Established in 2003, the home of the BEACONs' Team is the Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta. Members of the BEACONs team are also affiliated with Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Université Laval, Memorial University of Ottawa, and Oregon State University.
Dr. Fiona Schmiegelow (Principal Investigator): Fiona is Director of the Northern Environmental and Conservation Sciences Program in the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta. Since 2004, she has resided in the Yukon Territory, where her research on wildlife conservation, landscape ecology and land-management strategies are inspired by spectacular surroundings. Fiona is particularly interested in questions that bridge the science-policy interface.
Kim Lisgo M.Sc. (Coordinating Scientist): Kim has studied and coordinated research on the effects of industrial development on the ecology of boreal wildlife (birds, weasels, flying squirrels, and caribou). Kim's primary interest is the development of creative science-based solutions for sustainable management of Canada’s boreal regions, and has led multi-party protected areas planning across the boreal from Alaska to Newfoundland.
Pierre Vernier M.Sc. (Spatial Analyst): Pierre has been involved in conservation and forest management research in boreal and coastal ecosystems since the early 1990's. Pierre has extensive experience in habitat modelling, biodiversity monitoring, and landscape planning using spatial and statistical analysis and tools.
Mélina Houle M.Sc. (Spatial Analyst):
Dr. Steve Cumming Steve is an associate professor at the Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Université Laval. Steve works on statistical and spatial simulation models of boreal stand dynamics, fire regimes, wildlife habitat and forest management.
Dr. Shawn Leroux: Shawn is an assistant professor of ecosystem ecology in the Department of Biology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Shawn studies how organism, energy, and material fluxes between ecosystems (e.g. aquatic-terrestrial ecotone) impact the functioning of coupled ecosystems and he is particularly interested in applications of this research for conservation planning in boreal Canada.
Dr. Meg Krawchuk: Meg leads the Landscape Fire and Conservation Science Research Group at Oregon State University's Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society in the College of Forestry. Meg's research and teaching focuses on examining the drivers and outcomes of ecological disturbances at landscape, regional, and global scales.