landscape and cultural heritage of the Haliburton Highlands through acquiring and conserving lands of
ecological significance. After reviewing their current database, the land trust has expressed their desire to further develop their spatial data management system to more effectively integrate knowledge of their properties into their stewardship, management, and land acquisition decisions. Open source GIS database software, specifically PostgreSQL with the PostGIS extension, can improve the HHLT’s access to, and use of, existing research and management data. The objective of this project was to migrate the HHLT’s database in Microsoft Access to PostgreSQL, an open source database management system that can help the HHLT eliminate the annual cost of an Access subscription while providing greater flexibility for spatial applications in the future.
A requirements analysis was first conducted through stakeholder meetings, discussions with the HHLT, and a comprehensive review of existing documents. After acquiring a copy of the current database and other relevant files, a conceptual database design was produced to provide a description of the database and identify the main database entities along with their relationships. The next step was the translation of the conceptual database design into a logical and physical database design, which contained more detailed information of database elements (e.g., cardinality, data types, constraints). After the final database design was approved by the HHLT, the database was constructed then tested in PostgreSQL and is now ready for deployment.
The final database has 24 tables storing a range of data from property details, bird surveys, member contact information, reports, permanent sample plot surveys to species. Relationships between tables were defined and previous survey data were used to populate the database. For rapid access to summary information, queries were created and stored as database views. Three main recommendations for continuing this project in the future include: (a) further refining database tables and definitions with the input of more data collected from the field; (b) developing open source web applications to synchronize data collection with the database; and (c) exploring remote sensing and image analysis for monitoring biophysical and temporal changes in the region.]]> for Haliburton County]]> demographics, patient health and their dental caries at Volunteer Dental Outreach for Haliburton
County (VDOHC). Data collection consisted of a survey regarding patient demographics,
general health, and oral health status and the factors that affect the number of teeth with dental
caries was analyzed. It was hypothesized that accessibility to dental care for low-income
individuals will affect the number of teeth with dental caries, that age will affect the number of
teeth with dental caries, that gender will affect the number of teeth with dental caries, and that a
diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) will affect the number of teeth with dental caries. The results
supported the first hypothesis and found that patients who received dental care at VDOHC had a
higher average number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth than the Canadian population in the
lowest equivalized household income quintile. The subsequent hypotheses were not supported
based on the results that were found in this study. Understanding the relationships between
patient demographics, general health and oral health status will assist in improving patient
treatment at VDOHC.]]> Shoreline Stabilization Research Project Report]]> After conducting a literature review, we have found that the best option for shoreline management of erosion is Slope and Vegetation Biomass Control. A close second would be the Brush Mattress combined with a Live Fascine. These naturalized options have been highlighted and recommended to use on Horseshoe Lake, and other reservoir lakes for the Trent-Severn. There are also some industrialized options included as not every property has the ability to implement naturalized erosion control. Out of all of the industrialized methods listed here, we suggest using Vegetated Riprap only in scenarios where naturalized control is unfeasible.]]>
1) What invasive species have been sighted on or in lands adjacent to the HHLT properties: Fred and Pearl Barry Wetland, Barnum Creek Nature Reserve, Dahl Forest, Smith Forest, and Norah’s Island.
2) What invasive species could exist on or in lands adjacent to any of the above-mentioned properties?
3) What monitoring protocols are used by similar organizations and could be implemented by the HHLT to monitor their properties for invasive species?

The purpose of this project is to answer each of the HHLT research questions in order to better inform the land trust of the threat of invasive plants and potential ways to approach monitoring them in the future.]]> Geography]]>
Hosted by the Township of Minden Hills (Emily Stonehouse) and supervised by IDST faculty Derya Terhan, students gathered and analyzed data from their literature review, a 2019 local community consultation, an online survey and several telephone surveys.

This report was designed to equip the Township of Minden Hills with a foundation for up-to-date research and to suggest initiatives as support for change.

Highlights from the Study:

· The top four factors for the study participants in deciding where to live were Employment, Family Ties, the Physical Environment and Housing;

· 59% of participants felt engaged in the community of Minden Hills and the largest group within that (46%), only felt somewhat engaged;

· Leaving their community to go to high school in Haliburton means young adults in other townships may start feeling disconnected from an early age;

· Recreational programming for young adults was seen as limited, and often geared towards the senior population and during working hours;

· A shortage of evening entertainment activities led to feelings of isolation;

· There is a lack of formal support systems for youth employment in the County;

· Increased internet access was identified by several survey participants in the open-ended questions - as “what is important to this age group is the ability to network easily”;

· While literature findings did not find it to be a significant factor in attracting young adults, study participants felt as though Minden Hill’s natural beauty and rural location had a positive influence in their decision where to live.

Page 35 of the report includes a table of recommendations that the Township of Minden Hills can consider in their strategic planning going forward.]]> Lindsay Dixon]]> Environmental Science / Studies
Recreation & Tourism]]> Minden Hills]]> Environmental Education
Environmental Science / Studies]]> Environmental Studies
Gardening]]> Joshua Wyard]]> In response to the concerns over calcium decline expressed by members of the KLCA, a literature review was conducted in 2019 to raise awareness for the mechanisms, consequences, and mitigation options of calcium decline. Building on that momentum, this study seeks to assess the current state of calcium pools in the Kawagama Lake watershed and make recommendations for mitigation efforts.]]> Parker Garrod]]> Tom Whillans]]> Salamanders have unique traits that make them favourable indicators of biodiversity and ecosystem health. Characteristics being their durability, small size, sensitivity to anthropogenic stressors such as acid rain, and other industrial and household pollutants (Welsh & Droege, 2001) Salamanders existence in North America in high densities and biomass alongside there sensitivity to environmental change makes them excellent indicators for environmental changes (Welsh & Droege, 2001). The sensitivity of the salamanders derives from their semipermeable slim skin that absorbs any contaminated or natural water, as well as harmful toxins in their environment hence why salamanders are less dense in populations near cities (Mattson, 2019). Monitoring is utilized for salamanders due to the fact that they are sensitive to environmental change and act as bioindicators to detect the change in ecosystems over time (Saber et al. 2017).]]> Sevda Lag
Ian Warburton
Devin Claypole
Carlie O'Brien]]> Natasha Prytulka]]> David Beresford, Biology]]> Environmental Planning
Ecological Design
Sustainable Development]]>
The final site design is presented in Part 4 and followed by Part 5 which summarizes the material and immaterial costs of the design. This section also discusses the benefits associated with the design. The final section, Part 6, provides environmental, social, and economic frameworks and discussions that justify the designs implementation. The final plan includes details for the inclusion of a pavilion, playgrounds, planters, a submarine display, a bird garden, signage, and pervious asphalt (which offers improved drainage over regular paving).]]> Examining the Natural and Cultural Significance of the Eastern Moose (Alces alces americana) in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park
]]> Environmental Science/Studies]]> ​
The range of eastern moose includes eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. In Ontario, they can be found in northern and central Ontario. Their habitat requirements include areas for foraging, travelling, and for shelter and calving. For their diet they need year-round access to both evergreen and deciduous trees, as well as to aquatic ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands in the warmer months. Moose populations in the area have been in decline since the 1990s. The primary factors in moose mortality are climate change, parasites, vehicle collisions, habitat loss, and hunting. Management opportunities include remote sensing, evaluating the need for rut season closures and/or buffers around critical habitat features, opportunities for co-management with local Indigenous communities, and exploring adaptive measure to reduce the climate vulnerability of the eastern moose.]]>