of Aboriginal languages can result in loss of traditional knowledge, traditional ecological knowledge. innovations and practices
- v - F B ! H o Y r u t
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- vi - Ecozones and Watersheds Northwest Territories
- vii - of Biodiversity and Status Trends
Trends in range extensions of mammals
Moving Mammals
Change in the northern seen further north than before. This slow new territories and explore new habitats, movement northward is not occurring and can travel further than expected. 67Number of species of environment may favour at a constant rate. Some years more It remains difficult to detect when there terrestrial mammals in the NWT. expansion of southern observations of range expansions are is an increase in vagrancy or when reported than in other years. This may be populations are established in a new animals and other species due to a variety of reasons such as milder area, to confirm a range extension. into NWT ecosystems. winters, hot summers, and increased 10 Number of species reporting. Vagrancy, where animals are of marine mammals found in This indicator tracks mammals that seen a long distance from where they Mule deer Range extension into the NWT: Mule deer were in the Fort Smith area by the marine waters of the NWT. are changing their range, mostly normally occur, is normal in mammals. 1959. Information on this species in the due to human activities causing Individuals, especially young ones, will try NWT is scarce. changes to habitat and climate.
Change in the northern environment may favour extensions of southern animals to move north into NWT ecosystems. Changes in species composition in NWT ecosystems provide an indicator of ecosystem change, including habitat and climate change.
Thousands of years ago when glaciers receded from the NWT, wildlife moved back. However in recent years, people are reporting seeing more species of mammals that they have rarely or never seen in the past. These observations are helpful to increase knowledge about NWT mammals. Meikle Overall it appears that some species are G Court Elk Range extension into the NWT: residents reported occasional elk south of Great Slave Lake, Liard area and Nahanni National Park Reserve. - 1 - Trends in range extensions of mammals
Interested community members in For More Information the North have a great role to play in monitoring range extension by Find more on the Vagrant = species occurring recording and reporting details on NWT State of the infrequently and unpredictably in Environment Report animals that are “out of place”. the NWT. These species are outside their usual range and may be in – Wildlife Focal Point B Cress / Illinois the NWT due to unusual weather at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. Cougar Extension from Taiga Plains (south) occurrences, an accident during into Taiga Plains (north): Documented in Raccoon Vagrant into the NWT: Only one Report all new or fur records as early as 1919 in the extreme individual was reported from Fort Smith in migration, or unusual behaviour unknown species at southern edge of the NWT. Between 1 to 9 2003. The nearest population by a small number of individuals. is near Fort McMurray, AB. have been sighted every year since 1990. [email protected]. Some individuals are seen as far north as the New – range extension into North Slave and unconfirmed reports are noted species newly seen in the in the Sahtu, and near Inuvik and Aklavik. NWT = NWT, for which there is evidence of recent range extension. This definition helps to track “true” new species to the NWT, as their pattern of distribution changes.
Range extension within NWT = species already present in the NWT, for which there is evidence of recent extension into
G Court habitats or ranges not previously occupied during a period reasonable for the species. This White-tailed Deer Range extension from Taiga Plains (south) into Taiga Plains (north) and Taiga definition helps to track changes Shield ecozone: Unknown when they first arrived in mammal distributions in the NWT in the NWT. First reported in the 1940s in the due to, for example, population Dehcho, then in the 1970s in Hook Lake area, increases, climate change, or habitat and from Fort Liard to Fort Simpson. For many years they have been intermittently observed changes. Reductions in range size of in Hay River area and along Slave River. The NWT mammals can be tracked using
northernmost harvested deer is now north of the Species at Risk indicators. M Harris Arctic Circle, near Fort Good Hope along the Mackenzie River (Taiga Plains).
J Nagy Coyote Range extension from Taiga Plains to Taiga Shield ecozone: Species present in low numbers mainly - 2 - in the South Slave region. At least one family group has established itself in Yellowknife since 2001. of Biodiversity and Status Trends
Trends in birds of the NWT Disquieting summers – declines in migratory birds
In the two major biomes of the NWT, the of ecosystems, as they are susceptible tundra and the taiga-boreal forest, live Olive-sided Flycatcher, an aerial insectivore, to pollutants and to changes in the has declined by 79% since 1968 based on 283species of birds 283 species of birds. The vast majority breeding bird surveys. populations of their prey. Monitoring can be observed in the NWT. of these migrate outside the NWT in the status of fishing-eating birds (loons, winter; only about 6% of these species pelicans) and of marine birds (sea live in the NWT year-round, such as the ducks) helps us understand changes common raven and ptarmigans. in aquatic and marine ecosystems.
Some migratory birds, Birds are important components of all Some migratory birds, although still NWT ecosystems. Ducks, geese, grouse, although still commonly commonly seen in the NWT every and ptarmigan are essential food sources summer, have shown significant declines seen in the NWT every for many northern families. Waterfowl in populations. Most of these species hunting and gathering of eggs in spring have declined by more than half the summer, have shown rapid are part of people’s traditional links to numbers seen in the 1960s-70s. declines in populations. the land and many families will travel seasonally to good bird hunting areas Common Nighthawks are aerial every year. Hunters track the numbers insectivores and have declined by about and health of these resources closely. 50% in the past 10 years based on data from the wintering grounds. The reasons
Tim Zurowski are unclear but declines or changes Song birds, shorebirds, and woodpeckers in availability of insect populations are are key components of NWT ecosystems, suspected. as they are major predators of insects, including insect pest species; they contribute to plant seed dispersal and they are food for other animals. Woodpeckers also create homes for other birds and for some mammals. Falcons, eagles, owls, and other raptors, are top predators. Some birds, such as ravens, help in nutrient cycling by scavenging and cleaning up after a kill. Monitoring populations of top predators tells us about the health J Duxbury
- 3 - Disquieting summers – declines in migratory birds Trends in birds in the NWT
Not all populations of migratory birds are declining, but for many species there For More Information is growing concern that declines are indicative of some widespread changes How are birds monitored? Find more on the in our ecosystems. For example, there The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) tracks species on their breeding NWT State of the s evidence that most shorebirds nesting grounds. The NWT/Nunavut Bird Environment report - in the Arctic are declining, some shorebirds Checklist tracks sightings of birds Wildlife Focal Point at to help increase knowledge of in the taiga/boreal forest are also the distribution, abundance and www.enr.gov.nt.ca declining, and many boreal bird species breeding status of birds in the NWT’s that specialize in aerial feeding on insects ecosystems. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC), a monitoring program over are also declining. Further studies are 100 years old, collects data on birds needed to determine the main reasons at their wintering sites across North America. As most NWT birds migrate for these losses in population numbers. south for winter, the population trends J Nagy of these species are determined A collaborative approach between from data collected at CBC sites in Snow Bunting populations fluctuate annually southern Canada and the United countries and regions is essential in but overall they have declined by 41% in States. Ducks and geese are understanding why some migratory birds the past 40 years. The reasons for their monitored on their breeding grounds decline are not known, but climate change is by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as are declining across North America, suspected. Less food is available during the part of the North American Waterfowl so that threats can be reduced and peak of nesting as insect emergence occurs Management Plan. Banding earlier with earlier springs. Some species of programs at Willow Lake (Tulita), populations can recover from their migratory birds may not be able to migrate Stagg River (Behchoko), and Mills long-term declines. Management and earlier and take advantage of earlier insect Lake (Fort Providence) help track the peak emergence. conservation strategies, such as the North migratory route of NWT waterfowl. American Bird Conservation Initiative, are Some monitoring programs have been designed to collect data on implemented by all agencies responsible birds requiring special attention in for the management of birds in the NWT, the NWT and elsewhere. Shorebirds Canada, as well as in the US and Mexico. are tracked by the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM). Monitoring of J Rausch Northern Pintail populations have declined raptor nesting sites in the NWT is done by approximately 40% since the 1960s. using the NWT-NU Raptor Database. The reasons for this decline are unclear, Red Knots The rufa subspecies population have but include wetland habitat change, and low declined by 70% over the last 15 years probably due to breeding success. depletion of horseshoe crabs, an essential food source
USFWS along their migration route in the Atlantic. The islandica subspecies has declined by 15%, probably due to the - - effects of shellfish harvesting on their wintering grounds 4 in Europe. of Biodiversity and Status Trends
Status of Dolly Varden and Bull Trout Change in fish populations in ocean-freshwater systems Change in fish populations
Bull Trout and Dolly The sea-run Dolly Varden in the Rat River is the only population that has been Varden are particularly 101species periodically studied for population size of fish live in our rivers good fish species over the past 10 years. In 1998, the Dolly Varden are present as sea-run (anadromous) fish in the coastal waters of the and lakes and in the NWT’s to monitor. population numbered about 15,000. Beaufort Sea in the western Arctic primarily section of the Beaufort Sea Prior to 1999, there was evidence from west of the Mackenzie Delta during ice-off periods (i.e., summer and early autumn). and Arctic Ocean. the fisheries data at Rat River of loss of Offshore distribution is poorly known, but Char species, such as Dolly Varden adults and juveniles mainly occur in nearshore larger/older fish, suggesting population- waters in marine areas. Dolly Varden use About half of the fish species and Bull Trout, can be used to monitor level effects. Recovery in later years habitat in freshwater streams for spawning, in the NWT are marine – they changes in both the Arctic Ocean and overwintering, rearing, feeding and resting. (e.g., 1999 and 2000) suggests that This species is primarily adapted to flowing live exclusively in the ocean. freshwater ecosystems. Dolly Varden waters and associated with groundwater these populations are less disturbed. and Bull Trout are particularly good springs. These groundwater sources are essential for northern populations because fish species to monitor because they they maintain winter habitat and provide Preliminary work suggests that most high-quality spawning habitat. However, these have life history stages that occupy populations of Bull Trout in the NWT are areas are rare in most streams. In the NWT different habitats during their lifetime, sea-run Dolly Varden occupy drainages of the relatively small, widespread, and perhaps Big Fish, Rat and Vittrekwa rivers (near Fort for example sea-run fish link lakes, rivers, McPherson). fragmented. estuaries and near shore habitats. Each species’ life stage is exposed to the same environmental stressors, but may respond differently to these stressors. Observations on various responses increase our understanding of cumulative effects.
This indicator tracks the status of river chars (Dolly Varden and Bull Trout) using changes in abundance and population structure such as length and age. Hybridization is also monitored as the N Mochnaez occurrence of hybrids might signal
significant environmental change. P Vescei/DFO The most southern location of the Dolly Varden is the Gayna River near Norman wells. This river also has a population of Bull Trout. It is the only known site in the - 5 - NWT where both species occur. Status of Dolly Varden ChangeChange in fish populations inin ocean-freshwater fish systems populations and Bull Trout
There is presently no evidence For More Information (genetic or morphological) for hybridization of Dolly Varden and Bull Trout from the interior of North America For more information on fish only use freshwater systems to carry out their Bull Trout in the NWT. The genetic Find more on the studies in the NWT contact life cycle. They are distributed in the western integrity of the two species is intact. NWT State of the portion of the NWT, in the rivers draining from Fisheries and Oceans Canada the Mackenzie Mountains south of the Sahtu at [email protected]. Environment report - Settlement Area. To date, the northernmost Virtually all stressors that are known to Wildlife Focal Point at record of Bull Trout is in the Gayna River. For the state of char in the Arctic This is the only location where Bull Trout and affect fish populations generally have www.enr.gov.nt.ca northern Dolly Varden are known to occur [in Arctic Report Card 2009], go to been documented outside the NWT as together. Bull Trout use similar habitats to those www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard of Dolly Varden in high-gradient freshwater affecting chars, a group which appears streams, however, populations are also found in larger slow-flowing rivers such as to be particularly susceptible to both the Mackenzie River itself, and occasionally local (e.g., exploitation) and pervasive in lakes. Although sample sizes are low, data suggest that non-migratory (stream- (e.g., climate change) stressors as well management and stressors of both resident), and migratory (adfluvial, and fluvial) chars and their ecosystems is required, populations occur in the NWT. Non-migratory as individual and cumulative effects fish are smaller once of stressors. Accordingly, appropriate particularly sexually mature and grow slower than migratory fish. care in addressing conservation, as wide-reaching changes may occur throughout the North in the future.
People can help track changes in fish populations in the NWT. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is looking for information on any new fish species in the NWT, especially on salmon entering the Mackenzie River drainage. The Department, in partnership with Aboriginal organizations in the NWT, is conducting studies on fish. N Mochnaez Bruce Ashley
P Vescei/DFO Rat River The most studied population of Dolly Varden in the NWT is in the Rat River. - 6 - of Biodiversity and Status Trends
Trend in Species At Risk Index
TrackingTracking the risk of losing the species risk of
The effects of the loss As of 2010, the NWT’s SARI tells us that Peregrine Falcon, a recovering species. Bio- less than 1% of our species are at risk of just one species can accumulation of insecticide had reduced their 10 mammals, 13 birds, capacity to produce viable eggs. of extinction in the next 100 years. 2 fish, and 2 amphibians have an irreversible So the vast majority of species in the occuring in the NWT have NWT are not at risk of extinction. Many impact on whole northern been assessed as a species/ NWT species that are categorized subspecies at risk in Canada, ecosystems. as ‘at risk’ on national or international lists are at greater risk elsewhere in ….and no NWT species The Species at Risk Index (SARI) Canada or the world, but the NWT of plants or insects have been tracks the probability of losing entire has responsibility for conserving large
assessed as a species at risk species during the next 100 years S Mathews portions of their remaining populations. in Canada. from our northern ecosystems. When the probability of extinction for entire species increases, the SARI increases. When the probability of extinction for species decreases, the SARI decreases.
The loss of entire species is a global concern. As in all northern regions, the NWT is home to fewer species than more temperate and tropical regions, but each species is well adapted to the harsh and variable northern environment. Short food webs and life at the limit of survival make northern ecosystems fragile. The effects of the loss of just one species can have SAR Index SARI is calculated by ENR, based on status assessments following the Committee on the irreversible impacts on whole northern Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.Assessments prior to 1970 are based on literature and local knowledge of past species numbers and trends. The SARI for amphibians and reptiles is higher than D Bleitz ecosystems. The SARI provides an overall for other groups because a high proportion (one third) of the species present in the NWT are at some look at how species in the NWT are doing. risk of extinction. The total number of species tracked for each group is noted in parentheses. Eskimo Curlew A NWT species probably extinct
- 7 - Trend in Species TrackingTracking the risk of losing the species risk At Risk Index of
The United Nations 2010 target calls for For More Information a reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss. Only one species in the NWT may have been lost forever. The Eskimo Curlew was Probability of extinction for a Find more on the NWT species is measured by a score of hunted for food on its wintering grounds State of the Environment species endangerment. The highest in the southern United States, and very score (4) goes to ‘Endangered’ report - Species at few have been observed for the past species, species that are at risk of risk Focal Point at 50 years. A century ago this species of disappearing in the next 100 years. www.enr.gov.nt.ca
shorebird nested in very large numbers The lowest score 0 goes to on the tundra in the NWT but now it may species that are not at risk of disappearing in the next 100 years. be extinct – lost from the entire planet. For more information on species at The risk of extinction of NWT species is risk in Canada: www.cosewic.gc.ca.
slowly worsening. Recent assessments Kris Kendell For more information on species at of frogs and toads, of arctic-nesting Northern Leopard Frog a species of special risk in the NWT www.enr.gov.nt.ca/. shorebirds, and of birds that are aerial concern. Most populations in western Canada have been reduced due to diseases and insect feeders have shown that the habitat change. NWT populations are small numbers are rapidly declining. The reasons and isolated. for these declines are not fully known, and include diseases in amphibian To help ensure that no species become populations and loss of wintering habitats at risk of extinction due to human for our migratory birds. Lessons from the activities in the NWT, the Species At Risk past, however, show that when threats (NWT) Act came into effect in 2010. are stopped or reduced, northern species can increase in numbers. J Nagy
There are new challenges facing species Peary caribou, a sub-species of caribou
in the NWT, including increasing threats endangered by a changing climate. Icing R Mulders events in warmer winters prevent them from due to climate change. reaching their food. Wolverine tracks This species is of special concern in western Canada. It is vulnerable to disturbance. - 8 - of Biodiversity and Status Trends
Status of endemic and globally rare species Maintaining rare biodiversity - a rare responsibility Maintaining rare bio
The unglaciated parts of the NWT ecosystems are home to types of Mackenzie Mountains are one plants and animals that exist nowhere NWT of the most biodiversity-rich else in the world; these species are called parts of the NWT. “endemics”. Other species found in the Maximum extent of glaciers in the Northwest Territories NWT also exist elsewhere, but are globally 17,350 years ago Our list of existing insects and rare – these species are only known to plants in the NWT is incomplete. exist in a few sites in the entire world. )" )")" ^_ Endemic and globally rare species are *#*# important genetic resources to protect. *# The map shows Zone of endemic species - extent of glaciers They could be important for future use the location of ice in the Northwest Territories 15,600 years ago in medicine, agriculture or to human sheets for a few hundred years well-being in general. Endemic species (about 15,000 years exist only in the NWT, so their conservation ago) after the ice started to retreat for future generations is entirely up to us. and the location of )" Banks Island Alkali Grass XW some rare plants in XW *# Drummond Bluebell the NWT. XW(! ^_ Hairy Rockcress Much of the NWT was covered by ice © GNWT 2010 (! XW during the last Ice Age, which ended Nahanni Aster (! Raup's Willow about 8,000 years ago. As a result, for the most part, NWT’s ecosystems are quite young on an evolutionary time a special component of our genetic the NWT are in Wood Buffalo National scale and very few rare species are found resources. Beringia is one of the regions Park. The NWT is also home to 40-60% of here. However, large tracts of land in the with the highest number of endemic the two sub-species of mammals that northern and western part of the NWT species in Canada. The NWT’s five rarest are rare in the world, the Peary caribou remained free of ice during the last Ice plant species are found in Beringia. (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) and the Age. These special places are called Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae). glacial refugia. In northern North America, One species of bird, the Whooping Conservation measures are in place these areas are part of a region called Crane (Grus americana), is rare and to preserve for future generations all Beringia, and harbour many species that endemic to North America. The NWT is home to about 90% of its wild breeding globally rare and endemic birds and A Veiteh survived during the last Ice Age. Some of mammals in the NWT, but we still have these species are rare today, and form population. Most of its nesting grounds in Mountain Sorel sampling Beringia is part of the areas with the highest number of rare species in the NWT. - 9 - Status of endemic and MaintainingMaintaining rare biodiversity - a rare responsibility rareglobally rare speciesbio
some work to do to protect our rare plants. For example, the new Species For More Information At Risk (NWT) Act will serve as a tool to assess in detail the conservation needs Go to ENR’s Species at Risk webpage Find more on the NWT of the NWT’s species and put appropriate for information on conservation State of the Environment efforts of rare and endemic conservation measures in place. Also, report - Genetic species at www.enr.gov.nt.ca/. the NWT Protected Areas Strategy, Resources Focal Point through its “Special Features” analysis, Go to the NWT Protected Area at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. provides an excellent tool to ensure Strategy webpage for more J Overholt that our globally rare and endemic information on Special Features and the extent to which they plants are identified for conservation. Drummond Bluebell A globally rare species - are captured in established and Only found at three sites in the northern NWT near the Beaufort Sea and 7 sites in Nunavut proposed areas for conservation and Alaska. at www.nwtpas.ca/.
NatureServe Canada provides information on rare species in Canada at www. Hairy Rockcress The only known location in the world where this species exist is in the natureserve-canada.ca/. NWT - Cape Bathurst in the Southern Arctic. This species is in an area protected under the Paulatuk Community Conservation Plan.
Species endemic to the NWT exist only in the NWT, so their conservation G Court for future generations is Whooping crane a globally rare species - Nesting populations in the NWT are only in entirely up to us.
Wood Buffalo National Park and just north of J Semple it, in the Taiga Plains.
J Harris Nahanni Aster An endemic plant found only in the Nahanni National Park Reserve - 10 - Ecosystem Integrity Ecosystem
Trends in extent of ecosystems EcosystemsEcosystems - Diversity covers this- Diversity Land
Land cover information is Sustainable Development of Forests About 20% of the Forests In the NWT, resource-based (EOSD) classified Landsat coverage NWT is covered by lakes, rivers essential for sustainable economies are growing, including oil and gas and wetlands. exploration and extraction, and mining. Most of Canada for the forested areas of exploration and development activities will be NWT. Land cover information for the management, planning in the forested ecozones, particularly in the Taiga Plains along the Mackenzie River and northern regions of NWT is incomplete near NWT communities. and monitoring and is from the Northern Canada About of the NWT is covered by forests. environmental change. Land Cover Classification Product.
Concern over the state of the earth’s ecosystems has resulted in an increased of the NWT is This information shows how land cover Only 1% need for accurate land cover information. permanently covered by snow and vegetation communities are distributed and ice. Land cover information is essential for across the NWT landscape. Currently, high resolution information necessary to detect sustainable management, planning trends in the extent of land cover is not available for all areas of the NWT. and monitoring environmental change. Vegetation information is important to D Downing/GNWT establish baseline information that may be used to examine ecosystem integrity cover information, and obtain new and changes to vegetation patterns detailed air-photo based vegetation at the landscape level. Monitoring inventories every 10 years. The NWT changes in land cover is required to meet agencies have high resolution satellite commitments made to international information for about ¾ of its surface; agreements on climate change and a large portion of the Northern Arctic biodiversity. This information is useful for ecozone was not surveyed at this a variety of reporting purposes, particularly resolution. In addition, the NWT agencies on a Canadian basis. It is also important to have air photos only for localized monitor, and to track cumulative impacts. areas, and it is not updated on a
D Downing/GNWT Some jurisdictions in Canada have regular basis. The land cover shown complete high resolution satellite land here is from the Earth Observation for Tundra Peat Polygon In addition to using satellite imagery, the NWT Ecosystem Classification Group is taking thousands of angled air photos and verifying - 11 - land cover on the ground. Trends in extent EcosystemsEcosystems - Diversity covers this- Diversity Land of ecosystems
Broadleaf , Mixed Wood For More Information 5% Find more on the NWT State of the The dataset used to track land No Data Environment report - 20% cover in the NWT, for the southern NWT Ecozones, is from EOSD, a joint Landscape Changes at Coniferous program of the Canadian Forest www. enr.gov.nt.ca 23% Service and the Canadian Space Find more on the Agency. It was developed as part NWT Ecosystem of a forest monitoring system for Water Classification report at 13% Canada. EOSD is designed to www.enr.gov.nt.ca. Grasslands provide, over the long term, using 5% space-based earth observation data, Marshes, Snow/Ice products for forest inventory, forest fens, bogs 1% carbon accounting, monitoring Tundra 8% (moss) Rock, rubble and of sustainable development, and Shrubs 8% exposed land landscape management. Inputs 12% 5% from EOSD are an important data source in the National Forest Source: EOSD and Northern Canada Land Cover Classification Product. Carbon Accounting Framework and Canada’s new plot-based National Forest Inventory. The dataset used Land cover types are diverse. The water land to track land cover on the Northern Since 2005, the NWT Ecosystem cover includes lakes and rivers, but not the ocean. Arctic and Southern Arctic ecozones Classification Group has been classifying are from the Northern Canada the NWT into ecologically meaningful land cover product produced units, called ecoregions, based on by Canada Centre for Remote Sensing. Both datasets are based climate, physiography, and vegetation on Landsat satellite imagery. forms. The work is producing baseline information on NWT ecosystems and is being used by the State of the C O’ Brian Environment Report to track the status Treeline Many species of trees and shrubs are at and trends of many environmental their northern range limit in the NWT. The effects of climate change on the treeline in the NWT are not indicators, including biodiversity. yet well understood but it is recognized that changing temperature and precipitation patterns could affect the - 12 - natural ranges of many tree and shrub species. Ecosystem Integrity Ecosystem Trends in Arctic sea ice UpdateUpdate on a Frozen on Ecosystem a frozen
The minimum extent of sea Sea ice trend studies extents for multiyear sea ice have ice in the Arctic occurs every occurred in 2008 and 2009. Winter sea Beaufort Gyre and other currents in the for the Canadian Arctic Arctic Ocean. September. The September ice continues to form every year. Image © http://www.aquatic.uoguelph. ca/oceans/ArticOceanWeb/Currents/ ice extent decreased by indicate that while some frontpagecur.htm Reductions in minimum sea ice cover 11.2 percent per decade areas show significant in September are not occurring at the since 1979. negative trends, other same rate everywhere. The most rapid Some areas in the Beaufort declines are occurring in the Arctic areas do not yet display Sea and between the western basin, north of Alaska, in the Barents Arctic islands do not yet detectable trends or are Sea, in the southern Beaufort Sea and display detectable declines in increasing. north of Scandinavia. Sea ice trend sea ice because ice is pushed studies for the Canadian Arctic, however, indicate that while some areas show up in this region by currents Changes in global climate are predicted significant negative trends, many areas such as the Beaufort Gyre. to be greater and more rapid in the do not yet display detectable trends. Arctic than elsewhere. Observations This is primarily due to ice being piled of September minimum sea ice cover up in this area by the normal clockwise provide an indication of climate changes motion of the entire Arctic ice pack in the Beaufort Sea. Sea ice is an important called the Beaufort Gyre and transpolar habitat component for Arctic wildlife drift. The reduction in sea ice extent is and an important factor affecting local accompanied by decreased thickness, and global climate. Changes in the which in turn makes the ice more mobile. formation of Arctic ice are affecting the NWT environment in a complex way.
Arctic Cod The effects of changes in sea Large reductions in the extent of thick ice on marine ecosystems and biodiversity in the Beaufort Sea are being studied. There multi-year sea ice have occurred in are many knowledge gaps. For example, recent summers. To date, the sharpest what will be the effect of reduced sea ice on key fish species (e.g. Arctic Cod), an Cases decline in summertime sea ice (minimum) important part of the marine food web in the Beaufort Sea? cover occurred in 2007. The minimum Gradiner/Bluhm UAF/NOAA/COML Sea Ice Reductions in ice cover and ice thickness are resulting in increased vulnerability of Beaufort coastal communities to storm surges and coastal erosion. - 13 - UpdateUpdate on a Frozen on Ecosystem a frozenTrends in Arctic sea ice
For More Information
More information on studies Find more on the NWT conducted in the Beaufort Sea State of the Environment can be found at www.ipy-cfl.ca. report - Big Picture – More information on sea ice can be A Changing Planet at found on the Canadian Ice Service www.enr.gov.nt.ca web page at www.ice-glaces. ec.gc.ca/ and the US National Snow and Ice Data Center at nsidc.org.
More on Inuit links to sea ice at www.naho.ca/inuit/ english/documents/ unikkaaqatigiit012_000.pdf.
Source: Canadian Ice Service Trends in summer total accumulated coverage for all ice types combined, of Manitoba 1966-2008. Trends are expressed as a University percent change per decade. In much of the Arctic Islands, there is no change. However Food Chain near Polynya A polynya is in the Beaufort Sea there is less ice. an area surrounded by ice that has open water or very thin ice almost year-round. All polynyas are rich in marine biodiversity. The most important area in the Beaufort Sea for biodiversity is the Cape Bathurst polynya between Cape Bathurst on the mainland and Thin Ice Local knowledge studies indicate Banks Island. In recent years, very warm that changes in sea ice are resulting in winters and changing sea ice distribution resulted in the formation of the polynya two
increasing dangers during off-shore travels Cases to access biological resources such as seals, months earlier than normal, and a delay in and other wildlife, especially in fall and spring. the re-freezing of the area until late in fall.
Cases Polar Bears So far, a decrease in sea ice has been linked to possible declines in the South Beaufort - 14 - population of polar bears and to increased sightings of killer whales in the same region. Ecosystem Integrity Ecosystem
Trends in integrity of important aquatic habitats WaterWater linking biodiversity linking biodiv
furbearers such as beaver, muskrat water retention and recovery; and NWT is home to many deltas Deltas and wetlands and marten. Deltas require flooding the removal and detoxification of important for biodiversity. provide important habitat to sustain high biodiversity. Nutrient excess nutrients and pollutants. Great Bear Lake is the largest for many species found in rich sediment accompanying a flood Wetlands also protect upland lake entirely within Canada. ensures high plant productivity and areas from storms and flooding. the NWT. continued development of the outer delta The lake’s surface area NWT partners are developing a NWT is 31,000 km2. landforms. The landforms are essential We all depend on clean water. Biodiversity Water Stewardship Strategy to guide for providing feeding, staging and enables aquatic ecosystems to provide efforts to keep NWT waters clean, Great Slave Lake is the breeding habitat for thousands of services such as clean water. Aquatic abundant and productive guarding deepest lake in North America waterfowl. Wetlands provide a significant ecosystem monitoring is a tool to ensure ecosystems against impacts that at more than 600 metres. range of ecosystem services such as the health of an aquatic ecosystem accumulate over time from multiple groundwater recharge and discharge; including its biodiversity. To ensure sources, including climate change. ecological integrity and human health, Multiple partners need to collaborate to ecosystem monitoring is important. improve knowledge and understanding Aquatic ecosystem monitoring includes of northern aquatic ecosystems and selected indicators of water quality to improve the use of biological and water quantity as well as biological indicators in monitoring the integrity indicators such as invertebrates, fish, of important aquatic habitat, such as deltas. At present, primarily water
mammals, and aquatic plants. D Mulders 2 quality and quantity are measured. Deltas are important aquatic habitats The Ramparts River and wetlands (Ts’ude niline Tu’eyeta) Water quality is determined by the in the Mackenzie River Basin and they The Ramparts River meanders through highlight the strong link between water significant wetlands and traditional places amount of nutrients, minerals, micro- before it enters the Mackenzie River. quality, water quantity and biodiversity. The Ramparts is presently a candidate organisms, chemicals, metals and other protected area under the NWT Protected substances in water and sediments. Fish and aquatic mammals breed, rear Areas Strategy. This diverse area provides young, and overwinter in our deltas. vital habitat for many mammals and birds These substances may be from natural including moose, waterfowl and aquatic furbearers. The wetlands are an important sources or pollutants from human
Parks Canada/John David Mckinnon David Canada/John Parks Deltas and nearby area are important 1 hunting, trapping and fishing area for people activities. During high water periods such places for local people to harvest from Fort Good Hope. Whooping Crane Wetlands, Wood Buffalo National as spring freshet and summer rainstorms, Park, Ramsar Site The whooping crane summer range is in Wood Buffalo National Park. This wetland area is designated through the Ramsar Convention - 15 - on Wetlands signed by Canada in1971. Trends in integrity of WaterWater linking biodiversity linking biodivimportant aquatic habitats
sediment loads are normally higher and is causing ponds to drain , which can have For More Information so rivers may become cloudy. High metal negative effects on aquatic biodiversity. concentrations such as copper and iron Biological indicators of aquatic ecosystem from the surrounding environment can be For indicators on water quality and Find more on the water quantity, consult the Mackenzie associated with these sediment loads. integrity include algal biomass, diversity NWT State of the of invertebrates, and bioaccumulation River Basin Board’s summary State of the aquatic Ecosystem Environment report at Water quantity fluctuates naturally with of contaminants in fish. These indicators Report 2003 at www.mrbb.ca/. www. enr.gov.nt.ca seasons. Over the course of the year, provide information about the health For the full version of the report go levels of water need to be high enough of the aquatic ecosystem. By regularly to www.swa.ca/Publications/ AquaticEcosystem.asp. to maintain river flows and oxygen levels monitoring such indicators, changes sufficient to support biodiversity. Changes in the ecosystem can be identified. For Canadian Water Quality to water levels and river flows can be Guidelines go to www.ec.gc. ca/ceeqg-rcqe/English/ caused by dams built by animals, such as For example, changes in environmental ceqg/water/default.cfm. beavers, or humans. Climate change can quality may be reflected by changes For Environment Canada and influence water quantity. For example, in abundance of sensitive species of INAC Hydrometric network, go benthic (water bottom) invertebrates. permafrost melting in the Mackenzie Delta to www.wsc.ec.gc.ca/.
For information on the Ramparts River and Wetlands, and the Protected Areas Strategy go to www.nwtpas.ca.
For information on Drinking water 2 quality, go to www.maca.gov.nt.ca/ opertations/water/homepage.asp.
3 Terracolor
1 3 The Slave River Delta Many species of birds nest or stop over the Slave - 16 - River Delta during migration; four major continental migratory bird flyways cross this area. Ecosystem Integrity Ecosystem
Trends in protection of important ecological areas CreatingCreating a protected areasa protected network
The percentage of protected Protected areas and land work together to establish a network proposed areas are subject to change areas in the NWT is increasing. of protected areas across the NWT. and not all may become areas use plans are important The PAS does not set a target for the protected by legislation or conservation Since 2003, the amount of tools for conserving percentage of land that should be zones under land use plans. New areas land in the NWT in established protected, but rather has the goals to may also be identified, but the focus protected areas and biodiversity. protect: (1) special natural and cultural at this phase of the PAS is to assess and Conservation Zones in land areas; and (2) core representative areas establish already identified areas. use plans has increased from This indicator tracks the amount of within each ecoregion where resource- 6.7% to 9.5% in 2010, land set aside for conservation through based development is not permitted. totalling 128,000 km2 of the protected areas and land use plans. NWT land base (including Protected areas and land use plans are Amount of land protected in the NWT: fresh water). important tools for conserving biodiversity, 9.5% (as of 2010) This is 128,000 km2. ecological processes, and special % of the NWT portion natural and cultural values. Reporting on protected areas and land use plans Northern Arctic 14.9 reflects actions that society has taken Southern Arctic 20.4 to maintain a healthy and productive Taiga Shield 3.0 environment. Tracking stewardship and Taiga Plains 4.0 progress is part of the Convention on Cordillera 20.5 Biological Diversity, an international Parks Canada/John David McKinnon David Canada/John Parks agreement signed by Canada in 1992. Additional areas in the NWT are currently
being considered for protection. Two Wood Buffalo National Park The largest Since 1999, the NWT has had a National Park in Canada and one of the National Park Reserves are under interim 2 Protected Areas Strategy (PAS). It is a largest parks in the world at 44,807km . protection. In the PAS process, four Established in 1922, the Park has also partnership among communities, federal, received international designations including candidate National Wildlife Areas are under becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site territorial and Aboriginal governments, interim protection and other areas are at in 1983 and contains wetlands that have environmental non-governmental been designated a Ramsar site. The Park
A Foley various stages of the process established contains about 86% of the summer nesting organizations, and industry. The partners through the PAS. The boundaries of all habitat for the Whooping Crane, an endangered species. Edéhzhíe The Edéhzhíe working group released their Recommendation Report in November 2009, including a proposed final boundary that was 57% of the original size of the Candidate Area. - 17 - Trends in protection of CreatingCreating a protected areasa protected network important ecological areas
For More Information
Find more on this Special places and common indicator in the NWT lands – all need protection. The PAS incorporates the best conservation State of the Environment science methods and traditional Report – Protected knowledge to ensure a network Areas and Land Use of culturally and ecologically Planning Focal Point representative areas is protected. at www.enr.gov.nt.ca
For more information on the NWT PAS please visit www.nwtpas.ca. H. Locke H. Locke
Moose in the Thelon The Thelon Game Sanctuary was created by Order in Council in 1927 and is the largest wildlife refuge in Canada, covering 52,000km2. The Sanctuary protects a variety of animals, including moose, muskoxen, wolves and grizzly bears.
Established protected areas and approved Land Use Plan Conservation Zones larger than 10km2 in the NWT are mapped here. These include
the Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary, National Parks, National Park Reserves, Erica Janes Protected National Historic Site, the Pingo Canadian Landmark, Gwich’in Conservation Zones and Heritage Conservation Zones, Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, Territorial Parks, Territorial Park Reserves, and areas Saoyú -?ehdacho In 2009, two large areas were protected under land claim agreements. added to the network: the establishment of Saoyú -?ehdacho in the Sahtu as a Protected National Historic Site (5,550 km2) and the expansion of the Nahanni National Park Reserve (from 4,766 km2 to - 18 - approximately 30,000 km2). Knowledge in the NWT of Status Traditional
Traditional knowledge, innovations and practices AA Tradition Tradition of Knowledge Innovations of Know
Traditonal Knowledge (TK) is beliefs, customs, knowledges, values and About ½ of the NWT’s languages of the people being served. population is Aboriginal. a valid and essential source GNWT departments and agencies will Camping The Aboriginal peoples of the NWT have acquired a vast store of TK document, acknowledge, and report through their experience of centuries of Nine Aboriginal languages of information about the living in close harmony with the land. on TK initiatives on a regular basis. are spoken in the NWT. Use natural environment and of Aboriginal languages is its resources, the use of slowly declining in the NWT. Loss of these languages, natural resources, or loss of fluency from one and the relationship of generation to the next, can result in loss of traditional people to the land and ecological knowledge. to each other.
Many studies use specialized techniques to
gather information from a TK perspective. D Allaire Inventories of works and stories help in sharing local knowledge by transferring TK is knowledge and values, which have been acquired through experience, observation, from the land or from spiritual teachings, and handed down from one generation to another. oral concepts to the printed form or Examples of how organizations in the NWT are integrating TK in programs and services: the interactive Internet form. Interview •The Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board is recording and mapping Gwich’in techniques are one of the most efficient Elders’ knowledge through their Gwich’in Environmental Knowledge Project. and accepted ways to study TK and •Traditional knowledge is part of the monitoring of cumulative impacts through local knowledge on very specific issues, the NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program. questions or subjects. Primary responsibility •The new Science Agenda for the Government of the Northwest Territories makes particular recommendations to enhance TK research as part of the research for the preservation and promotion of needs in the North. TK lies with Aboriginal communities. •The Sahtu Renewable Resources Board is studying TK and caribou •Tlîchô people are gathering TK to develop an ecological classification system Organizations in the NWT, including
J Nagy for their land the GNWT, recognize that programs •Inuvialuit communities are gathering TK on the effects of climate change on their and services should be designed and Grey Jay Helping to clean up after a hunt. use of the land and sea ice and on wildlife. delivered in a manner consistent with the - 19 - Traditional knowledge, AA Tradition Tradition of Knowledge Innovations of Knowinnovations and practices
The GNWT incorporated TK into For More Information a number of projects, including environmental monitoring, and For more information the GNWT Find more on Traditional the management of our wildlife TK Implementation Plan and the Knowledge in the NWT and forest resources. However, GNWT TK Policy, go to www.enr. State of the Environment there is opportunity for further gov.nt.ca, follow Our Environment, Report – Demography then Traditional Knowledge links. implementation. The GNWT TK and Environment Policy Implementation Framework More information on NWT Cumulative Awareness focal points Impact Monitoring Program can at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. identifies the following key priorities: be found at www.cimpnwt.ca.
•Better overall coordination of TK Policy R Gau implementation; Seal Skin Interviews with hunters and •More consistent orientation, awareness, trappers have provided valuable information on changes in wildlife and their habitat, and how and training opportunities relating to TK; Canoe TK is best preserved through these changes are reflected in people’s social continued use of the land and waterways and life and activities on the land. •Development of stronger and by practical application. Traditional practices more effective collaborative promote respect for the land and wildlife. relationships with the holders of TK, through their Aboriginal governments, cultural institutes, and resource management agencies;
•Greater acknowledgement and promotion of successful TK initiatives;
•Ongoing departmental support and guidance to staff with respect to TK implementation issues;
•Clear commitment of the resources Rescan required to implement the TK Policy; and
•Measures to monitor and report on TK implementation initiatives.
D Allaire Rat Root Knowledge of traditional medicine may be declining - 20 - Use of Biodiversity Services, and Sustainable Goods and Ecosystem
Status of sustainable sources for ecosystem goods and services Co-managementCo-management for Sustainable Use for
Hunting, fishing and trapping are Principles of sustainable harvesting important activities for many northerners. are detailed in each agreement. 60% of the NWT has For Dene, Métis and Inuvialuit, these These principles include: formal renewable resource activities are essential to cultural identity, •Affirm rights to harvest; co-management systems •Conservation and protection forming a link to the artistic, spiritual, stemming from land claim of wildlife and wildlife habitat; and social fabric of daily life. In northern •Respect for traditional customs and practices; settlement agreements. Canada, sustainable use of wildlife is •Involvement of settlement beneficiaries in all wildlife management activities; seen as a personal responsibility, as •Integration of planning and management ENR Archive a form of respect owed to the entire for all land and water use; •Fair dealing between beneficiaries Beluga Marine mammals harvest is community and to future generations. declining, and includes beluga whales for and non-beneficiaries. subsistence in the Mackenzie Estuary. The decline is not due to reduction in stock size. Sustainable use of biodiversity is Populations are stable. an important part of all land claim Trapping The number of trappers in the agreements in the NWT. These NWT is stable after a decline in the past 20 years. Trapping records are variable as many agreements are enshrined in federal northern populations of furbearers, such as Fishing Most NWT people fish for legislation and establish a formal muskrat, fox, lynx, ermine, squirrel, fisher, and subsistence. The number of fishing licence otter show natural cycles in numbers. There is sold in the NWT is declining. Commercial co-management system. an increase in harvests of marten. fishing on Great Slave Lake has declined. There is no commercial take of marine fishes in the Beaufort Sea. Renewable resources boards are the main instruments for wildlife management in each settlement area and provide recommendations for managing fish, wildlife and plants. These boards have equal members from Aboriginal groups and government. DFO
Although Ringed Seal remain numerous, harvests are now about 10% of the harvest levels of 1960’s and Bruce Ashley 1970’s. Present day harvest is for subsistence and G Erasmus/GNWT handicrafts. There is strong evidence that seal body condition and reproduction are declining along with the - 21 - ecosystem given changes in sea ice and seal prey. Status of sustainable sources for ecosystem Co-managementCo-management for Sustainable Use goodsfor and services
In the NWT, adaptive management For More Information of harvested species is based on the best available information, including traditional and local ecological The formal co-management Find more in the system in the NWT fully addresses knowledge. This informs on the best NWT State of the all the principles and guidelines actions needed to ensure sustainable A Gunn set out under the United Nations Environment Report use of all harvested species in the NWT. Convention on Biological Diversity – Use of Renewable Caribou Caribou and many other northern for the sustainable use of biodiversity. Resources focal point species have large natural cycles in numbers. Co-operative planning actions are There are declines in all herds of barren- Learn more on the Addis Ababa at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. Principles and Guidelines at www. increasing. Management plans are being ground caribou in last decade. Barren-ground caribou hunting was reduced in recent years to cbd.int/sustainable/addis.shtml completed or updated for each cross- allow recovery of herds. Some herds are now stable due to management actions, but are still boundary herd of barren-ground caribou For more information on programs low in numbers. related to sustainable use of through multi-jurisdictional processes. biodiversity in the Northwest Management strategies have been Territories go to the report Biodiversity developed for barren-ground caribou Action Plan: Major Initiatives on and bison, and formal management Biodiversity at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. planning is being implemented for boreal caribou, grizzly bear and polar bear. Fisheries management plans exist for dolly varden and arctic char. A watershed management plan for Great Bear Lake is complete, and one is being developed for Great Slave Inuvialuit Settlement Region Lake. The North American Waterfowl Gwich’in Settlement Area Management Plan lays out the actions Sahtu Settlement Area
to use waterfowl in a sustainable fashion J Nagy Tlicho Wek’èezhì Management Area across North America, including the NWT.
Preparing Seal Skin Harvesters keep track of the resource. The co-management system has been in - 22 - place in some areas of the NWT since the 1980s. Use of Biodiversity Services, and Sustainable Goods and Ecosystem Trends in country food use FromFrom Country FoodCountry to Healthy People Food
Resources from the land are closely linked to The most direct link between people About 40-60% and their environment is through food. of NWT people living in small Aboriginal social, cultural and spiritual values. The NWT is rich in mammal, bird and fish communities in every ecozone populations, as well as plants that have rely on country food for at been used for medicine for generations. least 75% of their meat Northern communities and people, are These populations continue to sustain key components of their environments. Aboriginal peoples in the NWT. and fish Dene law The northern environment has shaped NWT’s most common country the society and economy of northern • Share all the big game you kill; Loss of access and reduction in foods are caribou, moose, cultures and furthermore, northern abundance in country food are two • Share fish if you catch more than ducks, geese, seals, hare, communities have affected the health you need for yourself and there are of the most direct ways people would Grouse, Ptarmigan, of their environments. Due to this others who don’t have any; lake trout, char (dolly varden), relationship, a northern community’s Source: Dehcho First Nations inconnu (conny), white fish, health and well-being are directly Walking Down to Camp Residents in small- pike, burbot (lake cod), dependent upon the quality of the medium communities rely more on country food than residents in the largest community, blueberries, cranberries, environment in which its people are living. Yellowknife. and cloudberries. Resources from the land are closely linked to Aboriginal social, cultural and spiritual values. Hunting, fishing and trapping are important activities for many northerners and provide a significant portion of a household’s food and income. For Dene, Métis and Inuvialuit, these activities are regarded as an essential part of cultural identity, forming a link to the artistic, spiritual and social fabric of daily life. J Nagy K Hickling Woodland Caribou in the Mackenzie Mountains Caribou are one of the most used country foods for many people in the NWT. - 23 - FromFrom Country FoodCountry to Healthy People FoodTrends in country food use
note a change in the state of their For More Information biodiversity. People who harvest NWT resources actively monitor the health of wildlife populations to ensure sustainable For more information on NWT’s Find more in the NWT Social Indicators, go to NWT Bureau use. Changes in the use of country State of the Environment of Statistics at www.gov.nt.ca. food can impact both the state of the Report – Use of environment and stewardship actions. For more information on the Renewable Resources co-management system, go to at www.enr.gov.nt.ca
S Kutz the NWT Biodiversity Action Plan Changing climate is predicted to have – Major Initiative on biodiversity a significant impact on the ability of Drying Meat NWT residents show a high at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. NWT people to access country food, to reliance on country food as a daily source of energy and essential nutrients. be able to store, dry, freeze and hence conserve, this food, and to be able to predict animal behaviour and weather patterns to successfully harvest this food.
The sustainable use of these important resources is essential to future generations. The GNWT, with the collaboration of Aboriginal governments and authorities responsible for wildlife management S Carriere in the NWT, is currently drafting a new
Wildlife Act that will provide for modern Cranberries About 25% of people from small- ways to manage these resources medium sized communities in the forested ecozones of the NWT gather berries. About in an innovative fashion based on 10% of these people also gather other plants. About 15-25% of people from communities co-management principles. in the tundra ecozones gather berries. The percentage of people from Yellowknife involved in these activities was slightly lower; still, 13%
of people in Yellowknife gathered berries in the D Heard surveyed year (2002). Arctic Grayling Considering the relatively low quality and high cost of market food available in most small - 24 - communities in the North, country food and the land sustaining this resource are essential to the health of NWT’s people. Threats to biodiversity Threats
Status of fragmentation due to human activities in forested areas AlmostAlmost pristine – tracking fragmentation Pristine of NWT ecosystems - track
considered unique and if fragmented, Wildland fires and seismic Features on the it cannot be replaced elsewhere. lines are the two main causes landscape will affect of landscape changes in the There is more fragmentation due to Northwest Territories movement of wildlife, human activities in some forested areas with some animals using in the NWT: the southern NWT, near the Mackenzie River in the Sahtu, and in the the linear features as Mackenzie Delta. Most high fragmentation densities are due to seismic lines. transportation corridors, b D Downing/GNWT and other animals Many agencies including government, Sector b A group of ecoregions in the Sahtu First Nations and industry are working show 20-40% fragmentation due to seismic avoiding the openings. lines and wells: Coville Hills, and Arctic together to develop coordinated Red Plains and North Mackenzie Plains mechanisms for tracking and ecoregions. Habitats in the NWT are naturally reporting on landscape changes fragmented. For example, forests are that can affect biodiversity. part of a natural mosaic of wetlands, peatlands, and areas burned by wildland these areas. As more development fires that is always changing. Biodiversity of infrastructure and of renewable in the NWT has adapted to this level of and non-renewable resources occurs natural fragmentation. The fragmentation in the NWT, management agencies densities calculated in this indicator are monitoring cumulative impacts of result from human activities and should fragmentation on the NWT’s biodiversity. be considered in addition to the natural fragmentation of the landscape. This indicator calculates the fragmentation density in each of the NWT’s forested Land use activities impact the natural ecoregions. These ecoregions are environment in many ways. Some activities
subdivisons of the NWT’s larger D Downing/GNWT remove vegetation and add to the ecozones. Ecoregions have distinctive c fragmentation of the natural landscape ecological factors, including climate, Sector c In the Liard Upland and Liard D Downing/GNWT Plains, features such as seismic lines, for many generations. Large herbivores, physiography, vegetation, soil, water a wells sites, and roads result in 30-60% such as caribou, are known to avoid and fauna. Each ecoregion can be fragmentation. Sector a Mackenzie Delta ecoregion: human features result in 30-40% fragmentation in the Mackenzie Delta mostly from seismic lines, winter roads, and gas wells. - 25 - Status of fragmentation due to human activities AlmostAlmost pristine – tracking fragmentation Pristine of NWT ecosystems -in forested areastrack
Feature Type and Buffer Find more on this indicator in the NWT Fragmentation density levels were State of the Environment determined by buffering features Report - Landscape using a certain distance (buffer Changes focal point at radius) and calculating the total www.enr.gov.nt.ca. buffered area of all features in each ecoregion. Overlapping Find more on buffer areas were only calculated ecoregions and NWT once, then the total buffered area Ecological Classification was divided by the total area of at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. each ecoregion. Feature types and the size of the buffer radius are tabled in the section "Sources and Acknowledgements", p36. a
b
c J Nagy d Caribou was selected to estimate fragmentation density because it is a highly Fragmentation density levels are in km2 by km2. Ecoregion information for the non-forested areas of the NWT is valued ecosystem component. not yet available, and is not included on this map. See information box for more details. A level of 0.6 km2/km2 d /GNWT D Downing means that in an ecoregion, an animal, such as a Caribou, has 60% chance of being within a buffer zone near a human feature. © GNWT 2010. Details for sectors are provided with photos. Sector D On the Cameron Plateau and Upland ecoregions seismic lines and well sites, and roads result - 26 - in 40-66% fragmentation in addition to fires that are part of natural disturbance regime. Threats to biodiversity Threats
Trends in observed effects of climate change AA climate Climate of uncertainties of Uncert
warming in the Arctic in some years Winter temperatures are Natural climate causing rapid and less predictable increasing in the NWT. fluctuations, such as changes in northern ecosystems.
In the tundra areas of the El Niño, enhance the NWT animals have adapted to short NWT, the growing season has effects of continued intense summers and long periods of lengthened by 5 days. snow cover by migrating, hibernating or warming in the Arctic. changing behaviour and food sources to In the forested areas G Court optimize survival and reproduction. Our the growing season has The variable weather and extreme climate plants have adapted to fire, short intense growing seasons, and long cold and lengthened by days and of the NWT are part of our environment. 9 Moving North Some species that are common This indicator tells us how this variability dry winters. Changes in temperature, the snow season shortened in southern Canada are extending their range snow cover, and the length of both the is changing or becoming less predictable. into the NWT. The best known of these range by 12 days since 1950. extension is for the Black-billed Magpie. This growing and snow seasons will have an Seasonal average temperatures vary species is now found as far north as the Sahtu. impact on plant and wildlife behaviour A warming winter climate best explains these Snowfall is low in the Arctic, and growth patterns, and ultimately on greatly between years in the NWT. rapid range extensions. but it has increased by about However, in addition to these large their distribution and survival. Species 20-40% compared to the fluctuations, temperatures in the past previously not capable of surviving in They have also noticed more freezing 15 years have been warmer now than our ecosystems may extend in the NWT 1950-1980. rain in the winter in the Southern Arctic during 1950-1980. Warming temperatures if we have less severe snow seasons and (Inuvik and Paulatuk). Precipitation in are most notable in winter and spring. the forested areas of the NWT is highly The Inuvialuit have noticed higher variable, and in contrast to the Arctic, temperatures in all seasons and winter winter snowfall in most parts of the lows are not as extreme as before. forested areas of the NWT is declining.
Precipitation also varies greatly between The rate of change in temperature and years across the NWT. The greatest precipitation is faster than what climate changes are occurring during winter in the change models have predicted. Normal
Arctic (tundra areas of the NWT), where © M Oldham/GNWT climatic variations do not fully explain snowfall has increased by up to 40%, but these warming winters and changes the season with snow cover has shortened River The Mackenzie River is ice-free earlier
GNWT/ J Nagy in precipitation. There is evidence that and minimum flows in winter are higher. How by 5 days in the Arctic compared to the natural climate fluctuations, such as El these changes are affecting fish and aquatic 1950-1980s. The Inuvialuit have noticed organisms is unclear. Niño, enhance the effects of continued that precipitation is harder to predict. Peary Caribou The Endangered Peary Caribou decline dramatically during icing events that prevent access to their food in winter. - 27 - Trends in observed effects AA climate Climate of uncertainties of Uncert of climate change
longer growing seasons. Species adapted to cold may show population declines. Storm surges in the Beaufort Sea are becoming more frequent. In 1999, one large The effects of changes in our climate surge impacted the outer Mackenzie Delta, when salt water killed a large section of Find more in the on biodiversity are being tracked. delta vegetation. NWT State of the Studies show that some changes Environment Report - Climate Fluctuations, are measurable but subtle. Other GNWT/D Downing Weather and Climate, studies show that a warming climate Permafrost, and Species is enhancing, in a cumulative fashion, Permafrost and Tundra Degrading permafrost at Risk focal points at the effect of other changes in land use increases slumping, which results in changes www.enr.gov.nt.ca. and disturbance on our biodiversity. in tundra vegetation, including more shrubs. Thaw slumps are changing the ecology of Arctic ponds. Tundra biomass is increasing – A Climate Change Adaptation Strategy including more shrubs in some areas. Plants has been developed for the NWT. are producing leaves earlier. Taiga trees are dying on the edge of peat plateaus where the Detailed adaptation plans for forests permafrost is melting.
and biodiversity have been initiated. B Decker J Nagy
Mismatch in the timing of food availability © GNWT/A Veitch Climate change is making insect emerge
early in spring. This food (insects) is available P Nicklen Parasites A nematode was recently discovered earlier than the peak breeding period for some in Dall’s sheep in the NWT (2001). A climate- species of migratory birds nesting in the Arctic Polar Bear Changes in sea ice in the South parasite model predicts that with climate and boreal forest. This mismatch in the timing Beaufort Sea may be linked to more polar warming areas further north would be suitable of insect emergence and bird breeding period bears coming on land during the fall open- for more types of parasites. The effects of is thought to be one cause of bird population water period, increasing travel distances and D Downing/GNWT changes in parasites and disease loads in declines. Lesser Scaup populations have people-bear conflicts. This population of bear is Fire Season Since the 1990s fires are occurring earlier northern wildlife need to be monitored. declined in the last decades. the only one possibly in decline in the NWT. in spring and later in summer, making the “fire season” longer. Climate change models are predicting an increase in forest fires in the next decades. However, in - 28 - the NWT, the number of fires and the area burned each year remain variable with yet no increasing trends. Threats to biodiversity Threats
Trends in invasive alien species InvadersInvaders of the Northwest of Territories the North
None of our species of Invasive alien species mammals are alien to the NWT. are recognized as one Scentless Chammomile An alien plant from Some species are moving from Europe, is now found along all highways in the the south, such as white-tail deer of the most harmful threats Northwest Territories. and elk, possibly due to climate to native ecosystems change or habitat changes, but and species. none of these are considered alien, as they have not been In southern Canada, and elsewhere in introduced by humans. the world, invasive plants and animals House Sparrow This bird will take over nesting holes and chase away other species of birds We do not know of any have become the second greatest from an area. This sparrow only occurs in or near aquatic invasive species threat to biodiversity after habitat loss. communities in the NWT. Three known alien birds in the NWT. Although the NWT has seen few invasive are already in the NWT – one of them is invasive: the House Sparrow. The other two, rock pigeon alien species to date, we should not be and European starling, are invasive further south complacent. With changing climate but so far have not spread widely enough to M Oldham/GNWT become a problem in the NWT. and the potential for additional industrial development, invasive species of plants and animals have a higher chance of becoming established in the NWT.
All NWT residents can help by learning more about these species and M Oldham / GNWT Gordon Court NWT Road Plants introduced to North America as cattle feed are being introduced to the NWT along roads. Plant seeds spread by hitching a ride on vehicles - 29 - Trends in invasive InvadersInvaders of the Northwest of Territories the Northalien species
following simple steps to reduce their introduction and spread in the NWT. White Sweet Clover and Yellow Sweet Clover Invade roadsides, streets, and the edges of rivers. They attract wildlife near •Report species that are new to you or communities and roads, and displace our Find more in the seem “out-of-place” to the nearest wildlife colourful Fireweed and make our roads less officer or [email protected]. attractive. So far 106 known alien plant species NWT State of the are already established in the NWT – 12 of Environment Report •Practice nature-friendly gardening these are considered invasive because they can invade and change natural habitats.The – Vegetation and and landscaping – Use weed- white and yellow sweet clovers are the most Wildlife focal points at free soil, and consider local problematic alien plant species. www.enr.gov.nt.ca. plants for your landscaping.
•Stop Seeding Invaders– research the source of your seed mixes and request invasive-free ones.
Alien species are animals and plants •Clean Yourself at the Door -clean that have been introduced by your vehicles and equipment humans, sometimes unintentionally, before using them in the NWT. in areas outside of their natural range. Most alien species were NWT organizations are sharing information introduced to North America from and monitoring invasive alien species in Europe or Asia. Some alien species the NWT. An analysis on the pathways are beneficial to humans, as they are used for food, crop and other uses. of entry of alien species into the NWT
has shown that most introductions of Invasive alien species are alien alien species are not intentional and species that are capable of causing significant harm to our environment, occur along our road system. Intentional economy or to society. Species that introductions of alien plant species can cause harm to our environment, occur during re-vegetation efforts after economy or society but that are not Nature Resources Canada Nature Resources development. Programs to control alien species are usually called pests. Amber marked birch leafminer This species infests invasive alien species introduction leaves of birches in southern NWT and causes them to and prevent their spread into NWT turn yellow-brown early in August. The leafminer, also a type of sawfly, has been noticed in the NWT only since
ecosystems are being developed. M Oldham/GNWT 1994, when it was probably introduced from the south with infested landscaping trees. So far 11 known alien - 30 - insects are already in the NWT – at least two of them are considered invasive aliens: Larch Sawfly and Amber- marked birch Leafminer. Threats to biodiversity Threats
Trends in Arctic contaminants KeepingKeeping an eye on Arctic an contaminants eye on Ar
Studies in the 1970-80s in Traditional/country foods Canada indicated that 2 there was a wide spectrum continue to be a safe 2 of substances, reaching 1 and healthy food choice warm unexpected levels in the 3 1 Canadian Arctic ecosystems, for northerners. 3 many of which had no Arctic temperature Polar or Canadian sources. The Arctic has emerged in recent decades polar as an early warning indicator for the Earth’s Temperature About 100 POPs and 25 environment. Though far removed from the metals have been measured Warm in wildlife and the environment industrial centres that generate pollution, The Grasshopper Effect to provide baseline contaminants (pollutants) travel to the Arctic information on levels and by long-range transportation through the distribution of contaminants 1 In warm temperatures OC’s evaporate atmosphere, oceans and rivers. The long in northern Canada. 2 OC’s move in the air by winds to colder places range transportation of contaminants to The Grasshopper effect: the long range transportation of organic 3 In cold temperatures OC’s condense and fall to earth the Arctic is called the “grasshopper effect”. contaminants (OC's ) to the Arctic Contaminants The good news is that levels of most contaminants are declining slowly across
the circumpolar Arctic. Traditional/ to climate change. For example, program is to reduce and, where possible, country foods continue to be a safe and the effects of melting permafrost on eliminate contaminants from the Arctic healthy food choice for northerners. the release rate of mercury into the environment while providing information environment is being investigated as to Northerners about contaminants in However, some contaminants may be mercury naturally occurs in all soils. country foods. The NCP is working towards increasing in certain species, such as achieving this objective through scientific mercury concentrations in fish, and new The Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) and traditional knowledge studies and compounds, like flame retardants used on is a federal program established in 1991 monitoring to influence the development furniture and other consumer products, are in response to concerns about human and implementation of global agreements being detected in the environment. This exposure to elevated levels of contaminants to reduce and/or eliminate the production, emphasizes the need for ongoing monitoring. in wildlife species that are important to use, and release of contaminating DFO Some changes observed in contaminant the traditional diets of northern Aboriginal substances into the environment. Beluga Levels of most contaminants are declining levels in Arctic biodiversity may be linked peoples. The overall objective of the slowly across the circumpolar Arctic. - 31 - Trends in Arctic KeepingKeeping an eye on Arctic an contaminants eye oncontaminants Ar
The results of this research also form the basis There are 4 major groups of contaminants for assessing human health risks associated For More Information currently being monitoring in the environment of with contaminants in country foods, which northern Canada: is used by national and regional health For more information, people Find more in the NWT Metals are naturally occurring elements (e.g., authorities to develop dietary advice. can contact the NWT Regional State of the Environment arsenic, mercury), some can be released into the Contaminants Committee, with environment by industrial activity. Whereas some Report – Contaminants Contaminant levels (metals, POPs and representatives from various are nutrients (e.g., iron) essential to healthy wildlife, governments and aboriginal and Air focal points at radionuclides) were monitored in most major other metals (e.g., arsenic, mercury) cadmium, organizations, which acts as a www.enr.gov.nt.ca. barren-ground caribou herds across the sulphur) can cause harmful effects. Metals are liason between the NCP and accumulated in the liver and kidney of animals. North during the 1990’s to provide a baseline communities across the NWT. of what types and levels of contaminants Radionuclides are radioactive materials that For more information on the were present, but most were found at can be found naturally in the environment Northern Contaminants Program very low levels. Follow-up monitoring of 31 (e.g. uranium) or result from human activities at www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nth/ (e.g. cesium). elements in select herds in the 2000’s found ct/ncp/index-eng.asp. levels to remain low, and overall were Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are considered to be background levels and manufactured chemicals. They do not breakdown not of concern for caribou or human health. easily, accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals, and concentrations can biomagnify as you move Monitoring contaminant levels over up the food chain. Animals with lots of fat, including time is needed to assess changes in seals, whales, and polar bears, tend to have higher concentrations, which could potentially affect their the levels or types of contaminants health and be transferred to humans who consume present, to provide insight into possible these animals. differences in levels of some elements between male and female animals, Emerging contaminants are a group of new man-made chemicals being used worldwide that and to track levels of key contaminants, have been recently found in the Arctic. They share such as cadmium and mercury. many characteristics of POPs such as persistence in the environment, the ability to be transported long distances, and the possibility to accumulate in the food web and affect plant, animal or human health. The compounds include chemicals such
flame retardants used in consumer products. S Kutz
Monitoring Northerners are contributing to the monitoring of contaminants in caribou and other - 32 - terrestrial wildlife species. and Partnerships Planning, Programs
Planning for the future - beyond 2010 PlanningPlanning for the Future for – beyond the 2010 future
The Department of Environment and what actions were missing and where annually as part of the NWT State of the The State of the Environment Natural Resources, GNWT with the organizations could improve efficiencies Environment Report, available on the Report - 2010 on Biodiversity collaboration of the NWT Biodiversity Team in promoting the sustainable use and internet at www.enr.gov.nt.ca. Special Edition builds on has been planning and coordinating conservation of biodiversity in the NWT. existing biodiversity actions. activities related to biodiversity since The NWT Biodiversity Team is always open 2004. The first task was to publish a The present report provides insights on to new members. The next task will be comprehensive list of all biodiversity actions how NWT’s biodiversity is doing. The report to annually update findings on the state in the NWT. Then the Team performed is a first assessment of the status and trends of biodiversity as part of the web-based a gap and overlap analysis, looking at of biodiversity in the NWT. This is based NWT State of the Environment Report, on more detailed information published then using these findings, the Team will perform another gap and overlap analysis on biodiversity actions by 2016, NWT Biodiversity and publish a new comprehensive list Team of actions by 2024.
Report 1 - 2004 Next in 2024 Using the planning process, the results List of Actions of State of the Environment Report - Overall Portrait 20 Years Periodic 2010 Biodiversity Special Edition are Review guiding the people of the NWT on
Report 2 - 2006 Next in 2016 future teamwork to ensure that we are 10 Years developing in a way that leaves to future NWT Gap/Overlap Analysis and Recommendations Report - 2010 This Report generations a nurturing and dynamic world, rich in its northern biodiversity.
Every year State of the Environment Special Biodiversity Implementation Actions by Organizations K Kelly
- 33 - Planning for the future PlanningPlanning for the Future for – beyond the 2010 - beyondfuture 2010
Mackenzie Basin State of the Aquatic Ecosystem Report – First report in 2003, with reviews every five years, published by the Mackenzie River Basin Board.
Since the publication of the first report of the NWT Biodiversity Action Plan in 2004 that listed current actions on biodiversity in the NWT, many agencies and groups have undertaken new initiatives. The Biodiversity Action Plan Report 2 provided a gap analysis on actions needed for the NWT to meet International obligations.
NWT SPECIES 2006–2010 General Status Ranks of Wild Species in the Northwest Territories The NWT has contributed information for the Arctic Council’s report “Arctic Biodiversity Trends – selected indicators of change” published specially for the International Year of Biodiversity. Find more on http://www.arctic- council.org/.
The new Species at Risk (NWT) Act will ensure that no species becomes extinct in the NWT due to human activities. Information on each species at The biological status of species in the NWT are risk in the NWT is published in a booklet updated ranked every 5 years using protocols developed every 2 years. for the General Status Ranking Program in the
NWT, and across Canada. The next report will be In collaboration with: published in 2011.
Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT)
- 34 - Acknowledgements Sources and SourcesSources and Acknowledgements and Acknow
The Northwest Territories State of the Envi- North Slave Métis Alliance: Sheryl Grieve Status and Trends of NWT Biodiversity Your input is important. Your ronment Report - 2010 on Biodiversity spe- Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board: Information on mammals and rare suggestions on additional cial edition was prepared by the Govern- Amy Thompson, Kristen Callaghan plants is from Environment and Natural indicators and your insights ment of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) in Sahtu Renewable Resources Board: Resources (ENR), Government of the on how the NWT’s biodiversity close collaboration with the NWT Biodiver- Jody Snortland, Chris Hopkins Northwest Territories (GNWT). Information and environment are on birds are summaries written for the sity Team (2010). The Team has members Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT): changing will be appreciated. Canada’s Ecosystem Status and Trends from organizations and governments with Rob Gau Report, and studies by Bird Studies
You have an important role responsibilities and interests in biodiversity Wek’eezhii Renewable Resources Board: Canada, Environment Canada (EC), management in the Northwest Territories. Karin Clark to play in monitoring and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada: our environment. Information on species at risk is from the Government of the Northwest Territories: Dr. Steve Kokelj. Robert Reid Committee on the Status of Endangered Contact us at SOER Working group: Cathy Lewis (Chair), GNWT and the NWT Biodiversity Team Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Source [email protected]. Dr. Suzanne Carrière (Co-chair, Secre- (2010) would like to acknowledge the help of the Glaciation digital data for the tary), Bea Lepine (TK Lead), Tom Lakusta, of many organizations, working groups, rare biodiversity map is Dyke et al. Lisa Smith, Jennifer Skelton, Ella Stinson, reviewers and experts who provided 2005 Geological Survey of Canada, Claudia Haas, Katarina Carthew, Ashley substantial information, data and analysis Deglaciation of North America, Open St. Germaine, Norm Mair (GIS Lead) and for this report. These contributions are ac- File 1574.
Evelyn Gah (GIS studies). knowledged in the following sections. Ecosystem Integrity Directors Committee: Susan Fleck, Doris Land cover information is from The ecological regions (ecoregions) used Eggers, Dr. Ray Case, William Mawdsley, the Canadian Forest Service to organize the findings in this report are Jane McMullen and the Canada Centre for Remote based on the work performed in 2005- NWT Biodiversity Team (2010) Sensing. Information on sea ice is from 2009 by the NWT Ecosystem Classification Fisheries and Oceans Canada: Tivy et al. (2010) Journal of Geophysical Group. They are continuing to review, Chantelle Sawatzky, Dr. Neil.J. Mochnacz, Research and the Canadian Ice Service revise and improve our understanding of Dr. Jim Reist,Kevin Bill, Lois Harwood and was reviewed by Dr. D Barber, NWT’s ecological regions. Future reports will Environment Canada: University of Manitoba. Information on be based the updated ecological region Kevin Kardynal, Jennie Rausch water links to biodiversity is from Parks maps for the NWT. For more information Canada, the Mackenzie River Basin S Carrière/GNWT see: www.enr.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wp- Board, R. Reid, Indian and Northern Affairs Pages/Ecosystem_Classification.aspx Monitoring is important
- 35 - SourcesSources and Acknowledgements and Acknow
Canada (INAC), and EC. Information on reviewed publications and expert opinions are from a study by Inuvialuit communities (ENR, GNWT). Information on polar bear protected areas is from the NWT Protected from ENR, GNWT. Map developed for this “Unikkaaqatigiit – Putting the Human and Peary caribou are from COSEWIC Areas Strategy Secretariat. report by the NWT Centre for Geomatics Face on Climate Change: Perspectives reports. Information on the fire season © 2010. Source of ecoregion information: from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region”. is from Forest Management, ENR, and Goods, Services and Sustainable Use NWT Ecological Classification at www. Permafrost findings are from studies by Canada’s Ecosystems Status and Trends of Biodiversity enr.gov.nt.ca. Seasonal change due to Dr. S Kokelj, INAC, and by Dr. W. Quinton, Report. Information on the ‘mismatch Data on trends in fishing, hunting, climate change are from trends provided University of Wilfred Laurier. Information on hypothesis” is from DeVink et al. (2008) Auk and trapping are from Industry, Tourism by the Climate Research Division, EC, species moving north is from ENR, GNWT. (125), Tulpand Schekkerman (2008) Arctic and Investment, GNWT. Data on the based on a study produced for Canada’s Information on diseases, parasites and (61) and other peer-reviewed papers. use of country food are from the NWT Ecosystems Status and Trends Report. contaminants is from Dr. S Kutz. E. Jenkins Bureau of Statistics, GNWT. Inuvialuit observations of climate change (University of Saskatoon), and Dr. B Elkin
Status of Traditional Knowledge, Buffer Radius Innovations, and Practices Feature Type Year of Data (meters) Information on traditional knowledge City (Pop >5000) 4 10000 2007 is from ENR, GNWT, and all renewable 3 4 resources boards. Mine - active , Medium Towns (Pop <5000) 3000 2009 All weather roads 2 2000 2008 Threats to Biodiversity Mines – under maintenance 3, Oil-gas wells – active 1, 2009
Features used to estimate fragmentation 4 Winter roads 2, Power stations , 1000 2008 are from the National Energy Board, the Small Towns (Pop <1000) 4 Lodge 4 2007 Centre of Remote Sensing, National Road 1 Network, INAC, and the GNWT Feature Seismic lines , Before 2000 3 database. Semi permanent features Mines – non active , 2009 500 4 include transmission lines, winter roads, all Power line , 2008 season roads, local roads, pipelines, wells, Canol Trail 4 2003 mines, and communities. Source data for Pipeline (below ground) 5 300 About 2000 seismic lines are from the National Energy Oil-gas wells – non-active 1 250 2009 Board. The latest version of this data was released in 2009. Seismic lines in this data 1Location data from National Energy Board; 2National Road Network; 3Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and NWT set were cut between 1958 and 2000. Geoscience Office; 4NWT Centre for Geomatics, 5Government of the Northwest Territories. Buffer are from expert opinion and peer-reviewed papers. Buffers were estimated based on peer-
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