Scientific Subcommittee

Last review/update: September 5, 2007

Ferruginous Hawk

The Scientific Subcommittee is made up of independent scientists who review the best scientific information available on a species that may be at risk in Alberta and assess what the biological status of that species is in the province. The subcommittee sends its assessment and related recommendations to the Endangered Species Conservation Committee.

The Scientific Subcommittee has adopted the species evaluation method used by the IUCN (now the World Conservation Union, formerly the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) 1 . This method is the same as that used by COSEWIC at the national level, and using it ensures that Alberta’s assessments can be compared with those done nationally. As well, having an internationally accepted, open and transparent process of evaluation enhances the credibility of the scientific assessments.

When evaluating a species (using the IUCN criteria/guidelines), the Scientific Subcommittee considers a range of information about the species’ status in Alberta. Population size, changes in population size, and the size of the area in which the species is found are very significant. Other population characteristics, such as fragmentation, isolation and status in adjacent regions are also considered before the subcommittee recommends a status.

The present Scientific Subcommittee is composed of a small group of scientists with significant scientific expertise related to vertebrate animals (including mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and fish), invertebrates (including insects and spiders) and plants, as well as in the general fields of biology, botany, ecology, forestry, wildlife management and wildlife conservation.

Members of the Scientific Subcommittee (in alphabetical order) are as follows:

  • Dr. René J. Belland, Director of Research, Devonian Botanic Garden, Edmonton, Alberta
  • Dr. Colleen Cassady St. Clair, Associate Professor, Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
  • Dr. Greg Pohl, Insect/Disease Identification Officer, Canadian Forest Service, Edmonton, Alberta
  • William D. Wishart, Retired Director of Research, Fish and Wildlife Management Division, Alberta Environment; now Adjunct Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, and Research Associate, Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta

1 The World Conservation Union has kept its former acronym—IUCN.