Climate Change at the Arctic's Edge

  Canada

• All Other Areas in Canada: 
Churchill

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: Inquire for specific dates.

Description: Research Mission:
Help monitor the Arctic's vast stores of greenhouse gasses.

Situation Report
Churchill, Manitoba and Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories, Canada - Global warming is being felt first and most dramatically at the edge of the Arctic, where the world's peatlands run in a broad strip around the globe. These wetlands contain as much as 30 percent of all terrestrial carbon, often locked in permafrost. If global warming thaws the permafrost, the decomposing peat could release its carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas. What happens to the peat here could have huge consequences for the ecology of the entire planet. Understanding the current status of Arctic ecosystems will help scientists predict the impact of rapid climate change. You will help Dr. Peter Kershaw and scientists and staff at the Churchill Northern Studies Center monitor ecosystem responses to global warming.

Meals and Accommodations
The Churchill teams will be based at the Churchill Northern Studies Center, with dramatic scenery and a dome for watching the Arctic sky, with Northern Lights likely during some teams. You'll stay in dormitory rooms with up to eight beds in each, a quiet lounge for reading, and shared modern washroom facilities with hot showers, and meals provided by the Center's cafeteria. The Mackenzie Mountains team will stay at a naturalist lodge with small cabins that you will share with another volunteer. Meals will be provided in the main lodge, which has a spectacular view of the mountain barrens and grazing caribou.

Highlights: On the Expedition
In the inimitable Arctic landscape, you will take measurements at study plots extending from the tundra into the forest to monitor changes affecting the carbon stores in these peat-rich ecosystems. Summer and fall teams will use ground penetrating radar, microclimate dataloggers, and soil coring to measure the permafrost and organic carbon stores. You'll also live-trap small mammals, sample trees and shrubs to evaluate their growth rings, and monitor plant development. February teams offer a unique opportunity to experience the edge of the Arctic in its most dramatic season...winter. Traveling by kamatiq towed by snowmobiles, you'll measure snowpack thickness, density, hardness, and temperature and collect winter-active insects under the snow. You will learn to build an igloo and sleep in it comfortably for one night when the temperature outside is -33°C.

Qualifications: Earthwatch volunteers are enthusiastic to learn about the research topic and are willing to contribute their time and energy to support leading scientists in conducting field research. Volunteers will be trained upon arrival at the research site. Teams have a minimum age of 18, unless accompanied by parent or legal guardian, in which case the minimum age is 16.

Cost in US$: 2,946

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people: educators gain new knowledge and develop exciting lesson plans; students explore career options and build research skills; writers, photographers and artists contribute their skills and share their experiences through a variety of media; businessmen and women, doctors and nurses, engineers, homemakers, retirees . . . people from all walks of life choose to volunteer on research expeditions each year. Volunteers are actively engaged on a daily basis with the research project, develop global perspectives, and explore new cultures and environments.

Age Range: 18 - 90

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Canada Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 6-11

Application Process Involves:

• Other
• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement: Earthwatch Institute engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Through a unique method of funding, the volunteers Share of Cost contributes directly to the support of the research projects. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. Each year, over 4,000 people from 46 countries directly contribute to scientific research by working alongside scientists, local community members and other volunteers. Earthwatch volunteers can track sea turtles; join archaeological digs; observe animal behavior; collect rare plants, study dolphin behavior and more. The Earthwatch community also includes 20,000 global members, 4,000 eager volunteers each year, 50 collaborating conservation organizations, and 50 corporate partners, all of whom work together to make a difference. Below you will find out more about our leadership, employment opportunities, and contact information.

Year Founded: 1971