Reflections of a Quetico Foundation Research Team Member
Photo 1: Kelsey Atatise standing beside a huge white pine on the 3080m portage into Cache Lake from Lindsay Lake. Photo Credit: Katherine Tripp. Photo 2: Offering tobacco prior to obtaining an increment core form a red pine. Photo Credit: Kelsey Atatise.
I started working as part of the Quetico Foundation Research Team in the year 2020, with this field season being my second year as part of the team. I decided to work for the Foundation because I have a keen interest in biology and in working in a natural environment, and believe it is important to make a positive impact on the environment for future generations. There are a variety of subjects that I wish to study in post-secondary in the near future, including environmental sciences and biology. The work that I have been part of with the Quetico Foundation will help me achieve these goals. Throughout the two years that I have worked for the Quetico Foundation, my role as a research team member consisted of various fieldwork projects focused on collecting all scientific data for the Park Biologist. The main goal of collecting this data is to support the management of Quetico Provincial Park’s ecosystems with a focus on supporting and increasing the ecological integrity of the park. Being given the chance to help support the management of Quetico Provincial Park’s ecosystems these past couple of years has been an invaluable learning experience.
Discover Quetico’s northern entry points
Today’s post comes from Carter Morash, who has worked as a backcountry warden in Quetico Provincial Park since 2015.
The north end of Quetico is a beautiful place.
There are quiet lakes, great fishing spots, wildlife viewing opportunities, and a variety of routes to try out.
Did you know that the north end is also paddled less than the southern end of the park? That makes it a great area of the park to explore in the fall!
Planning a “bucket-list” trip to Quetico Provincial Park
Today’s post comes from paddling enthusiast Dave Caughey who, along with his wife, recently made the trek to Quetico Provincial Park.
For years, my wife and I longed to visit Quetico Provincial Park. We had heard the canoeing there was awesome, through a terrain peppered with countless lakes, and routes that could involve days between portages!
International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2022
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science!
Danni Gartshore, Master’s of Biology candidate at Lakehead University
Danni is currently researching the impacts of the invasive Spiny Water Flea on the growth of fish. She conducted her field work in Quetico Provincial Park in the summer of 2021, and is also looking at historical data dating back to the early 1970s.
Artist in Residence Update
It was another different year for the program with the pandemic continuing to affect travel at the border and within Canada. This year 2 artists in residence were successfully scheduled for the month of August for 2-week residencies at the park.
Unfortunately, circumstances made it so that both artists canceled their residencies just before arriving. One artist canceled due to a family emergency and another canceled because of the fire and smoke situation at the park in late August. We are hoping to offer the artist in residence program for all of the peak season in 2022 after another unusual year this year.
Shan Walshe Bursary
by: Kelly Brigham (letter from this year’s winner of the Shan Walshe Bursary)
Dear Selection Committee,
This fall I will be attending the University of Guelph, as I have accepted my offer of admission. While just beginning my post-secondary education, I look forward to completing my Bachelor of Science specializing in Environmental Sciences. This is a four-year program, and I couldn’t be more excited to attend and learn more about our environment. I knew I was interested in environmental sciences as my career path because of how much I love the outdoors. I grew up living on a lake where I developed my love for hunting, fishing, camping, horseback riding, hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing and so much more at a very young age, much like Shan Walshe. Some of my favourite memories of these activities took place in Quetico Provincial Park.
Spiny water flea impacts on fish: Year 1
by: Michael Rennie, Associate Professor Lakehead University; Canada Research Chair in Freshwater Ecology and Fisheries
We are now into our second year of work in Quetico Provincial Park to investigate the impact of spiny water flea (or Bythotrephes to us scientists). Thanks to generous funding from the Quetico Foundation, we initiated our first full year of fieldwork in Quetico, with some different approaches than originally planned and modifications due to COVID, but were highly successful in gathering critical information to answer our research questions. Much of the fieldwork this summer was focused on collecting aging structures for walleye from lakes that will help us to answer questions about the potential negative impacts of Bythotrephes on early growth rates of Walleye, being led by MSc student Danielle Gartshore.
Biology Interns
by: Katie Tripp
Most of the summer was spent working on the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and moving songbird meters around the park. In addition to this work, other projects completed this summer include collecting depth and water clarity information from lake trout lakes so that each individual lake trout population’s risk from climate change can be assessed; sampling lakes for the presence of invasive Spiny Water Flea and monitoring trends in salamanders in the park. We also assisted the Lakehead University Quetico Foundation Research Partnership students in data collection for their thesis.
In Memoriam: William Sargant “Sarge”
It is with great sadness that I have to report the passing of William Sargant, known by all as “Sarge”. For many years Sarge had fought the good fight against illnesses related to his diabetes until they finally got the better of him on Wednesday, August the 18th, 2021.
He was the Executive Director of the Quetico Foundation from 1997 to 2005 and since then has remained as Trustee Emeritus. During his time as Executive Director, he achieved the highest level of fundraising ever recorded for the Foundation. Under his watch, the Foundation prospered and was highly effective.