March 2022
Virtual A-BON Meeting
Virtual A-BON Meeting
March 15-16, 2022
March 15-16, 2022
The 2022 virtual A-BON meeting was the first ever gathering of scientists, Indigenous groups, land managers, and local observers to discuss the arrival of beavers in the Arctic and implications for the natural resources of the affected Arctic regions.
The meeting was planned to be in person March 15-18 in Fairbanks, Alaska, but due to COVID-19 regulations the meeting was conducted virtually. Our keynote speaker was acclaimed Alaskan author Seth Kantner (Ordinary Wolves, Shopping for Porcupine, new book! A Thousand Trails Home), who shared his 60 years of observations related to climate change and beavers.
The meeting was supported by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs and the International Arctic Science Committee.
Watch the Day 2 recording.
Meeting Goals
Identification of main questions and priorities (finalizing the output of recent consultations)
Coproduction of knowledge among diverse participants and groups
Comparison and alignment of protocols and methodologies
Compilation of observations, trends, and key impacts
Formulation of Indigenous- and locally-driven research proposals
Collaboration on management ideas and approaches
Meeting structure and format will be flexible enough to accommodate different backgrounds and interests.
A-BON Agenda_v2.docxMeeting Agenda
The 2022 A-BON meeting agenda included presentations on the observed impacts of beavers in the Arctic, on research methods for monitoring beaver population expansion, and on approaches to co-producing knowledge with academic researchers and Indigenous groups.
Presentations were followed by break-out groups to align priorities, share ideas, and collaborate more effectively on projects. Watch the meeting recordings.