New Research Network Tackles Climate Change Adaptation
UPEI's Institute of Island Studies and Environmental Studies Program and the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of PEI (MCPEI) are helping to establish a research network to support climate change adaptation in coastal communities of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRCC) has granted $1 million over five years to a group of Maritime universities and watershed organizations for research and pilot projects. Involving nine community partner organizations, nine universities and more than 22 researchers in PEI, NB, NS, and Quebec, the alliance is led by Dr. Steve Plante of the University of Quebec at Rimouski (UQAR), and Chantal Gagnon, Executive Director of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coalition for Sustainability.
'Integrated coastal zone and watershed management poses great challenges to communities in the Southern Gulf region,' notes Dr. Omer Chouinard of the University of Moncton, 'especially in this time of climate change.' Both the rapid physical changes along the coast, such as accelerating erosion, and the shifts in watershed, municipal and First Nations governance in the coastal zone in recent years, indicate the need and the opportunity for concerted and collective action.
'Any approach to coastal and watershed management must be holistic because the supporting ecosystem is both sensitive to human activities and essential to our social and economic well-being,' says Dr. Irene Novaczek, Director of the Institute of Island Studies at UPEI.
'The Mi'kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island is pleased to be associated with a project that is so important to the future of PEI's First Nations,' says Randy Angus, Director of MCPEI's Department of Integrated Resource Management. 'Resources, and access to resources, have been and continue to be of primary importance to First Nations. Our changing climate is impacting the land, fisheries, forestry and many other resources. Throughout more than 520 generations, the Mi'kmaq have successfully adapted to many social and environmental changes. We look forward to working with the wide range of professionals involved with this project to share our experiences and plans for the future.'
The research alliance brings academics and community partners together in a network where they can share diverse skills, knowledge and experience. This collaboration is deemed essential to integrated coastal zone management. Network members will identify community vulnerabilities and strengths, and develop strategies to improve resilience at the community level.
The short-term goal is to work with a small number of communities to develop and test various approaches and tools for integrated local governance. This will help to build community capacity to learn from and survive changing conditions. In the long term, the network will provide appropriate and flexible tools that can help the region in its struggle to manage resources and guide development while coping with increased coastal erosion, flooding, and storm events as climate change intensifies.
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For further information please contact:
Dr. Irene Novaczek, Institute of Island Studies, UPEI
(902) 566-0386
Dr. Steve Plante, UQAR
(418)723-1986 ext. 1456
Chantal Gagnon, Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coalition on Sustainability, Université de Moncton
(506) 858-4495
