1. A terrestrial platform for coordinated research and monitoring in the Arctic
Elmer Topp-Jørgensen, Aarhus University, Denmark
INTAROS Stakeholder Workshop, Bruxelles, 5 May 2017

2. The INTERACT Network
78 research stations

3. … to large The INTERACT Network Range from small …
Barrow Environmental Observatory, Alaska, US
Ward Hunt Island, Canada

4. The INTERACT Network From old … … to new Pallas-Sodankylä, Finland
Arctic Station, Greenland

5. The INTERACT Network From strange … … to stranger
Igloolik, Canada
Flashline Mars Station, Canada

6. The INTERACT Network – It all varies
Disciplinary coverage
Sampling
standards
Data management and sharing
External
cooperation
Funding
So what do INTERACT do to coordinate and streamline research and monitoring at the stations ?

7. Promote stations – Making INTERACT a one stop shop for access to the Arctic
Station catalogue
Networking with science initiatives
Conferences, workshops, etc.
Website, posters, brochures, etc.
… and a card game …

8. The INTERACT Card Game

9. WP 2 - Science Coordination
Linking INTERACT stations to arctic and global initiatives
Two-way Matchmaking
Linking scientific networks and research stations
(networking and presentations)
Mentoring
Station to station and
pool of scientific expertice
Advertice station network in international organisations and assessments

10. INTERACT Networks/organisations
76 Networks/organisations (2014 rough survey)
Global: 25
Arctic: 17
Polar: 2
Single continents: 18
Single country and bi/multilateral: 14

11. WP3 – Station Managers’ Forum
Designing monitoring programmes and mapping coverage
Research & Monitoring report
- Recommended minimum monitoring
- Scientific networks with best practices
- Mapping disciplinary coverage
- Mapping parameter group coverage

12. WP5 - INTERACT Transnational Access
Offered pan Arctic Transnational Access to 24 stations ( )!
>520 researchers ,000 Research days journal publ. since 2010

13. WP5 - INTERACT Transnational Access
In the second phase of INTERACT, transnational access will be offered to 43 research stations, in total ca 7800 days.
In addition, virtual access will be offered to 29 research stations.
Summer user groups are currently preparing for their Transnational Access visits to 33 INTERACT stations
Promote data sharing and open access – WP4
- Advice on data management and international repositories

14. WP 7 – Red Phone
INTERACT
Emergency response to environmental hazards/extreme events
Rapid coordinated standard sampling and analysis
Communication

15. WP 8 – Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme
The Biodiversity Monitoring Programme under CAFF (Arctic Council WG). More than 250 experts involved.
International network of networks improving detection, understanding, reporting on Arctic biodiversity trends.
CBMP Adaptive and Ecosystem Based Monitoring Plans and four Steering Groups; Marine 2. Freshwater 3. Terrestrial 4. Coastal Plan on its way (Backgroundpaper)

16. WP 8 – CBMP Organisational structure
CAFF Board
CBMP Coordination Committee & Technical Team. (DK / GL, US, CAFF sec).
Terrestrial-SG
(Sweden/ Iceland)
Freshwater-SG
(Canada / Sweden)
Coastal Expert Monitoring Group (US/ Canada)
Marine SG
(Russia/ US)
Implementation projects.
Implementation projects.
6 implementation projects are defined: Some in National Networks and some in Steering Group
National Networks
one for each country
National Networks
Vegetation Expert Network
Avian Expert Network
Mammal Expert Network
Invertebr. Expert Network
Plankton Expert Network
Benthos Expert Network
Fish Expert Network
Seabird Expert Network
Marine Mammal Expert Network
Sea Ice
Expert Network .

17. WP 8 – CBMP State of the Arctic Biodiversity Reports
State of Arctic Marine Biodiversity Report (2017)
State of Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity Report (2019)
State of Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report (2019)
In the long term perspective it should be across biome reports (marine, freshwater, coastal, terrestrial)

18. WP 8 – Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme
Test the CBMP monitoring plans at INTERACT stations
Facilitate and test implementation of CBMP monitoring plans in the field
Develop user manual(s) for implementing CBMP in the field
Develop a data management manual
Identify how data from INTERACT stations can inform Arctic Council assessments

19. WP 9 – adapting to environmental change
Facilitating local adaptation – case studies
Living ressources (Greenland+INTAROS Cooperation)
Reindeer husbandry (Norway)
Forestry (Russia)
Infrastructure stability/permafrost change (Canada)

20. INTAROS Workshop key questions
1. What are the largest challenges and obstacles in developing Arctic observation systems ?
Agree on science and policy questions to address (Arctic and regional scale)
Identify desired disciplinary data and standards at a circumarctic level, but
also allow for local relevance for decicion making
Identify potential networks to coordinate activities (scientific and community based, Arctic and regional scale)
Ensure representative circumarctic implementation
Ensure coordinated assessments, analysis and reporting (Arctic and regional scale)

21. INTAROS Workshop key questions
2. What is needed to build and operate a sustainable Arctic observation system ?
- Circumarctic and regional disciplinary coordination
- Infratructure operation and coordination
- Funding targeting circumarctic and regional monitoring
- Communication and outreach – all stakeholders

22. Thank you and … Let’s INTERACT