Pond Inlet Marine Infrastructure Terrestrial and Human Environment Baseline Report 03 May 2017 4321 Still Creek Drive Burnaby BC V5C 6S7 Canada Document No.: 307071-01148-01-EN-REP-0002 www.advisian.com Government of Nunavut Pond Inlet Marine Infrastructure Terrestrial and Human Environment Baseline Report Table of Contents Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................................................................... vii 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Project Overview .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Study Overview and Area......................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2.1 Field Programs ............................................................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Environmental Setting ............................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1 Ecozone and Ecoregion............................................................................................................................ 4 1.3.2 Protected Areas ........................................................................................................................................... 4 2 Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit............................................................................................................................................................. 7 2.1 Program Objectives .................................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Methods .......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 3 Physical Setting ........................................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Program Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. 11 3.2 Desktop Study and Literature Review ............................................................................................................... 11 3.3 Fieldwork Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.4 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................................................ 11 3.4.1 Geology ........................................................................................................................................................ 11 3.4.2 Landforms .................................................................................................................................................... 12 3.4.3 Permafrost ................................................................................................................................................... 12 3.4.4 Soils ................................................................................................................................................................ 13 4 Vegetation .................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 4.1 Program Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. 14 4.2 Desktop Study and Literature Review ............................................................................................................... 14 4.3 Inuit Qaujimajatugangit .......................................................................................................................................... 14 4.4 Fieldwork Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 15 4.4.1 Field Survey Area ...................................................................................................................................... 15 4.4.2 Data Collection .......................................................................................................................................... 15 307071-01148-01-EN-REP-0002_R0.docx Advisian ii Government of Nunavut Pond Inlet Marine Infrastructure Terrestrial and Human Environment Baseline Report 4.5 Results ........................................................................................................................................................................... 18 4.5.1 Desktop Study and Literature Review .............................................................................................. 18 4.5.2 Fieldwork Results ...................................................................................................................................... 18 4.5.3 Inuit Qaujimajatugangit ......................................................................................................................... 23 4.6 Discussion .................................................................................................................................................................... 25 5 Terrestrial Wildlife ...................................................................................................................................................................... 26 5.1 Program Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. 26 5.2 Desktop Study and Literature Review ............................................................................................................... 26 5.2.1 Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit ......................................................................................................................... 27 5.3 Fieldwork Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 27 5.4 Results ........................................................................................................................................................................... 27 5.4.1 Small Mammals (Rodents and Lagomorphs) ................................................................................ 30 5.4.2 Medium Mammals (Canids and Mustelids) ................................................................................... 30 5.4.3 Large Mammals (Barren-Ground Caribou and Polar Bears) .................................................... 30 5.4.4 Designated Units – Polar Bear Maternal Denning ....................................................................... 31 5.4.5 Wildlife Areas of Special Interest ....................................................................................................... 31 5.4.6 Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit ......................................................................................................................... 36 5.4.7 Habitat Value.............................................................................................................................................. 37 5.5 Discussion .................................................................................................................................................................... 37 5.5.1 Small Mammals ......................................................................................................................................... 37 5.5.2 Medium Mammals ................................................................................................................................... 38 5.5.3 Large Mammals ......................................................................................................................................... 39 6 Migratory and Marine Birds ................................................................................................................................................... 40 6.1 Program Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. 40 6.2 Desktop Study and Literature Review ............................................................................................................... 40 6.2.1 Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit ......................................................................................................................... 41 6.3 Fieldwork Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 41 6.4 Results 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