Polar bears are not the only Arctic animals that are facing hard times due to the changing climate in that region.  While the melting of the ice shelf and the declining polar bear population has been at the front of climate talks and summits, there are other animals in the North who may also be struggling to adjust to the warmer temperatures and the disappearing ice.

With the Arctic warming up, it isn’t as easy for reindeer herds to navigate across the terrain or find food, and this is worrying Arctic reindeer herders.  Because of these concerns, the Polar View initiative, which is backed by the EAS, will be providing the reindeer herders with satellite based snow maps to make their jobs a bit easier.

“Snow is of paramount importance for reindeer herding,” according to Anders Oskal, the Director of the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR), “because its quality determines whether reindeer are able to access the pastures that lie beneath it for much of the year. Detailed circumpolar snow information is, thus, becoming increasingly important following the recent changes in the Arctic climate.”  

ICR And Polar view have joined forces to study how viewing the area by satellite could assist the herders by gathering visual information on snow and snow changes across a large circumpolar area.  Kongsberg Satellite Services ( KSAT) has been giving snow melt maps to Sweden, Eurasia and Norway  for 18 months now.

Oskal is currently working with Norwegian Sami reindeer herder in Finnmark in order to help them with a sustainable reindeer husbandry.  Oskal says that it’s predicted that Finnmark will be the part of Norway that will experience the greatest temperature increases.  With this prediction

comes question of whether ice layers will develop over reindeer pastures making it impossible for the reindeer to forage in that area.

“The experience so far has definitely been positive, “Oskal said,” and the reindeer herders are extremely interested in the future utilization of Polar View products that can relate important information about local snow conditions. These products could have important consequences for herders’ decisions regarding winter pasture quality and potential migration routes.”

Over the passed two days the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, has announced 20 recipients who will be receiving funding as part of Canada’s Arctic research infrastructure plan.  The Canadian government has allocated $85 million dollars to help with the upgrading of major Arctic research centers. 14 research facilities were announced Monday with an additional 6 being named yesterday.

“Our Government is moving quickly to realize the strong and effective commitments we made in our Economic Action Plan. We know that world class Arctic research is vital to achieving our Northern Strategy goals,” said Minister Strahl, “and we are ensuring that our scientists have the facilities they need to conduct it.”

A call for proposals on the project was released on February 20^th.  A $2 million dollar feasibility study is now underway on a new Canadian High Arctic research stations and the goal of the infrastructure fund is to make sure that a solid research infrastructure network is establish to support the new research station.

The recipients that have been chosen to receive some of the allocated money are extremely diverse in nature, insuring that Canada’s Arctic research will continue to grow and advance.

According to the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, “This fund will help to increase the participation of Northerners in Arctic science and technology. This investment will create jobs, engage Northerners’ professional services and use Northern suppliers or firms to carry out contracts.”

The Infrastructure fund is part of the Canadian government’s larger Northern Strategy that is in place to protect the environmental heritage of the Arctic while promoting social and economical growth of that area.  The strategy is also concerned with Canadian Arctic sovereignty.