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|Project History
At the Fourth International Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Flora Group Workshop held from May 15-18, 2007 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, members convened to address ongoing scientific work concerning arctic flora and vegetation, such as regional vegetation studies in western North America, Alaska, Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Newfoundland; perspectives in floristics; methods related to ecological land classification, integrated optical-radar, Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine (GLORIA) Environments, and the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map (CAVM); permafrost studies; flora and vegetation databases; and the creation of the Circumboreal Vegetation Map (CBVM). Specialists from outside the CAFF Flora Group membership were invited to participate. In addition, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations at the workshop are available on the World Wide Web (see: http://arcticportal.org/en/caff/caff-expert-groups/caff-floraexpert- group-cfg/4th-international-workshop). The proceedings of the workshop will be published in the following report with a publication date of August 2008:
Talbot, S.S., ed. (2008): Proceedings of the Fourth International Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Flora Group Workshop, 15-18 May 2007, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. CAFF Technical Report No. 15.
One of the major reasons for the Faroe Islands workshop was to plan for the Circumboreal Vegetation Map (CBVM). Vegetation maps have numerous application uses for Arctic and boreal scientists and managers. They are important for impact studies on wildlife such as caribou, musk ox, and bird life. For example, an estimated 97 % of the North American population of bird species breeds in the boreal forest. Many of North America’s most rapidly declining birds are among those most reliant on the boreal forest for their survival. Another important application of vegetation maps is analysis of feedback mechanisms in models, such as increased emission of greenhouse gases, and for use in global models.
The need for such a Circumboreal Vegetation Map was discussed at the Second International Workshop on Circumpolar Vegetation Classification and Mapping held in Tromsø (Sommarøy), Norway, in June 2004. This need was further discussed at the Third CAFF Flora Group Workshop in Helsinki, Finland, in May 2005, and a proposal for funding was initiated. An organizational meeting was held in Fairbanks, Alaska, in March 2006 and a funding proposal was further developed; attendees at this meeting were: Teresa Hollingsworth (Boreal Ecology Cooperative Research Unit, Pacific Northwest Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Fairbanks), Stephen Talbot (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Anchorage), and Donald “Skip” Walker (University of Alaska Fairbanks). At the CAFF XI Biennial Meeting in Yllas, Finland, in March 2006, the CAFF National Representatives endorsed the CBVM. This approval was followed by an endorsement by the Senior Arctic Officials representing the eight Arctic States. In the interim, the CAFF Flora Group received support from Environment Canada, Faroe Islands Homeland Government, and U.S. Department of State to fund the Fourth International CAFF Flora Group Workshop. This workshop helped pave the way for a larger Circumboreal Vegetation Map (CBVM) workshop in Helsinki, Finland, scheduled for 3-7 November 2008. Funding for the CBVM workshop was secured from the Nordic Council of Ministers by Finland.
Scientific work of the CAFF Flora Group is ongoing and evolving—some particular items that were also addressed in this workshop were (1) action items for the CAFF Flora Group documented in the CAFF 2006-2008 Work Plan (CAFF 2006, an electronic copy of the work plan is available at http://archive.arcticportal.org/255/01/work-plan-all.pdf ); (2) developing a vision for the proposed Circumboreal Vegetation Map (CBVM); and (3) developing ideas for new action items for 2008-2010.
The attendees of the Fourth International CAFF Flora Group Workshop adopted the following resolution at the close of the workshop: Resolution from the Fourth International CAFF Flora Group Workshop, May 15-18, 2007 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands Whereas the distribution, characteristics, and history of arctic and boreal flora and vegetation are of essential importance with regard to (1) the knowledge of how circumpolar terrestrial ecosystems interact with climate and contribute to the changing earth system; (2) the conservation of biodiversity of these regions; (3) the increasing exploration and development of circumpolar nations; and (4) the education about the arctic and boreal region, be it resolved that the international community of arctic and boreal vegetation scientists and botanists undertake the joint tasks:
- Develop (i) a uniform modern interactive Circumarctic Flora, including species pages with taxonomic, ecological, and distribution information for all Arctic vascular plants, mosses, and lichens; (ii) an Arctic Vegetation Database as well as a list of arctic plant community types; and (iii) digitized arctic herbarium information that can be accessed through one common Arctic portal.
- Compile, edit, and publish a Circumboreal Vegetation Map (CBVM) depicting the distribution and boundaries of boreal vegetation south of the arctic zone, by using recent and traditional vegetation classifications and maps, remote sensing tools at a scale of approximately 1:7,500,000, and a legend that is accepted by the international community of plant scientists.
- Support biodiversity monitoring efforts in the arctic and boreal regions of the world, with projects such as the Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine environments (GLORIA), local floras, and Panarctic vegetation change.
- Form a CAFF Flora Group Education/Outreach Subcommittee to address the urgent need to bring young scientists into the fields of arctic and boreal floristic studies and vegetation analysis and mapping, and to educate the public about the value of these efforts.
Furthermore, we request the endorsement of the Nordic Council of Ministers for these projects and ask their assistance in announcing that the cooperation, interest, and scientific expertise of the international community is welcome in the development of these resolutions.
Finally, be it resolved the undersigned scientists develop the organizational mechanisms to accomplish the above stated tasks and, in particular, produce draft products by the Boreal Workshop in 2008 in Helsinki, Finland, when the CAFF Flora Group will convene again.
