Ecora: An Integrated Ecosystem Management Approach

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Alexander Kuzmich

population numbers have been registered in a digital photo data bank. Several new monitoring plots have been established and will be included in the community monitoring program (see Section 6.2, Activity 3). Some of the colonies were only monitored for one season due to poor weather conditions and lack of suitable transportation. Low number of breeding birds of Beringovsky • populations of Guillemots and Kittiwakes and low breeding success was observed for the past three years, the reasons for which are presently unclear. Pelagic surveys (about 500 miles at sea) • continued with the objective of clarifying the distribution of non-breeding birds in the Bering Sea coastal waters. Status: The estimated size of seabird populations will • be calculated and presented in a report in 2009, the first time that such numbers have been determined for this area. The data from this activity will help identify • protected area clusters as part of establishing Beringia National Park (see Section 6.4, Activity 4).

A long-term community-based monitoring • program was developed focusing on selected key biodiversity components in the Model Areas. The monitoring program will help provide information relating to the status and trends of species, habitat fragmentation, and climate change. Twelve questionnaires were developed covering • the main biodiversity components, including birds, mammals, and plants; phenology, especially in relation to climate change, reindeer husbandry practices; other traditional wildlife use practices, including consumption of traditional food; and environmental disasters, pollution, and records of illegal use of resources. Observers were identified in Model Area communities and trained to conduct the community monitoring work. Data collected by community observers included • observations on encounters with polar bears and brown bears around villages, sightings of bird and mammal carcasses, lemming numbers in different seasons, environmental pollutants, mass migration of cranes, harvesting of biological resources, wild foods collected by families, and reindeer herds. In Beringovsky, observations by community • monitoring observers helped to locate important November concentrations of Ross’s Gulls ( Rhodostethia rosea ) and Ivory Gulls ( Pagophila eburnea ). It is hoped that areas important to these species will be included in the Beringia National Park.

Activity 3: Community monitoring

Results: