Effective conservation management strategies rely on accurate and large-scale information about distribution and abundance of indicator species and ecosystems. National and international biodiversity monitoring networks are needed to provide sufficient data. However, without the help of volunteers, large-scale ecological monitoring is impossible. 

The Mammals of Nova Scotia Project relies on volunteers to monitor the effects of climate change on temperate ecosystems.

The project undertakes original academic research to address paradigms in theoretical biology to find practical solutions to conservation issues, while simultaneously researching monitoring methods most suited to be used by amateur naturalists.

 The work that volunteers are involved with focuses on mammals. Nova Scotia is home to a significant mega-fauna which provides sensitive indicator species to the effects of environmental change (i.e. climate change and the effects of environmental management strategies alike).

Techniques include small mammal capture-mark-recapture, field-sign tracking techniques, GPS surveys, and the remote camera surveillance of species ranging from skunks, raccoons, snowshoe hares, beavers, porcupines and white-tailed deer, to (hopefully) the occasional coyote, bobcat, or even black bear.

 The study area is under the Project's management, and volunteers will also be involved in some practical tasks, such as habitat management (i.e. tree clearing to maintain grasslands) and trail maintenance, as well as building of bat- and bird boxes and nestboxes for flying squirrels.


In addition to adding to our long-term data sets on deer and small mammal distribution and abundance, during the field season of 2009 we will be concentrating on the 3-dimensional habitat use in small mammals (i.e. arboreality) to assess the impact of different forest management strategies on these important prey species, and we will continue to monitor the recovery of the flora and fauna in clear-cut areas of different habitat types.

Our aim is to make conservation research accessible and enjoyable to people from all walks of life and of different cultural and educational backgrounds. Although collecting scientific data is obviously important to us, we place a heavy emphasis on education and training, backing field work with talks about the theoretical background of the project, the biology and behaviour of the different mammals species, as well as the geology and native MiqMaq history of Nova Scotia.

                     

Logistics:
Volunteers will stay in twin rooms in two traditional Nova Scotian houses owned by the Project, in the seaside village of Cherry Hill on Nova Scotia's South Shore. The area is renowned for its unspoilt and largely undiscovered white sand beaches. In the past volunteers have observed coyotes, beavers, otters, black bear, deer raccoons and porcupines amongst other species at the accommodation.
 
All meals and transportation are included, and the 2 week stay includes a research-free day in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, as well as a visit to the Kejimkujik National Park and the Thomas Raddal Provincial Park. For further information and detailed daily programme please download the expedition Briefing (pdf format 693 K)

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The biosphere is under threat from industrialisation, globalisation, and growing population density resulting in the need to actively manage and protect our natural environment. 

Climatic change and associated loss of biodiversity through other societal pressures are imperative concerns for everyone, governments, international bodies, and private individuals.