Off the top

As the first post in my blog that will log what I am doing over the coming months, I thought I would include some background info on where I am going and what exactly I'm doing. This will be my third summer in northern Canada (two years ago I worked in Yukon Territory and last year I was in Inuvik). The goal of this blog is both to let people know what I'm doing and what I've seen up here. My plan is to arrive in Inuvik around May 12th and be back in Ottawa sometime in September. Here's the brief intro to the my home for the next 4 months.

This summer I am heading to Invuik, Northwest Territories which is located on the eastern edge of the Mackenzie Delta. The Mackenzie River is the longest river in Canada and flows north into the Arctic Ocean. It forms the largest delta in Canada, and 12th largest in the world. Its formed by the deposition of sediment from the rivers that flow into it, including the Mackenzie, Peel and Rat Rivers. There are three primary channels in the Delta, East Channel (where Inuvik is located) Middle Channel and Peel Channel (where Aklavik is located). As well there are over 25,000 lakes within the Delta. Here's a map that shows where the Delta is in the NWT (top right) and where Inuvik and Aklavik are located. Basically if you watch the weather report on the national CTV news, this part of Canada doesnt exist:


Inuvik is a town of about 4,000 or so people (about half are white and half are members of the local tribes, the Gwich'in and the Inuvialuit) and was the first planned town located above the Arctic Circle because the Canadian government felt there was a need for an administrative centre in the western arctic. This summer is actually the 50th anniversary of the town. The town is quite advanced and has all the amenities of a southern town (except a movie theatre). There's a lot more info located on the town's website But due to the presence of permafrost, the construction of all buildings needs to above the ground and needs to work to prevent melting of the ground which would ruin the structure with shifting. This means that all buildings are on stilts so there can be air exchange with the surface. There is generally a lot of stuff in people's yards because there are no basements. You can reach Inuvik quite easily because there is an airport that supports jet travel. This is due to a combination because it was a big military listening post and base and due to extensive oil and gas exploration that continues to today. I fly to Edmonton and then north to Inuvik. However, you could also take the northern most highway in Canada, the Dempster, to Inuvik. Its a tough drive, but its an all weather road and the scenary is beautiful. If you happen to want to visit.

This summer I will be staying just outside of town, between the airport (YEV on the map) and Inuvik. I am staying at the forest resources base where I am rooming for the summer. This summer I will be spending close to four months in Inuvik as part of a Northern Internship that I was awarded from NSERC (Natural Science and Engineering Research Council). I will be working for the forest management branch of the natural resources department of the government of Northwest Territories (GNWT). My project is to investigate the fire history of the Gwich'in Settlement Region. Happening stuff. At the same time, I will be spending time working on my thesis (conveniently located in the same area). My thesis is investigating the response of white spruce to global warming. The Mackenzie Delta region is the fastest warming location in Canada (close to 2 degrees in the last 50 years). This could have an impact on tree growth and my project will attempt to find out why or at least move to understanding the natural system better. My site (nicknamed Blueberry is located about 14 km north of town. I'll be able to fill in more in later posts.

Just thought the first post should explain why I'm going and where in the world Greg King actually is (I get a lot of blank stares and nods when I say Inuvik...hope this helps).

Until next time....