There are many unsung contributors in the life of an ABMI data point. From the field technicians who collect it, to the taxonomists who identify it and the analysts, quality-controllers, and information managers who prepare it for release, it takes a village. But outside of the ABMI offices, the most unsung of all might be [...]
How the ABMI successfully reaches all four corners of Alberta’s wilderness to collect biodiversity data. Before dawn, the early spring morning is tranquil. Mike Boucher, ABMI terrestrial field coordinator, carefully manipulates his truck down a narrow and winding logging road, which is still illuminated by the nearly full moon. Having left his temporary field base [...]
In early January, Brandi Mogge, Land Access Manager for the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), headed to southern Alberta from the ABMI’s offices at the University of Alberta in Edmonton on her first trip to visit landowners and request access to their land. She was prepared to spend her week formally explaining why the ABMI [...]
Over the past two years, the ABMI has been working closely with representatives from Canadian Forces Base Suffield on the development of a License Agreement which would allow for long term access for the ABMI to complete our field surveys on the military base. On June 1, 2012, the agreement was fully executed after being [...]
Each year, the ABMI’s field surveys are undertaken with the cooperation of hundreds of different people from across the province. It takes months of work to find, contact and build relationship with all the necessary folks. Our current 2012 monitoring is operating with the participation of: -170 agricultural producers -9 industrial corporations -6 municipalities -2 First [...]
I recently had the pleasure of peeking into the life of our Land Access Manager, Monica Kohler. On April 11 we flew to Grand Prairie for two days of driving and countless meetings, dusty maps, barking dogs, back roads, back porches,sunny skies, and more driving. It was great to have the opportunity to learn more [...]