Parks Canada

Calling frogs and toads are surveyed annually at permanent stations, three times during the spring and early summer, at least 15 days apart. Each survey is 3 minutes long. These surveys are conducted by park staff and volunteers.

The endangered eastern prickly pear cactus is a focal species for Lake Erie Sand Spit Savannas (LESSS), one of the most imperiled terrestrial ecosystems in North America. Although monitoring of the of eastern prickly pear cactus has occurred within the park since 1971, accurate estimation of...

An estimated 65% reduction in Lake Erie Sand Spit Savannas (LESSS) has occurred over the last 72 years. A land cover mapping standard is used to classify the types of landscape cover in the park and assess change over time. Both remote sensing and ground data are utilised to complete this...

Many processes and functions in wetlands are driven by water quality, this measure can therefore determine the composition and health of wetland species. Point Pelee National Park collects several parameters to monitor water quality in the park wetlands such as turbidity, total suspended solids,...

Point Pelee National Park is the home to an isolated population of five-lined skink - the only lizard species found in eastern Canada. Monitoring involves overturning of logs and boards, and subsequent search for skinks. Dimensions of the cover object and its decay class are also recorded.

Monitoring consists of four trap lines consisting of five traps each baited for five sessions (of five days each) every two years.

Presence of exotic species often represents a level of disturbance in an ecosystem.The park samples invasive wetland plants along coastal transects, which include submerged areas. The focus of this measure are Eurasian watermilfoil and European phragmites. Currently the park has sufficient data...

The park is developing a protocol to monitor Northern Map Turtles as they congregate to bask along rock outcrops and shorelines on Georgian Bay. The measure will be completed annually through field observations of suitable basking sites. Turtles are long-living slowly-reproducing reptiles and...

Abundance and diversity of frogs and toads is a good indicator for assessing ecological integrity. The park visually counts adult frogs and toads in coastal wetlands after the breeding season. This method does not permit assessment of early breeding species and may overestimate frog abundance...

The park monitors abundance of redback salamanders in deciduous and mixed forests of Beausoleil Island. These salamanders are the most abundant vertebrate species in eastern forests, and their densities reflect condition of forest habitats. The park uses the cover board method for salamander...

This measure consists of 2 field measurements: Tree Crown Conditions and Stem Defects. These parameters are used to assess overall forest health in the park, as a reduction in crown cover can provide early warning signs of change in forest stand health and succession.

Georgian Bay Islands National Park uses point counts to monitor forest birds on Beausoleil Island; this measure focuses on the abundance of five common songbird species and overall diversity.

The park measures forest regeneration and succession on 15 EMAN plots in deciduous and mixed forests on Beausoleil Island. The surveys report on the number, height class and survival of tree seedlings and saplings.

A peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum) survey of all known territories within Pukaskwa National Park is conducted annually during the breeding season (May 15 - July 15). Surveys are completed by trained observers most often by boat. The number of active territories is monitored as well as...

Moose aerial surveys are conducted approximately every 5 years by helicopter, subject to snow and weather conditions or to coincide with a survey being done in the adjacent Wildlife Management Unit. The dataset includes surveys conducted during the winters of 1996, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011...

Browse surveys occur yearly in July-August and are conducted by park staff. Each plot is composed of nine circular subplots (2-m radius) in a 3 x 3 grid, spaced at 15 m intervals. The number of seedlings (5 – 30 cm) and saplings (30 – 200 cm) of each tree species are counted. Seedling recruitment...

Benthic invertebrate data is collected and used for two biological measures that assess TINP’s freshwater quality. Data collection from streams in the park occurs yearly in July, and follows the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network protocol. Field procedures involve a kick and sweep method at...

Benthic invertebrate data is collected and used for two biological measures that assess TINP’s freshwater quality. Data collection from streams in the park occurs yearly in July, and follows the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network protocol. Field procedures involve a kick and sweep method at...

Frogs and toads were monitored through visual and audio surveys during twice-yearly wetland visits between May-June 2006-2014. Frogs and toads were assessed by park staff for physical deformities, abundance and diversity

Several measures that characterise downed woody debris are recorded along three, 45.14 m transects associated with long-term Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) forest plots. Several measures are recorded including the diameter of the DWD at point of contact, tree species,...