Having been the Range Biologist for Canadian Forces Base Suffield for 14 years, Brent was responsible for designing field studies, and collecting and analyzing ecological data in relation to military training, oil and gas development, and cattle grazing. Using GIS and ecological statistics, we have:
1. described the influence of soils, aspect, slope, topographic position, moisture, and disturbance on individual prairie species, as well as plant communities within the dry mixedgrass ecoregion of Alberta;
2. developed vegetation guides describing expected (reference) plant communities, as well as successional communities within the dry mixedgrass ecoregion of Alberta, including uplands, wetlands, and riparian forest communities;
3. developed geospatial ecological models (Path Landscape/TELSA) to predict plant succession in relation to land use, cattle grazing, and climate change; and
4. used provincial soil databases and vegetation guides to predict expected plant communities, and to determine appropriate species selection in permaculture plant guild design
What can we do for you? We can help you with any of the following:
1. determine ecologically sustainable stocking rates for livestock, and design grazing management plans;
2. design field studies or collect field data to assess ecological condition;
3. assess range health or riparian health using provincial protocols;
4. monitor restoration projects to assess success;
5. analyze ecological and land use data using geospatial and ecological statistics; and
6. make ecological models to understand ecosystem behaviour