Exploring the Depths: Mapping Lake Trout Habitat in Quetico Provincial Park

Three photo collage: 1) Connor sitting in the bow of the canoe, Connor and Raquel standing infront of float plane 3) canoe on the lake with mapsBy: Raquel and Connor

The Quetico Foundations’ biology team finished our deepest trip into the park yet, which
required the depth mapping of several lakes including Keewatin, Williams, and Kawnipi. The
purpose of this excursion was to determine what conditions lake trout could inhabit, by going to
lakes confirmed with lake trout presence and collecting data on their bathymetric profiles. This
information will be used for further estimates of lake trout presence in the park and identifying
their breeding grounds and habitat conditions for further study.

By |August 30th, 2024|Biology Interns, Foundation News|0 Comments

Quetico Foundation’s Team Completes Successful Invasive Species Monitoring Expedition

Three photo collage: 1) Connor sitting in bow of canoe gathering data 2) Raquel holding the canoe on the beach 3) Connor at the bow of the canoeBy: Connor and Raquel

The Quetico Foundations’ biology team has just finished two backcountry trips into the
northern regions of the park for surveillance of an invasive plankton-eating species called the
spiny water flea (SWF). The purpose of these trips was to go to lakes that have no confirmed
cases of SWF and use weighted nets to collect plankton present in the water. If we identified
SWF in a sample, we would put them into a jar and preserve the specimen using ethanol for
future evidence of their spread. This information will be used to estimate the distribution of, and
damages caused by SWF within the park, and the proper environmental conditions for their
habitat to be viable.

By |August 15th, 2024|Biology Interns, Foundation News|0 Comments

Discovering Bird Diversity on Pickerel Lake

Three photo collage: 1) photo of Connor looking for tree id 2) Raquel holding bird recording device 3) Canoe on waterBy: Raquel and Connor

The biology research team completed our second environmental monitoring trip on
Pickerel Lake this past weekend. We travelled around Emerald Island and Lookout
Island, into Pine Portage Bay and up into Pickerel Narrows to retrieve the acoustic
monitors we had deployed on our previous trip and re-deploy them in different unique
habitat types. Each habitat will likely have a diverse host of different species of birds
that will be calling out during the breeding season. Included in some of the habitats that
we set data collection devices in were dense upland coniferous forest, wide clearings of
marshes bordered by tall spruce trees, and very wet mossy areas covered in blooming
labrador tea.

By |July 30th, 2024|Biology Interns, Foundation News|0 Comments

Exploring the Sounds of Quetico Our First Environmental Monitoring Expedition

Three photo collage: 1) Raquel standing next to the fully packed canoe 2) Connor standing next to an empty canoe wearing bug net 3) Connor holding the bird song recorder wearing bug netBy: Raquel and Connor

The biology research team completed our first environmental monitoring trip this past week, deploying acoustic monitors on Pickerel Lake to identify bird populations in the area. The morning of our trip we got everything organized within the staff house for our departure. We were quickly picked up and relocated to Stanton Bay by Trevor Gibb, the park superintendent. The drive was smooth and without hassle, with Trevor reminding us of all the safety precautions and possibilities the trip holds for us. Upon our arrival, the weather was sunny and cloudless, with the waters being still on the horizon and onward.

By |June 30th, 2024|Biology Interns, Foundation News|0 Comments