Reports
Yukon Conservation Science
Towards a Yukon Conservation Strategy
On February 11 and 12, 2005, a small group of scientists, activists and agency personnel gathered in Whitehorse to further refine an approach to developing a conservation strategy for the Yukon Territory. This workshop was designed to further the thinking and outcomes from a similar workshop held a year previously. The bulk of the 2005 workshop consisted of presentations and discussions aimed at exploring whether the classic elements of conservation planning – for example, ecological feature representation, focal species assessment, and special element identification – were the appropriate building blocks for a “reverse matrix” conservation strategy, particularly in the context of a rapidly changing climate.
One of several significant conclusions from this workshop was that climate change will be the single most significant impact on ecological patterns in this century; conservationists must attempt to predict and plan for potential climate change scenarios. Detecting change and linking it to ecological processes is an area of needed research. Uncertainty and variability need to be accommodated in any future conservation planning. Other observations and conclusions from this session included:
- The conventional reserve design model embeds networks of conservation lands in a hostile matrix of human-altered landscapes. A reverse matrix approach would embed nodes of development in an intact supportive matrix and would ask how much could be taken away from the matrix without degrading ecological integrity. The Yukon is a good place to try and implement a reverse matrix approach.
- At a global scale what is unique and special in the Yukon are the large scale intact landscapes, systems and species assemblages.
- Aquatic and terrestrial systems have much in common and react to ecological stressors in similar ways. Hydrologic connectivity is a key consideration. Intact watersheds are natural and logical units of conservation. Much more communication is needed between terrestrial and aquatic ecologists.
Conservation Science in the Yukon
This workshop on conservation science in the Yukon Territory was hosted by CPAWS-Yukon in February, 2004 with the support of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Denver Zoological Society. The two-day forum explored challenges and opportunities in applying conservation science in the Yukon’s boreal and sub-arctic landscapes. Topics ranged widely over Yukon ecosystems, the status of biodiversity conservation and protected areas; key issues in conservation biology and conservation area design; representation of ecosystems and protection of focal wildlife species. The scientists present generated lively discussion and offered a range of recommendations about applications of conservation science, designing and implementing a conservation strategy, and potential conservation science partnerships in the Yukon.
Prominent discussion themes included the remarkable conservation opportunities presented by vast and diverse undisturbed landscapes, along with a globally significant array of special ecological elements. In contrast, a sense of urgency pervaded the discussion because large-scale energy developments, expanded forestry operations, and renewed mineral exploration loom on the immediate Yukon horizon – while land use and conservation planning remain incomplete.
The workshop resulted in the identification of specific conservation research priorities, commitments to further develop partnerships among those agencies present, and agreement to re-convene the workshop or similar forum to act on the recommendations.
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