Biodiversity Mapping Project: Collecting field data to improve land cover classification.

The Biodiversity Mapping Project (BMaP) aims to generate refined mapping tools to address key data gaps and improve how lands and habitats are planned for, managed, and protected in the eastern Georgian Bay region. Indigenous communities, municipalities, conservation organizations, and land managers currently rely on land-cover and habitat maps that are outdated or too general to accurately reflect conditions on the ground, especially for Species at Risk. Through this project, an intern will work closely with the Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere (GBB) and regional partners to collect high-quality, field-based habitat data that confirms where important habitats occur, with a focus on reptile nesting and overwintering areas. This information will be used to create updated detailed, high-resolution habitat maps that better reflect real conditions across both public and private lands. The project will benefit the partner organization by providing reliable, field-verified, standardized data to support conservation, land-use management decisions, and stewardship efforts, while also strengthening collaboration among local organizations. At the same time, the intern will gain hands-on experience in applied environmental research and conservation mapping with real-world impacts to contribute to the long-term protection and management of sensitive habitats.

Faculty Supervisor:

Chantel Markle

Student:

Partner:

Georgian Bay Biosphere

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: