Quetico Foundation awards a Lakehead University researcher with a $75,000 grant

Dr. Michael Rennie is looking specifically at Lake Herring and Walleye to help inform adaptive management plans for Quetico Park.

Quetico Foundation awarded Dr. Michael Rennie, Lakehead University, with a $75,000 grant over the next three years to evaluate how invasive spiny water flea and climate change are affecting the early growth rates and mercury loads of fish at Quetico Provincial Park.

Dr. Michael Rennie, an Associate Professor in Biology, Canada Research Chair in Freshwater Ecology and Fisheries, and Research Fellow at the Experimental Lakes Area, is looking specifically at Lake Herring and Walleye to help inform adaptive management plans for Quetico Park.

By |June 19th, 2020|Foundation News|0 Comments
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Quetico Foundation’s #PaddleThanks Video

Photographs of Abigail Laulman, Trustee

Ontario Backcountry Canoe Symposium launched the #paddlethanks initiative, to give people an opportunity to say thanks for the wonderful things that make paddling such an important part of life. The Quetico Foundation submitted a video by Abigail Laulman, Trustee. Laulman’s first canoe trip was sponsored by the Quetico Foundation, a paddling trip for new Canadians that began her love for the paddling life.

By |May 23rd, 2020|Action, Foundation News, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Summary of Forest Birds Monitoring in Quetico Provincial Park 2014 – 2019

Monitoring the diversity and abundance of forest birds and their changes through time is part of assessing the ecological condition of an area. Within Quetico Provincial Park, a long-term monitoring program using equipment that records bird songs at permanent sample plots was established in 2014 to monitor songbirds in specific habitats. The data resulting from these efforts will contribute to broader programs that aim to assess the ecological integrity of Quetico Provincial Park and other areas in northwest Ontario.

The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the data collected between the years 2014 and 2019 and identify broad patterns of bird-habitat association for the ecosites monitored in Quetico Provincial Park.

Read the full summary here

By |April 30th, 2020|Foundation News, Park News|0 Comments
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Quetico Artists in Residence 2020

Chelydros, sumi-e painting, 2019 Quetico Foundation Artist in Residence program recipient, Tom McCann

Art inspired by a Quetico experience can enhance connections between the park and the public through its various forms. The Art provides a means for those who visit the park to appreciate it on a deeper level and for those that do not venture into the park wilderness to experience it vicariously. The program is open to Canadian and International artists, working in any media, whose work relates to the natural environment. While the range of media can vary widely (poetry, sculpture etc.) the details of this program description are written with the visual artist as an example. Those working in other media should propose equivalent examples.

The Artist in Residence Program is one part of Quetico’s efforts to promote appreciation for and understanding of the environment through experience and education. This program is supported by the Quetico Foundation. Artists in Ontario may be able to gain additional support through the Ontario Arts Council. Quetico Provincial Park determines the participants in the program.

By |February 21st, 2020|Foundation News|0 Comments
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A Proposed US Mine Could Poison Quetico’s Pristine Watershed

For those who love the wilderness, watersheds and wildlife of Quetico Provincial Park irreparable damage to the watersheds and landscape from toxic mining tailings is a completely vile and virtually unacceptable thought. Yet, a national newspaper, The Star features a front page article about the potential demise for the southern and western border and south-westerly border lakes of Quetico Provincial Park. If you love Quetico Provincial Park consider letting decision makers know that toxic heavy metals polluting Quetico’s wilderness and Lac LaCroix is unacceptable, before February 18th.
 

and https://pm.gc.ca/en/connect/contact

For more information: http://www.paddletodc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/path_of_pollution_BWCA-1024×518.png and https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/boundary_waters/index.html

By |February 13th, 2020|Local news, Park News|0 Comments
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JOB POSTING – 2020 Research Field Team Program

 

 

 

 

JOB POSTING – 2020 Research Field Team Program

Position: Research Field Team Lead (Assistant to the Park Biologist)

Location: Quetico Provincial Park, Atikokan ON, P0T 1C0

Length of Employment: 16 weeks – early May to the end of August

Application Deadline: March 2, 2020 or when position is filled

Position Description: This is a 16 week summer employment opportunity funded by The Quetico Foundation from the Margery J. Warren bequest, to provide a student in a field sciences or natural resource related undergraduate or graduate program with an opportunity to gain valuable experience in their chosen field. The successful candidate will lead a small field team under the direction of the Park Biologist assisting with the collection and analysis of ecological field data in a wilderness environment. Considerable time will be spent in the field in canoe accessible backcountry locations for extended periods. Rate of pay will be ($20 per hour). Accommodation is available at the Quetico Provincial Park Staff House for $25 per week. Camping gear is provided, and food expenses incurred while on backcountry work trips are reimbursed.

Field work may include ecological monitoring in support of the long term ecological monitoring framework for the Park such as setting up remote data collection devices (song meters, cameras, and temperature loggers), fire history data sampling, fish population and aquatic ecosystem assessment, and vegetation community monitoring. Additional work may include collection of habitat data, invasive species surveys, and bathymetric surveys.

Responsibilities as a team leader include, backcountry trip planning, following field safety and communications protocols, making day to day navigational, work planning and safety decisions in the field and supporting an inclusive and positive team environment.

Office work for the Research Field Team Lead will depend on the experience of the individual and may include a variety of backcountry canoe trip planning, scheduling, analytical work, identification, report writing and data entry as well as administrative tasks.

By |January 30th, 2020|Foundation News, Jobs, Local news, Park News|0 Comments
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Highlights of Quetico Provincial Park Bat/Bapakwaanaajiinh Survey: 2017-19

Hoary bat, Credit: J.N. Stuart CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Hoary bat, Credit: J.N. Stuart CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Introduction:

Bats (bapakwaanaajiinh in Anishinaabemowin) are an important component of biodiversity, particularly as a
voracious insect predator. Five species of bat have been reported in Quetico, including three species of
migratory bats – Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinerius), Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) and Eastern Red Bat(Lasiurus borealis) as well as two non-migratory species – Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) and Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus). In addition, Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), another non-migratory species, has been confirmed immediately north of Quetico but has not been identified from within the Park. However very little is known about their population status or habitat use in the Quetico Provincial Park.

Due to the high risk of White-nose Syndrome (WNS), non-migratory species which hibernate in colonies such as Little Brown Myotis and Northern Myotis have been classed as Endangered in  Ontario. White-nose Syndrome is caused by a cold and damp-loving fungus (Pseudogumnoascus destrutcans) that causes a skin infection in bats. Discomfort from the infection causes hibernating bats to wake up more frequently during the winter when food and water is not available, causes bats to dehydrate and use up fat reserves prematurely, often resulting in death. Initially identified in North America in the winter of 2006-07, White-nose Syndrome was first observed in northwestern Ontario during 2014-2015 and has expanded across the region since then.

The purpose of this project was to determine the presence and abundance of Species At Risk bats (i.e. Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus) and potentially Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis)) relative to other bat species in Quetico Provincial Park. and compare distribution of identified bat species along survey route.

Read the full summary here

By |January 23rd, 2020|Foundation News, Park News|0 Comments
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Applicants considered for Quetico Foundation’s Communications Lead

Quetico Foundation is accepting applications from interested candidates to become and lead as Quetico Foundation’s newest Communications Committee Chair.

By |December 17th, 2019|Foundation News, Jobs|0 Comments
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During this season of giving and sharing please generously donate to help support the Quetico Foundation!

Group photo! Summer Student Research Group and Biology Interns, Photo credit: Hannah Koslowsky

The Quetico Foundation is dedicated to the protection of wilderness with a particular focus on Quetico Wilderness Provincial Park since 1954. The Quetico Foundation primarily has two focuses; conducting ecological research and supporting academic studies to help protect the wilderness of Quetico Provincial Park, and helping students and young leaders connect to the beauty of Quetico’s wilderness, lakes and rivers through the joys, merits and benefits of wilderness canoe trips.

Please donate today to help the Quetico Foundation support protecting wilderness, connecting young leaders and students to Quetico via wilderness canoe excursions and wilderness research.

By |November 6th, 2019|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Species At Risk in Quetico Provincial Park

A plant or animal is considered a Species at Risk when it is in danger of being either extirpated (disappearing from an area it currently occupies) or becoming extinct. Species can also be considered of “Special Concern” if their populations are threatened, for example by significant loss of habitat. Species within Quetico Provincial Park that are listed as Species at Risk are protected under the Endangered Species Act and Provincial Park policies. The QPP Biologist assesses and monitors these species to develop management strategies that will support their habitat and existence in the Park.

Within Quetico Park there are bird, fish, reptile, and mammal species that are being monitored to help with their recovery or to prevent them from becoming further at risk. Quetico Foundation summer employees have assisted with long-term monitoring of several Species at Risk within Quetico, and their work has contributed to understanding of these species’ populations and determining what management actions need to occur to protect these important species.

Big brown bat, Angell Williams CC BY 2.0

Through nighttime acoustic bat surveys Quetico Foundation staff have worked to understand the populations of endangered bat species in Quetico. Non-migrating species of bat within the park are currently facing threats from White Nose Syndrome.

By |October 9th, 2019|Foundation News, Local news, Park News|0 Comments
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