| The Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN), along with its partners is trying to better coordinate monitoring and research activities throughout the country, as Canada doesn’t currently have a national ecological monitoring system. We do not yet fully understand how environmental stressors such as global warming, acid rain, and invasive species are affecting our Canadian ecosystem. The main role of EMAN is to engage partners undertaking ecological monitoring projects. EMAN is not a rich source of funding, but we are a source for expertise, information, collaborative opportunities and coordination. EMAN can provide scientists and researchers with a network of integrated monitoring sites across Canada as well as standardized methods and protocols for many monitoring variables in order to allow for comparison and analysis of datasets across ecological zones and over time. Standardized methodology also allows for your individual work to be readily integrated with that of other researchers doing similar work or doing metadata studies. EMAN is working to provide a comprehensive data management system for monitoring projects in order to provide researchers and scientists with the tools needed for data storage and archiving. EMAN provides a range of monitoring information that can meet the diverse needs of different monitoring projects. Participation in the Network can present opportunities for researchers and scientists to collaborate with others doing similar work or conducting monitoring projects within the same ecozone. The sharing of data and findings with EMAN allows for the dissemination of monitoring information to decision-makers through the development of collaborative reports, the posting of findings on the EMAN website and through the presentation of monitoring findings at the EMAN National Science Meeting. | |
| If you are starting a monitoring project, please go to the EMAN recommended monitoring protocols page for information on the standardized protocols available for data collection. The choice of protocols will depend on the goal of your monitoring project. EMAN offers protocols for individual species groups, biotic and abiotic indicators and biodiversity monitoring. There are three levels of protocols available to meet the needs of researchers with differing levels of monitoring experience. If you are have undertaken or are currently undertaking a monitoring programme please contact EMAN to share datasets and information, to learn about standardized protocols now available for implementation and to discuss opportunities for collaborative projects with other partners. Small electronic data sets can be shared via email to eman@ec.gc.ca. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) areas for sharing data, and a distributed data network are other ways to share and become a part of the data network within EMAN. Hard copies of data can also faxed to (905) 336-4499 or mailed to the following location: Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network Coordinating Office Environment Canada Canada Centre for Inland Waters 867 Lakeshore Road Burlington, Ontario, CANADA L7R 4A6 |