Research
The issue:
The benefits of peri-urban natural parks for society include ecosystem services (such as temperature regulation and biodiversity conservation) as well as direct effects on human health for visitors, including improvements in both physical and mental well-being. However, the ecosystems of these parks are threatened by anthropogenic disturbances such as habitat fragmentation and climate change. In these parks, populations of white-tailed deer often become overabundant, leading to ecosystem degradation by altering their composition, structure, and functions, including biodiversity. These disturbances also increase risks to both human and animal health. In the Canadian context, the emergence of tick-borne diseases is a major issue directly resulting from these disturbances. Indeed, climate change and the abundance of deer promote the establishment and persistence of tick populations of the genus Ixodes, which are the primary vectors of Lyme disease.
Objectives:
The PARCS project is being developed by an interdisciplinary team of researchers in partnership with organizations and municipalities managing six peri-urban nature parks in the regions of Montreal, Montérégie, and Estrie. The targeted parks are Pointe-aux-Prairies Nature Park and Bois-de-l’Île-Bizard Nature Park in the Montreal region; Michel-Chartrand Park, Mont-Saint-Bruno National Park, and Îles-de-Boucherville National Park in Montérégie; and Yamaska National Park in Estrie. In the coming years, these parks will implement a coordinated set of measures integrating wildlife management strategies (control of white-tailed deer populations), interventions aimed at reducing the risk of tick-borne diseases (rodent-targeted tick control treatments, vegetation management to reduce suitable tick habitats), and initiatives to improve citizens’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices through a citizen science project.
The research team will evaluate the effects of these measures on park ecosystems, on the risk of tick-borne diseases, and will investigate the potential of citizen science as a tool for engagement and for promoting preventive behaviors.
Citizen science:
Citizens contribute to different components of the project : taking part in scientific meetings, contributing to data collection and identification (through this platform), and attending three workshops focusing on ecological integrity, tick-borne diseases, and the links between climate and health.
This platform allows park visitors to help identify the species in photos taken by our cameras at various locations.
More more details, visit our website :
- English version : https://www.parcsensante.com/en
- French version : https://www.parcsensante.com/fr