David Liverman

Snow Avalanche Hazard in Canada - a Review

Snow avalanches affect recreation, transportation, resource industries and property. During the 1990s an average of 12.5 persons per year were killed in avalanches in Canada. The snow avalanche hazard has affected people and facilities in B.C, Alberta, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland. Avalanche risk may be voluntary, for example skiing and snowmobiling, or involuntary, for example public transportation corridors. A worst-case avalanche scenario is most likely to occur in the Western Cordillera, resulting from a single large-scale weather pattern, where a cold period resulting in the development of a weak layer in the snowpack is followed by a series of major mid-winter storms. Emergency preparedness for avalanches is most advanced in western Canada. New education and information initiatives in Quebec and Newfoundland are aimed at improving preparedness there. Current research is focused on avalanche forecasting, weather forecasting for avalanche prediction, avalanche failure characteristics, forestry and avalanches and geomorphology and avalanches. An important area of future research is the impact of climate change on avalanches, particularly in northern Canada.

Communicating Environmental Geoscience

This collection of papers addresses the issues surrounding communication of environmental geoscience. Geologists whose research deals with environmental problems such as landslides, floods, earthquakes and other natural hazards that affect peoples health and safety, must communicate their results effectively to the public, policy makers and politicians. There are many examples of geological studies being ignored in policy and public action; this is in due in part to geoscientists being poor communicators. These papers document issues in communicating environmental geoscience, outline successes and failures through case studies, describe ways in which geoscientists can improve communication skills and show how new methods can make communication more effective.

Environmental and potential human health legacies of non-industrial sources of lead in a Canadian urban landscape – the case study of St John's, Newfoundland

Residential soil and house dust were collected in St Johns to assess the levels of lead exposure and potential human health risk. Although St Johns does not have an identified, major point source for lead, nor is it a heavily industrialized or populated city, 51% of all analysed soil samples (n = 1231) exceeded the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) residential soil lead guideline of 140 ppm, 26% exceeded the 400 ppm United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) guideline for soil in childrens play areas, and 9% exceeded the 1200 ppm US EPA guideline for soil outside of play areas. High soil lead concentrations, particularly those above 1200 ppm, are clustered in the older downtown core. Samples located along exterior house walls (dripline) have the highest mean soil lead concentrations, followed by open spaces in yards (ambient) and then roadside sites. Lead in dripline soil samples from older housing stock is sourced to lead-bearing paint. Lead from both dripline and ambient samples on properties developed between the 1940s and 1980s have a mixture of sources including coal ash, paint, and leaded gasoline. Approximately 12% of analysed house dust samples (n = 96) exceeded the US EPA guidelines for lead in indoor dust, all from pre-1950s housing and all associated with dripline soil lead concentrations greater than 900 ppm. Human health risk predictions suggest that, although the wider St Johns community may not be at risk of adverse health effects, children living in pre-1970s housing may be exposed to increased risk.

CONTRASTING STYLES OF GLACIAL DISPERSAL IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR: METHODS AND CASE STUDIES

Abstract A review of practical approaches to drift exploration intended for use by exploration geologists working in drift covered areas is presented. The contrasting styles of glacial dispersal between Labrador, dominated by the effects of the Laurentide ice sheet, and the Island of Newfoundland, affected by small, coalescing ice caps at the glacial maximum and smaller topographically-controlled ice centres during deglaciation, are described. The effect has been to produce longer, ribbon-shaped dispersal trains in Labrador, except in the Labrador Trough near the centre of the Labrador sector of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, and shorter more diffuse dispersal patterns in Newfoundland.

Environmental geoscience; communication challenges

Abstract Geologists whose research deals with environmental problems such as landslides, floods, earthquakes and other natural hazards that affect peoples health and safety must communicate their results effectively to the public, policy-makers and politicians. There are many examples of geological studies being ignored in policy and public action; this is in due in part to geoscientists being poor communicators. Scientists often use complicated and difficult to understand language, talk mostly to other scientists, and are not trained to work with the media. They generally are not encouraged by their employers and funding agencies to communicate to non-scientists. Environmental geoscientists must make their research publications more accessible to the public by including plain-language summaries. They should work with media and communications professionals, and seek training in how to communicate better. They need to understand the different approaches that will work with different audiences. Universities, employers and funding agencies should encourage environmental geoscientists to improve communication skills, and to reward attempts to explain their research to non-scientists.