GRADUATE STUDENT INTERNSHIP / CO-OP PROJECT FORM
TITLE:
PROJECT
LOCATION:
The Southern Mountain Caribou and the Interior Temperate Rainforest
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – BC Chapter (CPAWS-BC) office – see below
TERM:
Spring/Summer
FROM: May 4, 2015
NAME:
Peter Wood
TITLE:
Director of Terrestrial Conservation
BRANCH / SECTION:
CPAWS-BC
FAX:
604 629 8532
DIVISION:
PROJECT
SPONSOR/
CONTACT
PERSON
ADDRESS:
410 – 698 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 3K6
EMAIL:
peter@cpawsbc.org
PHONE:
604 685 7445 ext 22
TOPIC OR RESEARCH
QUESTION:
(Briefly describe the research
question being addressed
through this project)
KEYWORDS:
(List key words to describe the
field of study and project)
TO: June 12, 2015
This project will assess the threats that the southern mountain caribou faces in the interior temperate rainforest area of British Columbia.
CPAWS-BC is part of the Mountain Caribou Project (http://mountaincaribou.ca), a joint effort of several non-profit groups working to conserve mountain caribou
and their habitat. The groups helped gain a science-based provincial recovery plan that maintains the current range of mountain caribou by protecting, restoring
and reconnecting critical mountain caribou habitat.
The project will help CPAWS-BC and partners identify where to target efforts in order to obtain the best conservation outcome for this sub-species.
Mountain caribou
Land use
Intact forest
Species at Risk Act
Forestry
Tenure
PROJECT DESCTIPTION &
RELEVANCE:
(Provide an overview of the
context for the internship / coop project and why it is
important. Describe the project
and its tangible, intended
outcomes.)
Overview:
Mountain caribou are one of the most endangered mammals in North America, and over 90% of them are found in BC. This globally unique
animal is a variety of woodland caribou that has adapted to the special conditions of BC’s wet, mountainous interior forests (the “inland
temperate rainforest”). Mountain caribou require unbroken tracts of old-growth forest for food and for security from predators. Because of
this tight link, mountain caribou are considered indicators of the ecological integrity of these old-growth forests.
Their numbers have been steadily declining, from approximately 2200 in the late 1990s to approximately 1600 today, mostly due to humancaused habitat changes. Logging remains one of the major threats, as well as motorized recreation (such as snowmobiling).
Project Details:
The intern will produce a report and a presentation that will be used to inform CPAWS-BC and partners as they move forward on their
mountain caribou campaign. The report and presentation will include the following:
a) A report on the current status of the southern mountain caribou, and review of current scientific literature (this has been done fairly
recently and will only have to be updated).
b) A map of forest tenures and other industrial activity as it coincides with mountain caribou habitat and intact, high conservation value
forests.
Based on an analysis of this map, the intern will work with CPAWS-BC staff to identify critical areas in need of protection and/or access
restriction to ensure the recovery of mountain caribou.
The internship will be full time for 6 weeks and will be located at the CPAWS-BC office in downtown Vancouver. The intern will work under
the supervision of Peter Wood, Director of Terrestrial Campaigns. Although the intern is expected to work independently and complete
many tasks on his/her own, Peter and/or other knowledgeable staff will be around to answer questions and offer any guidance that the
intern may require.
Experience/Skills required: A Master’s or PhD student with interest and experience in conservation and species at risk policy is preferred.
Experience or interest in policy related to forest management is also preferred. GIS experience is recommended.
AVAILABLE FUNDING:
NO
YES
IF YES, THEN LIST AMOUNT:
$6,000 from BRITE for a 6 week internship. None from CPAWS-BC
PROJECT TYPE (Check the relevant type(s) of work to be undertaken for this internship / co-op project)
FIELD WORK
GIS ANALYSIS (potentially if the student has the skills and interest)
RESEARCH PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT
POLICY ANALYSIS
LITERATURE REVIEW
SURVEY DESIGN
SHORT STUDY / ASSESSMENT
MODEL DEVELOPMENT (research prioritization framework)
DATA COLLECTION
OTHER
DATA / STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
EXPECTED DELIVERABLES:
(Summarize the intended
project deliverables, e.g.,
research report, data analyzed,
and presented in a spreadsheet
format, etc.)
please describe:
A written report and a presentation to the CPAWS-BC terrestrial team that covers the following topics:
a) a summary of the most up-to-date science on the status of the southern mountain caribou and known threats;
b) a map of remaining herds of mountain caribou, overlapped with forestry tenures and other land uses, identifying high conservation value
forests; and
c) a policy brief recommending where conservation efforts should be directed in order to improve the chances of recovery for this subspecies.
Depending on the significance of the outcome, we may pursue the development of a public outreach document and/or publication to
communicate the importance of the findings of this project, and pursue media coverage.
Revised April 2009