Conference Presentations

Toward a Community-Led Goose Monitoring Network in Eeyou Istchee (2025)

Brainstorming on the establishment of a community-based wildlife monitoring program focused on Canada geese on the Eeyou Istchee coast (James Bay)

LeTourneux, Frédéric; Delisle, Samantha; Dunkely, Sahana; Leblanc, Mélanie; Landry-Cuerrier, Manuelle; Menzies, Allyson; Humphries, Murray

Fifty years ago, the Eeyou Istchee coast (eastern James Bay) was a critical migratory stopover for Canada geese (Branta canadensis), a cultural keystone species for the Eeyou culture. However, climate-induced habitat change, the loss of eelgrass beds linked to hydroelectric development and increases in human-induced disturbance, among other factors, have reduced the attractiveness of the coast for migrating geese who are now present in much lower numbers during spring and fall. This is a great loss for the people of Eeyou Istchee as the Canada goose harvest is a cornerstone of the Eeyou culture, and an important contribution to food security in the region. To preserve the geese that are still currently migrating on the coast, and hopefully increase their numbers, we partnered with Eeyou organizations to develop a wildlife monitoring program to better understand current Canada goose migration ecology in Eeyou Istchee. Using non-invasive tools like acoustic recorders, trail cameras, drones, wildlife observations and harvest surveys, we aim to gain a better understanding of the features that are still attracting geese in the area during migration, and those that repel them (e.g., habitat selection, impact of hunting). Ultimately, we hope to collect data that can inform Eeyou decision-making on the stewardship of their land. Objective of his poster: Since we are in the early stages of the development of this program, we are presenting our current monitoring plan and hoping to brainstorm ideas with other participants on how to best invest our efforts to increase our knowledge of Canada goose migration ecology in Eeyou Istchee.