Ward Hunt Island Field Station Print

Primary Contact
Parks Canada for logistics:
Ross Glenfield, Park Manager
P.O. Box 278
Iqaluit, Nunavut CANADA X0A 0H0
Phone: 867 975-4673 or 975-4643
Fax: 867 975-4674
Email:

Secondary Contact for CEN research
Dr. Warwick Vincent, professor
Department of Biology
Université Laval
Québec, Québec
G1V 0A6 Canada
Phone: 418 656-5644
FAX: 418 656-2043
Email:

Longitude: 74° 10' W
Latitude:
83° 6' N
Location:
Ward Hunt Island, Quttinirpaaq National Park, Nunavut
Surrounding environment:
Lake, Tundra, Marine, Sea ice, Coastal, Glacier, Polar Desert

Description of Facility: Parks Canada has 3 Weatherhaven shelters with oil burner furnaces, each can sleep 12 people. CEN operates two climatological stations of SILA Network in operation year-round. A laboratory (insulated fiberglass building) is planned for 2010.

Laboratory: Summer 2010.
Wet Lab:
No
Power:
The new CEN laboratory will be powered by solar panels.

Communications: HF Radio - PCSP (Polar Continental Shelf Project) frequencies, a written permission from PCSP is required. Please see http://polar.nrcan.gc.ca/ for more details.

Access: By chartered Twin Otter and helicopter. Contact Polar Continental Shelf Project and northern air carriers.

Local Transportation: Helicopter time and snowmobiles can be obtained through Polar Continental Shelf Project. No ATV can be used at the site.

Fuel Availability: Parks Canada has fuel caches at Ward Hunt Island for its operational needs only, with the exception of emergencies. Arrangements for fuel can be made through PCSP.

Other Local Resources: None, high degree of self-sufficiency is expected.

Special Rules and Regulations: The site is located within Quttinirpaaq National Park. Hence, all persons going to the site must first contact Parks Canada.

Nearest Community: Grise Fiord (Aujuittuq) (750 km)

Nearest Medical Service: Health Center in Grise Fiord and Hospital in Iqaluit (2615 km, via Resolute)

Licences, Permits: Contact the Quttinirpaaq Park Manager for details. Contact Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP) for appropriate application forms.

Availability: Late May to Late August (contact the Park Manager in advance to confirm opening and closing dates.)

Cost: No cost for Parks Canada property.

Current Projects: Structure and functioning of lake and river ecosystems at high latitudes; dynamics of northern ice shelves; cyanobacteria ecology; impacts of UV radiation and climate change on aquatic ecosystems.

Other Information: Research chair on aquatic ecosystem studies website: www.cen.ulaval.ca/warwickvincent/

SCANNET - A Circumarctic Network of Terrestrial Field Bases | 2010