HGIS: Wildlife Surveys

Environmental Management

December, 2001

Wildlife Surveys
Representative Assignments

Project Location Client Description

Lower Churchill River Valley Wildlife Survey Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro Extensive ground and aerial surveys to document wildlife species present in the valley and to determine critical habitat components which will be lost due to proposed reservoir flooding. Special efforts were made to determine moose habitat requirements and to develop mitigative measures to replace riparian habitat lost due to flooding. Helicopter surveys for Bald Eagle, Osprey, and other birds-of-prey were completed for the 300 km long river valley.

Avifaunal Survey Cape Breton Highlands National Park Canadian Wildlife Service Two years of field and helicopter surveys to document bird species populations and habitats in the Park. Survey included establishment of belt transects and permanent plots to monitor changes in population levels. An annotated list of 256 species recorded in the park since 1934 was prepared.

Waterfowl Surveys and Aquatic Vegetation Long Point Bay
Lake Erie
Ontario Canadian Wildlife Services & Natural Resources Ontario Two year survey for 15,000 ha open water habitats of inner Long Point. SCUBA surveys using grid and triangulation fixing were used to sample and map submergent aquatic vegetation in the Bay. Waterfowl counts (night and day) were made from strategic locations, allowing complete coverage of the Bay and correlation of waterfowl counts and behaviour observations with vegetation maps. Waterfowl collections were made to confirm food habits of duck species as inferred from vegetation map and feeding behaviour observations.

Historic Beaver Population Dynamics Gravenhurst
Ontario KOA Campgrounds Interpretation of historic and recent aerial photographs (1927 to 1977) to determine beaver dams, water levels and succession of vegetation for a small wetland basin and beaver outlet controlled pond. Cyclic nature of beaver populations was correlated with presence of its food supply (white birch trees, etc.).

Marine Fauna Study Grand Banks
Newfoundland Petro Canada Preparation of an overview report on marine birds, mammals, benthic fauna, fish and their tropic relationships on the Grand Banks and coastal areas of the Avalon Peninsula. Assignment involved extensive literature review and detailed interviews with government agencies and other individuals involved in research in this area of intensive oil explorations.

Remote Sensing of Caribou Gaff Topsail
Newfoundland Hunter and Associates Research and Development Application of large scale simultaneous aerial photography and analytical photogrammetry to obtain body measurements of free ranging caribou individuals. Measurements obtained from photography compared very well with ground measurements. Results of study show that photo measurements combined with airphoto interpretation may be used to determine life tables, cohort survival and physical condition of free ranging large mammal populations without physically handling animals.

Urban Wildlife
Habitats/Population Palgrave
Ontario Town of Caledon Wildlife surveys, habitat mapping at ultra large scales (1:1,000) and landscape manipulation schemes are an ongoing component of the Town’s environmental assessment and design approvals process for estate rural residential developments.

Wildlife/ Ecological Land Classification Labrador
Newfoundland Department of Forest Resources & Land Newfoundland Wildlife habitat surveys were completed as part of the Ecological Land Classification Survey for 40,000 km2 of east central Labrador. Survey involved extensive fixed wing and helicopter surveys and ground surveys to assess and correlate wildlife species utilization of habitats in different ecodistricts (terrain dominated units) and ecoregions (successional/climate dominated units). The wildlife database was collected jointly with terrain, vegetation and soil scientists and used to develop land capability formulas for the area. Land capability rating for water fowl and ungulates were prepared based on Canada Land Inventory criteria.

Project	Location	Client	Description
Lower Churchill River Valley Wildlife Survey	Labrador	Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro	Extensive ground and aerial surveys to document wildlife species present in the valley and to determine critical habitat components which will be lost due to proposed reservoir flooding. Special efforts were made to determine moose habitat requirements and to develop mitigative measures to replace riparian habitat lost due to flooding. Helicopter surveys for Bald Eagle, Osprey, and other birds-of-prey were completed for the 300 km long river valley.

Avifaunal Survey	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	Canadian Wildlife Service	Two years of field and helicopter surveys to document bird species populations and habitats in the Park. Survey included establishment of belt transects and permanent plots to monitor changes in population levels. An annotated list of 256 species recorded in the park since 1934 was prepared.

Waterfowl Surveys and Aquatic Vegetation	Long Point Bay Lake Erie Ontario	Canadian Wildlife Services & Natural Resources Ontario	Two year survey for 15,000 ha open water habitats of inner Long Point. SCUBA surveys using grid and triangulation fixing were used to sample and map submergent aquatic vegetation in the Bay. Waterfowl counts (night and day) were made from strategic locations, allowing complete coverage of the Bay and correlation of waterfowl counts and behaviour observations with vegetation maps. Waterfowl collections were made to confirm food habits of duck species as inferred from vegetation map and feeding behaviour observations.

Historic Beaver Population Dynamics	Gravenhurst Ontario	KOA Campgrounds	Interpretation of historic and recent aerial photographs (1927 to 1977) to determine beaver dams, water levels and succession of vegetation for a small wetland basin and beaver outlet controlled pond. Cyclic nature of beaver populations was correlated with presence of its food supply (white birch trees, etc.).

Marine Fauna Study	Grand Banks Newfoundland	Petro Canada	Preparation of an overview report on marine birds, mammals, benthic fauna, fish and their tropic relationships on the Grand Banks and coastal areas of the Avalon Peninsula. Assignment involved extensive literature review and detailed interviews with government agencies and other individuals involved in research in this area of intensive oil explorations.

Remote Sensing of Caribou	Gaff Topsail Newfoundland	Hunter and Associates Research and Development	Application of large scale simultaneous aerial photography and analytical photogrammetry to obtain body measurements of free ranging caribou individuals. Measurements obtained from photography compared very well with ground measurements. Results of study show that photo measurements combined with airphoto interpretation may be used to determine life tables, cohort survival and physical condition of free ranging large mammal populations without physically handling animals.

Urban Wildlife Habitats/Population	Palgrave Ontario	Town of Caledon	Wildlife surveys, habitat mapping at ultra large scales (1:1,000) and landscape manipulation schemes are an ongoing component of the Town’s environmental assessment and design approvals process for estate rural residential developments.

Wildlife/ Ecological Land Classification	Labrador Newfoundland	Department of Forest Resources & Land Newfoundland	Wildlife habitat surveys were completed as part of the Ecological Land Classification Survey for 40,000 km2 of east central Labrador. Survey involved extensive fixed wing and helicopter surveys and ground surveys to assess and correlate wildlife species utilization of habitats in different ecodistricts (terrain dominated units) and ecoregions (successional/climate dominated units). The wildlife database was collected jointly with terrain, vegetation and soil scientists and used to develop land capability formulas for the area. Land capability rating for water fowl and ungulates were prepared based on Canada Land Inventory criteria.