From: Rausch,Jennie [Yel]
[Jennie.Rausch@EC.GC.CA]
Sent: April-05-13 4:20 PM
To: Christopher Tickner
Cc: Brian Aglukark
Subject: RE: CWS NUN-NWA-11-03 Arctic
Shorebird Monitoring Program Rausch Apr 13
Attachments: Letter to NPC from Canadian
Wildlife Service (Arctic Shorebird Monitoring Program) - February 2013.pdf
Hi Christopher,
Sure, I’m happy to tell you more about
my program. The program is identical in both RLUP areas, so I have provided one
set of responses below to apply to both questionnaires.
Low level flights:
We seldom flight that low, it’s only if
we are doing aerial surveys for shorebirds which are done occasionally while
travelling between ground survey plots. This is to take advantage of flying
between the plots which we have to do anyway. It gives us information on bird
densities (how many) and distribution (where they are located on the landscape)
and we can look for specific birds. Because of how the shorebird aerial surveys
are designed, we are able to be very flexible with the locations and the
methods. So, if it is during calving season near calving grounds, we do not do
aerial surveys. If we are passing through a bird colony, we do not fly that
low. If large mammals are encountered (e.g. grizzly, wolverine, walrus, etc),
we stop the low flying surveys. If there are known camps in the area we do not
do surveys. We don’t do surveys over or near communities, most if not all of
our survey locations are in remote areas. The vast majority of our work is on
the ground, however, we do need a helicopter to travel between our survey
points and sometimes we do the aerial surveys especially in very remote areas
where we have very little data or knowledge on the non-game/non-harvested
birds. My priority in getting the work done is always to keep wildlife
disturbance to a minimum and I we err on the side of caution when it comes to
low lying helicopter flights. Only when absolutely necessary and only when they
won’t cause major disturbance to other wildlife. I have send newsletters,
letters, educational postcards, and booklets on important areas for birds in
Nunavut to all of the communities (HTCs/HTOs/HTAs, schools, local government
offices, hamlet offices) over the past 10 years that I have been working on the
Arctic Shorebird Monitoring Program.
Nunavut Research Institute:
As I’m sure you know, wildlife research
is licensed under the Nunavut Wildlife Act so I obtain a Nunavut Wildlife
Research permit for my work, and NRI does not license studies on terrestrial
and marine mammals and birds. In addition, research on birds is licensed under
the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act through a SCI (science) permit,
which I hold, and through Environment Canada Animal Care Committee approval and
Canadian Bird Banding Office permits, all of which I also hold. Through the
Area Comanagement Committees for the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries and National
Wildlife Areas in Nunavut, and the materials I mentioned at the end of the
above paragraph, I have contacted communities and asked that they contact me
for information or if they have concerns about non-harvested birds. I have also
offered to visit any community that wanted to hear more about my project or
shorebirds and have only had one request in Nunavut (Arviat in 2007) since
2002. Through consultations between the federal government and communities on Species
at Risk, it was reported that communities are concerned about there being fewer
shorebirds than there used to be. This concern is exactly what the Arctic
Shorebird Monitoring Program is working to address.
I hope that these responses provide the
detail and clarity you require.
Please also note I sent a letter to NPC
in February (via email) as this project has already been checked by NPC (in
2008 for Kivalliq and 2011 for North Baffin) that I have attached for
reference. I did not yet receive a response to this letter. I am basically
looking for clarity on if the same project has to get screened each year, or if
at some point if there are not changes, that it does not need to be re-checked.
Have a great weekend.
Sincerely, Jennie
From: Christopher Tickner [mailto:ctickner@nunavut.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 3:43 PM
To: Rausch,Jennie [Yel]
Cc: Brian Aglukark
Subject: RE: CWS NUN-NWA-11-03 Arctic Shorebird Monitoring Program
Rausch Apr 13
My apologies, its Question 18,
not 14, on the North Baffin Questionnaire (attached) that we need the added
clarity. Its Question 14 on the Keewatin Questionnaire.
Christopher Tickner MCIP, RPP
Senior Planner
Nunavut Planning Commission
P.O. Box 2101 Cambridge Bay,
NU X0B 0C0
Phone: (867) 983-4634
Fax: (867) 983-4626
Website: www.nunavut.ca
From: Christopher Tickner
Sent: April-05-13 3:39 PM
To: 'Rausch,Jennie [Yel]'
Cc: Brian Aglukark
Subject: RE: CWS NUN-NWA-11-03 Arctic Shorebird Monitoring Program
Rausch Apr 13
Good afternoon Ms. Rausch,
Thank you for your email.
Generally, low level flights in
the Keewatin and North Baffin Planning Regions should not occur where they will
disturb wildlife or people. If such flights are necessary, they should only
take place after consultation with the appropriate communities.
Given the height of flights
proposed as part of this project(s), the NPC would respectfully request that
additional detail be provided on Question 6 of the attached questionnaires
describing how the project will avoid disturbance to people and/or if any
discussion has occurred with any potentially affected community(ies).
Also, NPC would request
additional detail/clarity for your response to Question 14 on the attached
questionnaires.
Please contact me should you
have any questions.
Sincerely,
Christopher
Christopher Tickner MCIP, RPP
Senior Planner
Nunavut Planning Commission
P.O. Box 2101 Cambridge Bay,
NU X0B 0C0
Phone: (867) 983-4634
Fax: (867) 983-4626
Website: www.nunavut.ca
From: Rausch,Jennie [Yel] [mailto:Jennie.Rausch@EC.GC.CA]
Sent: April-04-13 3:42 PM
To: Christopher Tickner
Cc: Brian Aglukark
Subject: RE: CWS NUN-NWA-11-03 Arctic Shorebird Monitoring Program
Rausch Apr 13
Hi again Christopher,
The completed questionnaire about my
project for the KRLUP is attached.
If you have any questions, please let me
know.
Sincerely,
Jennie
From: Christopher Tickner [mailto:ctickner@nunavut.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 4:48 PM
To: Rausch,Jennie [Yel]
Cc: Brian Aglukark
Subject: CWS NUN-NWA-11-03 Arctic Shorebird Monitoring Program Rausch
Apr 13
Good afternoon,
RE: CWS NUN-NWA-11-03 Arctic Shorebird Monitoring Program
Rausch Apr 13
The above land use application has
been sent to the NPC for a conformity review against the Keewatin Regional Land
Use Plan.
Please review the attached correspondence and fill out the attached questionnaire and forward it back to me at your earliest convenience.
Please contact me should you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Christopher
Christopher Tickner MCIP, RPP
Senior Planner
Nunavut Planning Commission
P.O. Box 2101 Cambridge Bay, NU X0B 0C0
Phone: (867) 983-4634
Fax: (867) 983-4626
Website: www.nunavut.ca