The Yukon Astronomical Society is pleased to invite members of the Yukon Science Institute, to join us on Monday March 7th, 2016 for a presentation on Exoplanets.

 
Our Guest Speaker will present an overview of how exoplanets are observed, and the major things we have learned from them. Christa Van Laerhoven is a Planetary Scientist and Orbital Dynamicist from the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Toronto. Christa gained her PhD from the Department of Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona in May 2014. She has a B.Sc. from UBC in Physics and Astronomy (Honours), and was an ex-president of the UBC Physics Society. Christa is also an OSIRIS-REx Ambassador and a panelist on reddit.com's AskScience.

 
The Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics is a nationally supported research centre located at the University of Toronto that is devoted to studying the origin and evolution of the universe, and the many wonderful phenomena revealed by modern astronomy.

 
The 45 minute presentation will be held at the Yukon College, room A2402 (http://yukonastronomicalsociety.com/our-programs/meetings/). The YAS will be holding its regular session that night, so we ask that your members join us either at the beginning of the evening 19:00 hrs, or during the break, which is between our 1st and 2nd period 19:45 until 20:00 hrs, so as not to disrupt the session. The presentation will begin at 20:00 hrs.
 
The topics covered in the first period will include: the Local Coordinates System, VIDEO: Learn How Get Oriented in the Night Sky for Stargazing, and Measuring Angles in the Sky. Your members are welcome to attend.
 
Please contact the Yukon Astronomical Society <yukonastronomicalsociety@gmail.com> if you have any questions regarding this presentation.

*Saturday, February 13
Long Ago Yukon will be hosting together with the Beringia Centre the second presentation in its 2016 SKYPE series ‘Encounters with First Peoples’ on Saturday, February 13th at 1 p.m. at the Beringia Centre.

Dr. Thomas Stafford, Associate Research Professor at Aarhus University in Denmark and founder and president of Stafford Research Laboratories, Inc., Boulder, Colorado will speak via SKYPE on "The Chronology of Extinction and the Human Entrance into the New World."

Dr. Stafford has an extensive research background delving into the paleontological and archaeological paleo-history of the Americas (http://www.stafford-research.com/vitae.html). He recently served as the lead researcher into secrets of Naia, the well-preserved, genetically intact skeleton of a teenage girl who lived about 13,000-12,000 years ago in what is now Mexico. This discovery among other recent finds is assisting in resolving the long-standing questions around the linkages between first Americans (Paleoamericans) and modern Native Americans.
http://www.sci-news.com/othersciences/anthropology/science-naia-skeleton-first-americans-01925.html
 
*Tuesday, February 16
Long Ago Yukon Annual Meeting and ‘behind-the-scenes’ laboratory tour at Archaeology & Palaeontology at 133A Industrial Road
Tuesday, February 16, 5 to 7 pm www.facebook.com/LongAgoYukon
 
here to edit.

The Yukon Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Trust is a public registered charity with the objective to: "Restore, enhance and protect fish and wildlife populations and their habitat in the Yukon so as to achieve the objectives of Chapter 16 (Fish and Wildlife) of the Umbrella Final Agreement including initiating, sponsoring, funding, directing and carrying out measures to achieve those objectives”.

The trust is accepting project proposal submissions that meet the Trust's objective and are prepared according to the Trust Proposal Guidelines, which may be obtained at http://yfwet.ca/ . Requests up to a maximum of $15,000 are encouraged, however, any amount may be considered.

DEADLINE: Proposals submitted electronically by 4:00 p.m, March 1st, 2016.

For more information or to submit a proposal- email: info@yfwet.ca

Trust mailing address: P.O. Box 31022, Whitehorse, Yukon. YlA 5P7
Physical address: 409 Black Street, Whitehorse, YT.
Phone: Dennis Zimmermann, Trust Manager at (867) 335-9422

The trust is looking for Lake Trout Projects! The Trust anticipates focusing some of the funding for 2016 - 17 on projects that assist in rebuilding Yukon’s Lake Trout stocks.

Four species (described below) in Yukon are eligible for addition to Schedule 1: Red-necked Phalarope (Special Concern), Spiked Saxifrage (Special Concern), Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Special Concern), and Yukon Podistera (Special Concern). Under SARA, species of Special Concern require the development of a Management Plan (which does not include critical habitat) and no general prohibitions would apply.
 
Red-necked Phalarope (assessed as Special Concern) is a small shorebird that breeds or migrates through every Canadian province and territory. It is fairly common in Yukon, although breeds most abundantly in the north. It has declined over the last 40 years in an important staging area and declines have also been noted on the breeding grounds (including in Yukon), however overall population trends are unknown. Although threats to the species are still not fully understood, habitat degradation on its breeding grounds associated with climate change is likely a factor, and it is also susceptible to pollutants and oil exposure during migration and wintering. If COSEWIC’s recommendation is accepted, a Management Plan will be required for this species.
 
Spiked Saxifrage (assessed as Special Concern) is a perennial wildflower growing only in Yukon and Alaska. In Yukon it is restricted to 12 cool, moist sites near Beaver Creek and along the Yukon River, where it grows near small creeks or in rocky alpine habitats. Placer mining presents the primary threat to creek habitats, and climate change and advanced mineral development may threaten alpine populations. If COSEWIC’s recommendation is accepted, a Management Plan will be required for this species. Note that Spiked Saxifrage was originally assessed by COSEWIC as Threatened in May 2013. However, in light of new information that was not available at the time of the original assessment, COSEWIC reassessed this species in May 2015 as Special Concern.
 
Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (assessed as Special Concern) is a medium-sized bumble bee with an extensive distribution in Canada. In Yukon it is restricted to the extreme southwestern part of the territory. While this species remains relatively abundant in the northern part of its range, it has recently declined by at least 34% in areas of southern Canada. Causes for declines remain unclear, yet pesticide use, habitat conversion, and pathogen spill-over from managed bumble bee colonies are suspected to be contributing factors. If COSEWIC’s recommendation is accepted, a Management Plan will be required for this species.
 
Yukon Podistera (assessed as Special Concern) is a perennial plant belonging to the carrot family, with approximately 90% of its global range within unglaciated areas of west-central Yukon. In Yukon, it is restricted to dry, well-drained, rock-dominated habitat with sparse vegetation and limited soil development, and is found growing on rocky tors, talus slopes and river bluffs with exposed bedrock. A loss of habitat as a result of climate change is expected to be the greatest threat to Yukon Podistera. If COSEWIC’s recommendation is accepted, a Management Plan will be required for this species.

The full consultation document is available on the SARA Public Registry at http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/document/default_e.cfm?documentID=2749. COSEWIC status reports, assessments, and the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change’s statement on how she intends to respond to the assessments are available on the SARA Public Registry at http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca.

You are invited to submit comments regarding these proposed amendments to the List of Wildlife Species at Risk. Your comments will be considered and will inform the Minister’s recommendation to Cabinet. Please provide comments by May 4, 2016 for Spiked Saxifrage, Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, and Yukon Podistera, and by October 4, 2016 for Red-necked Phalarope. There will also be an opportunity to provide comments during the 30-day public consultation period associated with pre-publication in Canada Gazette Part I.

Please contact Saleem Dar directly at saleem.dar@canada.ca if you would like to provide any comments, or if you have questions about the SARA process or the species under review.