Northern Trips

One of our main priorities is to repeat atlas work done in Atlas-2, from 2001-05, covering the same squares and even a lot of the same point counts. This will primarily involve teams of four people canoeing northern rivers, especially those that pass through the Hudson Bay Lowlands. We are working to subsidize the cost of these trips.

The table and map below shows the trips we are hoping to run in 2024. All of the 100-kilometre blocks in northern Ontario must be adequately covered by the end of 2025. Adequate coverage in this part of the province is considered two squares for every 100-kilometre block.

For the majority of trips, at least two people in each team of four need to be expert birders capable of doing point counts in remote northern Ontario, and all four need to be experienced campers and canoeists able to work safely in remote wilderness conditions. The trips vary in length from 7 to 17 days on the river, plus time getting to and from the north. Trips will run between early-June and mid-July to correspond with the peak of breeding bird activity.

If you are interested in participating in any of these trips for Atlas-3 — or you have other remote atlassing trips in mind — please complete the remote northern atlassing application form providing information about yourself and your preferences of trips. Although we appreciate all applications and would like to run as many trips as possible, we will only be contacting selected candidates. We have drafted the Northern Atlassing Manual to give you an idea of what northern atlassing entails.

What’s covered by the Atlas?
For these specific trips, the Atlas is able to offer significant financial and logistical help but the expectation is that these trips are still volunteer-led and will require some financial commitment by participants. Specifically, the Atlas will pay for flights in and out of canoe routes and any guides needed, along with up to $500 in other expenses per trip. It’s the team’s responsibility to supply their camping gear, food, and travel to and from the plane start and end points. The Atlas can supply an InReach device for satellite communication. Where necessary, the Atlas will cover the cost of rental canoes.

What’s required by Atlassers?
Atlassers on these Atlas-supported trips are expected to ensure completion of the coverage targets (typically “full coverage” of two squares per block; i.e. 25 point counts and 20 hours of effort), including recording all point counts on (Atlas-supplied) Zoom handheld recorders. Atlassers are also responsible for supplying their own camping equipment, food, and transport to and from the designated start and end points of the trip. Atlassers should coordinate with the Atlas team to ensure required permission for access in certain areas (e.g. Conservation Authorities, First Nation Reserve Lands). While the Atlas will assist with logistical planning for the overall trip, the development of the day to day plan is up to the Atlasser team on each trip.