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Location: Kouchibouguac and Prince Edward Island national parks

Project year supported: 2026

Project objective: Protecting and restoring the globally rare Gulf of St. Lawrence Pinweed. Roughly 85% of its global population is located on coastal lands co-managed by Parks Canada and Mi’gmaw/Mi’kmaw First Nations, where it grows on large stable dunes and has suffered steep declines due to severe storm events.

Method: Develop methods to grow and transplant the species into suitable habitat sites, preserve genetic diversity through seed collection, and help standardize monitoring approaches. These actions will guide future conservation efforts protecting this rare coastal plant for future generations.

Location: Georgian Bay Islands National Park & Beausoleil Island National Historic Site

Project year supported: 2025

Project objective: monitor wetland biodiversity and animal behaviors in collaboration with First Nation communities. 

Method: the effects of resource limitations, fluctuating water levels, and population changes on amik (beavers) and other species will be examined, and the spiritual, cultural, and ecological importance of coastal wetlands by sampling manoomin (wild rice), a vital cultural and ecological connector, will also be explored.

Outcomes and how Parks Canada Shop online purchases contributed

Enabled the monitoring and documentation of:

• 192 animal crossings using beaver dams as natural passageways, 46 of these occurrences were Species at Risk.
• the fungus Claviceps found within wild rice samples, which cause disease within the plant and is highly toxic to other species, which will be monitored to ensure it does not spread further.
• local beavers having primary and accessory lodges. Although not fully understood yet, the accessory lodges seem to be used in the summer and provide access to alternative food sources and areas with further parasite protection.

Location: Vuntut National Park

Project year supported: 2024

Project objective: monitor changes in the Porcupine Caribou herd’s summer range in collaboration with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

Method: monitor the length of the snow season, snow depth, permafrost and soil temperatures, as well as the length of the growing season, precipitation, and vegetation cover in the summer range. This data will be used to manage the Porcupine River Caribou herd. 

Outcome and how the Parks Canada Shop’s online purchases contributed

• The launch of the Tracking the Porcupine Caribou Heard conservation project, establishing seven long-term monitoring sites across Vuntut National Park.
• Identify climate-related changes that could affect food sources or increase insect harassment.
• Ongoing results will enhance understanding of how the habitat is changing and will inform future co-management decisions regarding the Porcupine Caribou herd.

Learn more about this work

• The Porcupine caribou herd at Vuntut National Park

Location: Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks, British Columbia

Project year supported: 2023

Project objective: reduce mountain goat mortality on the Trans-Canada highway.

Method: to discourage mountain goats from standing on the highway to lick salt, Parks Canada placed salt intended for animal consumption in safer locations along their usual paths and off the highway (“diversionary licks”).

Outcome and how the Parks Canada Shop’s online purchases contributed

Allowed Parks Canada employees to fly to otherwise inaccessible remote locations, that were suspected to be natural mineral licks for goats, to:

• install remote cameras to detect whether goats are using these locations
• collect and analyze soil samples from natural licks to determine their composition
• use natural mineral lick composition to decide how to tailor “diversionary licks” to the natural soil composition found in these remote locations

Learn more about this work

• Mountain goats at Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks

Location: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, British Columbia

Project year supported: 2022

Project objective: understand nearshore biodiversity and the overall ecosystem health in the critical habitat of Southern Resident Killer Whales.

Method: deploying a baited remote underwater video camera to analyse the content.

Outcomes and how Parks Canada Shop online purchases contributed

• Hired 2 students to analyse the footage from the baited remote underwater video camera
• 100 species were identified in the area, including key species within the Southern Resident Killer Whales' food web

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• Sharks of the Southern Salish Sea
• A shark-filled life

Location: Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, Quebec

Project year supported: 2021

Project objective: to better understand the beluga’s critical habitat in order to establish conservation measures.

Method: from the shore, Parks Canada researchers and their partners observed belugas, an endangered species, to study:

• their eating, socializing and resting habits
• pleasure boat and ship traffic in the area

Outcomes and how Parks Canada Shop online purchases contributed

• Implemented protective measures for the recovery of St. Lawrence belugas, including the creation of a tranquillity zone closed to summer
navigation in Sainte-Marguerite Bay: the presence of boats in the bay has fallen from 40% (before 2018) to less than 5% since 2022
• Continued research to define beluga whale use of various sectors of the marine park
• Developed and implemented awareness-raising efforts

Learn more about this work

• Video: Have you ever heard a beluga sing?