Indigenous-led monitoring and conservation in the North

The Boreal Forest is often called “North America’s bird nursery” due to the incredible numbers of birds (and bird species) that migrate there each summer to breed. The Boreal Forest, the Arctic tundra found above the treeline, and the bays, coastlines, and oceans throughout the North are some of the most productive, continuous, and least human-influenced regions left in the world. Beyond the incredible biodiversity that these regions support, the climate benefits of northern ecosystems are huge. The Boreal Forest absorbs and stores incredible amounts of carbon, helping to slow atmospheric warming. Additionally, the vast ice and snow cover of the Arctic and Boreal regions help to reflect heat and reduce warming. Given the astounding biodiversity and global climate benefits of the North, Canada has a large responsibility to conserve and support these regions.

A key to conservation success, especially in Canada’s North, is Indigenous-led conservation. Indigenous Peoples have always cared for and lived on the land and have incredible experience and knowledge to bring to conservation efforts. And, importantly, centering Indigenous voices in land and ocean conservation discussions is a critical part of reconciliation.

Birds Canada is excited to have increased capacity to help support Indigenous-led conservation and wildlife monitoring projects in the North. Using our monitoring tools, data, and expertise, and by working with northern Indigenous governments and communities, we seek to support habitat conservation efforts, such as Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas and National Marine Conservation Areas. Our initial work is focused on Canada’s eastern Boreal Forest and sub-Arctic region. The central goal of the Science in the North program is to support Indigenous communities, Nations, governments, and groups to further bird monitoring and habitat conservation in the North.

Autonomous Recording Unit deployed in Boreal forest near Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec, 2025. Photo: Thomas Gianoli

This project gives us the opportunity to continue expanding several of our programs in northern Canada. Northern residents speak about changes to species movements and distributions (including new species arriving) and such changes can be monitored through programs such as the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. Much can be learned through many of our ongoing Citizen Science projects such as breeding bird atlases or the use of tools like Autonomous Recording Units. Such studies, as well as Traditional Ecological Knowledge, contribute valuable information toward on-the-ground conservation. The Key Biodiversity Areas program relies on data from these and other sources to identify areas of particular biodiversity significance, and incorporates Indigenous knowledge into sites. Increasingly, Birds Canada is working to help conserve birds and bird habitats internationally, providing opportunities to connect bird conservation efforts in northern Canada with efforts across the hemisphere.

How we can help

• Support planning, fieldwork, and data management and analysis for bird monitoring projects
• Use tracking (Motus) and remote sensing technology to understand priority questions for northern collaborators and bird conservation
• Support area-based conservation projects through planning, community engagement, compiling data, mapping, and advocacy
• Increase northern monitoring and conservation capacity through training, resource and tool development, and youth education

Online blogs and stories about our work

• Birds in the line of fire: how boreal birds respond to forest fires
• Conservation technology helps northern communities track birds
• Timiskaming First Nation and Birds Canada: A Relationship Taking Flight
• Northern Melodies: Autonomous Recording Units and Avian Monitoring
• Shoreline observations, identification of seabirds at Uashat mak Mani-Utenam – First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute 

Active Funding Opportunities for Indigenous-led Northern Conservation

• Indigenous Leadership Fund for Biodiversity Conservation – FNQLSDI – Funding from the Government of Québec to support their 2030 Nature Plan, including projects benefitting 30×30 goals
• Conference and Meeting Travel Grant – Polar Knowledge Canada
• Financial support for northern initiatives | Gouvernement du Québec
• Indigenous Partnerships for Species at Risk – Canada.ca
• Climate Change Preparedness in the North Program

Our Team

Gregor Beck

Indigenous Liaison Coordinator – Northern Canada

Erica Geldart

Motus Coordinator – Outreach and Analytics

Meet a few Boreal and Arctic birds:

For more information, contact: Graham Sorenson, Manager, Science in the North (gsorenson AT birdscanada.org)

Thank you to the Weston Family Foundation for support of this important work through our “Growing Science Capacity for Conservation in the North” grant.