Researchandmonitoringac0vi0esandneedsrelatedtoABoVEandPOLARac0vi0es

Kirs%eSimpsonSeniorAdviser,SustainableandIntegratedResource

ManagementEnergy,MinesandResources

YukonGovernmentMay16,2016

OngoingresearchandmonitoringRelatedtoABoVeandPOLARac1vi1es

•  RecoveryModelingofLegacyOilandGasDisturbancesintheWinterRangeofthePorcupineCaribouherd.

Part1-EcologicalSuccessionComponent.

•  UnderstandthevariaEonanddynamicsofrecoveryintermsofnaturalsuccessionanduniqueecosystemandlandscapeaGributes(e.g.permafrost).

•  DefinetheecologicalstatusoflegacyoilandgasexploraEondisturbancesandtheirsuccessionalrecoveryintheNorthYukonbasedonecologicalparameters(plantcomposiEonandabundance,soilstructure,forestcover,depthtopermafrostdepth,etc.).

OngoingresearchandmonitoringRelatedtoABoVeandPOLARac1vi1es

•  RecoveryModelingofLegacyOilandGasDisturbancesintheWinterRangeofthePorcupineCaribouherd.

Part2-WildlifeHabitatComponent.

•  DeterminethepotenEalforongoingeffectsoflegacylineardisturbanceonhabitatandtravelselecEonbythePorcupineCaribouHerd.

•  Assesswhethermovementbymediumandlargemammals(e.g.,wolves,lynx,wolverine,caribou,moose,andbears)differsbetweenhistoricseismiclinesandthesurroundinglandscapes.

PlannedresearchandmonitoringRelatedtoABoVeandPOLARac1vi1es•  SiteRecoveryPotenEalMappingasGuidanceforExploraEon

andReclamaEonwithinPermafrostTerraininYukon–  Thepredic%onofresilienceofexis%nggroundcondi%onstosurfacedisturbance,orits

recoverypoten%al,basedonanunderstandingoflocalterrain,permafrost,drainageandsoilcharacteris%cs.

Managementrelatedresearch&monitoringneedsRelatedtoABoVeandPOLARac1vi1es

•  EnergyMinesandResources–ScienceandTechnologyFunc0ons

•  TheAgricultureBranchoffersarangeofprogramsandservicesinsupportoftheYukonagriculturalindustryincludingservicesrela%ngtosoils,permafrost,geographyandclimate.AswelltheAgricultureBranchmonitorsanimalandplantdiseasesandinvasivespeciesthataffecttheagriculturalindustry.

•  TheAssessmentandAbandonedMinesbranchmanagestheenvironmentalliabili%es,responsibili%esandobliga%onsassociatedwithYukonAbandonedminesminesites.

•  ClientServicesandInspec0onsbranchprovideinspec%on,monitoring,enforcement,complianceandcommunityclientsupportservicesfornaturalresourceswhichincludeslanduse,%mberharves%ng,miningandmineralexplora%on.TheWaterQualityResearchandlaboratoryservicessec%onfocusesontheaffectplacer-relatedsedimentsmayhaveontheaqua%cenvironment.

•  TheCorporatePolicyandPlanningBranchisresponsibleforresourcepolicy,regionalland-useplanningandintegratedresourcemanagement.Theintegratedresourcemanagementfunc%onincludesthedevelopmentofbestmanagementprac%sesforanumberofresourceandenvironmentalvaluesandresearchinsupportoftheseini%a%vesaswellasresponsibilityforcrossbranchresourcemanagementfilessuchasinvasivespeciesmanagement,establishmentoflandscapeandwetlandsclassifica%onstandardsandestablishmentofrevegeta%onguidelines.

•  TheEnergySolu0onsCentre’smandateistoencourageimprovementsinenergyefficiencyandtheadop%onofmoreformsofrenewableenergy.Theyworkwithotherinnova%onandresearchcentrestoassesssolarandwindenergypoten%alandapproachestocarbonsequestra%on.

•  TheForestManagementBranchoverseesthedevelopmentandmanagementofYukon'sforestresourcesincludingmaintaininganinventoryofforestresources,conduc%ngaforestscienceprogramandmonitoringforesthealth.

•  TheLandManagementBranchcontrolsthemajorityofvacantlandsintheterritory–permitsareissuedforavarietyofusesincludinggeo-technicalandhydrologicalstudies.

•  TheMineralsBranchhasanumberofprogramsincludingmininglanduse,majorminelicencing,theYukonGeologicalSurveyandtheYukonPlacerSecretariat.

•  YukonGeologicalSurveyprovidesgeoscienceandrelatedtechnicalinforma%on,providessupportforexternalscien%stscarryingoutgeologicalresearchinYukonandfundstheMineralsandPetroleumEnvironmentalResearchGroupprogramadministeredbytheNorthernResearchIns%tuteofYukonCollege.

•  TheYukonPlacerSecretariatwasestablishedtocoordinatetheimplementa%onofaFishHabitatManagementSystemandhavedevelopedAqua%cHealthandWaterQualityMonitoringProtocolaswellasawatershedatlastoolthatprovidesinforma%ononfishandfishhabitat.

•  Yukon’sOilandGasResourcesbranchismandatedtoencouragethedevelopmentofYukon’soilandgasresourcepoten%al,manageYukon’soilandgasresourcesandregulateoilandgasac%vity.

Managementrelatedresearch&monitoringneedsRelatedtoABoVeandPOLARac1vi1es

•  Issuesonourradar…•  FisheriesAbundanceandHealth–significantefforthasgoneintothedevelopmentof

aFishHabitatManagementSystemforYukonPlacerMininginsupportofthepreserva%onofhealthyfishstocksandfishhabitatinYukon.ChangestotheFisheriesActwhichfocusonthe“fishery”insteadoffishhabitatunderminetheimportanceofthenon-fisheryfishintheaqua%cfoodchainandtheimportanceoffishhabitatinthelifestagesofthefishstocks.

•  InfrastructureDevelopmentSupport–Infrastructuredevelopmentisacomponentofhumansusingthelandscapeandthedevelopmentofnorthernresources.Changingenvironmentalcondi%onssuchasclimatewarming,floodingandrapidlandscapemovementthateffectorinfluencethedevelopmentandplacementofinfrastructureareimportanttounderstandandareofinterestandconcernforthenon-renewableresourcesectors.

•  Foodsecurity-maintainingtheabilityofnorthernpeoplestoharvestandgrowfood.Thisincludesfishing,hun%ngandgrowingfood–bothmeatandvegetables,aswellasseedsecurityofnorthernstrainsofhardyfoodsources.

•  Waterqualityandwaterquan%tysecurity–forconsump%on,supportofcommuni%es,supportofindustry,genera%onofelectricity,etc.

Opportuni0esforABoVE/POLARforengagement,educa0on,outreach•  ResourceManagersInformaEonExchange(ReMix)–

December2016,Whitehorse

Recommenda0onsforABoVE/POLARforengagement,educa0on,outreach•  Facilita%onofPartnerships•  Logis%csSupport