Yellowknife — August 15, 2024
In an exciting collaboration between the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), residents from the Tłı̨chǫ region and Yellowknives Dene First Nation participated in a NASA research flight aboard the AFRC NASA802 aircraft today.
Today’s participants contributed to vital data collection efforts as NASA conducts L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) flights, which will run until August 30. These flights will monitor the same regions studied in prior flights through the 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 campaigns, focusing on tracking changes in permafrost, thermokarst, post-fire degradation, and boreal forest structure.
Key research sites include the Peace-Athabasca Delta, Yellowknife, Inuvik, and regions in Alaska and Yukon. The data collected will include before-and-after InSAR observations of areas affected by wildfires in 2022 and 2023.
This research is part of the Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE), a significant field campaign led by NASA’s Terrestrial Ecology Program.
The GNWT departments of Environment and Climate Change and Industry, Tourism and Investment have been working closely with NASA on various initiatives under the ABoVE program to involve Indigenous governments and organizations in this groundbreaking research. The GWNT has been involved with the ABoVE program for ten years.
Quotes
“Once again, we're excited to welcome Indigenous communities on board for this NASA research flight, where they can share their perspectives during this specific mission as we work to understand and address climate change.”
- Jay Macdonald, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“This NASA mission highlights the innovative spirit within the territory, showcasing the progress we are making together. The collaboration underscores the significant role that Indigenous knowledge plays in our scientific pursuits, emphasizing the growth that emerges from our shared learning and mutual respect.”
- Caitlin Cleveland, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment
“The 2024 ABoVE science flights in the Great Slave Lake Region and across the NWT are critically important, as they provide the first insights into the impacts of the record 2023 fires on the land and allow us to compare these impacts with those from the massive 2014 fires. The increased frequency and intensity of fires may now be occurring faster than the forests can recover, highlighting one of the keyways climate change is transforming the North.”
- Charles E. Miller, Charles E. Miller, Deputy Science Lead, Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (Above)
“I'm thrilled about the opportunity to fly with NASA in the ABoVE Mission and meet both the scientists and flight crew. What interests me about the NASA Above flight the most is its remote sensing; it will help the scientists to determine the effects of climate change. Climate change is really happening.”
- Sean Erasmus, Regulatory Trainee, Yellowknives Dene First Nation
“Being involved in a mission that collects vital data to advance our understanding of climate change and environmental phenomena is truly inspiring. The data obtained from this mission can enhance our understanding of and response to climate change.”
- Tanisha Beaverho, Land Use Planner Intern, Tłı̨chǫ Government
Quick facts
- The Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment is a long-term research program designed to understand the accelerating impacts of climate change in the Arctic and Boreal regions. These regions are experiencing rapid environmental changes, including reduced Arctic sea ice, thawing permafrost, and widespread ecosystem disruptions.
- ABoVE aims to assess the vulnerability and resilience of ecosystems and societies in the face of these changes, with research spanning Alaska and western Canada over an 8 to 10-year period.
Related links
For media requests, please contact:
Charles Poon
Communications Planning Specialist
Environment and Climate Change
Government of the Northwest Territories
867-767-9231 Ext. 53035
