Pre-workshop seminars will provide a platform for presenting novel ideas and discussing current issues in a less formal and possibly more focused way than during the workshop. The content and format of each seminar is determined by the organizer of each seminar, but it is expected that they contain ample time for general discussion.

• Seminar 1: A special session held with Aboriginal community members to review conservation issues unique to Aboriginals, and to discuss the application of ATK to caribou conservation. (Detailed description)
• Seminar 2: Generalized estimating equations and generalized linear mixed-effects models for modelling resource selection. (Detailed description)
• Seminar 3: The role of protected areas in the management of Boreal caribou critical habitat. (Detailed description)

Register for the conference, meet fellow delegates and reunite with old friends at the first official event of the North American Caribou Workshop. Peter Sawatzky, a well known Manitoba artist, will present his work including his Fairmont Hotel sculpture of barren ground caribou crossing the Seal River in northern Manitoba. This will be followed by hors d’oeuvres and refreshments – cash bar. The reception is free for registered attendees.

Introductory remarks will be presented by the Honourable Bill Blaikie, Minister of Conservation for Manitoba, Bob Brennan, President of Manitoba Hydro and conference organizers.

M. Ovide Mercredi, former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations and currently Chief of Misipawistik Cree Nation in Manitoba, will then introduce and chair the first plenary session. Faced by a rapidly changing North, landscape level approaches are required to sustain communities and caribou populations. In order to make informed decisions, significant work has been done to define landscape disturbance thresholds – what and how much disturbance can be allowed on a range and still ensure the sustainability of caribou populations. Invited speakers will talk about the concept of disturbance threshold and its usefulness (and limitations) in conserving Peary, barren-ground and woodland caribou. Members of the panel include Chris Johnson, University of Northern British Columbia, Walter Baya from the Northwest Territories and Phil McLoughlin from the University of Saskatchewan.

The concurrent sessions cover a broad range of topics including ecology, policies, aboriginal knowledge and perspectives, economy, heath and land management. The concurrent sessions follow a traditional conference style (four – 15 minute talks and 5 minute questions in each session). A 10 minute slot (first or last) may be used by the chair to summarize/introduce the topic, or to open the floor for discussions on the main ideas presented. Here is an initial list of topics for the concurrent sessions:

• CircumArctic Rangifer monitoring and climate change
• Applications of genetic data to the research and management of caribou
• Cultural crossroads: understanding changing caribou populations
• Modelling techniques to support forest management
• Northern food safety issues
• Conserving caribou predator-prey system
• Implementation of critical habitat

The Interactive Mapping Display session will provide an opportunity for delegates to interactively display project ideas or project results using interactive mapping tools (Google Earth and/or ArcGIS Explorer). A video will be shown after the presentations.

The two symposia will focus on the management side of things or how knowledge informs management – strengths and weaknesses of the information available and how this could be improved. The first symposium will focus on critical issues for barren-ground caribou and the second (simultaneous) symposium will focus on woodland caribou.

For the barren-ground caribou symposium, we will be convening a panel including Albert Thorassie from the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board, Joe Tetlichi from the Porcupine Caribou Management Board, Walter Baya from the Sahtu Renewable Resource Management Board, Nicole Gougeon from the Comité Conjoint de chasse, pêche et piègeage and Jody Snortland from the Wek’èezhìi Renewable Resources Board.

For the woodland caribou symposium, the panel will be composed of different groups from across the country that have developed innovative approaches for caribou conservation. The panel will consist of Wayne Thorp from the Foothill Model Forest, Paddy Peters and Elders from Pikangikum First Nation, Trent Hreno from Manitoba Hydro, Jim Webb from Little Red River Cree Nation, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent from University of Quebec at Rimouski, and Dale Seip from the  British Columbia Ministry of Environment.

A field trip is scheduled for the afternoon and attendees interested in this event must pay upon registering. A bag lunch will be provided en route towards Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and Oak Hammock Marsh. Additional tickets can also be purchased at the registration desk on Monday and Tuesday.

A short business meeting to report on the current event and plan for the 14^th NACW.

A Banquet will be served at 7:00 p.m. – plans for the evening entertainment will be revealed in the coming weeks. The reception is free for registered attendees but you must register for this event in order to obtain a complimentary ticket. Additional tickets can be purchased at the registration desk on Monday and Tuesday.

Concurrent sessions continue.

Time will be devoted to view the posters, discuss current and planned research activities, monitoring efforts and management approaches. Authors will be standing by their poster for the duration of this session.

Concurrent sessions continue.

Results from the pre-workshop seminars and concluding remarks – panel with representatives from different organizations.