TAB 1: About CBVM

 Mission (Phase 1, fix)

CBVM mission is to recognize the boreal ecosystem as a single geo-ecosystem and be able to
use a common legend, a common language for describing boreal ecosystems in order to
answer questions at a global scale.

 Project presentation (Phase 1, fix)

Project initiative

The CircumBoreal Vegetation Mapping (CBVM) is a project initiated by Dr. Stephen S.

Talbot, chair CAFF (Conservation of Artic Flora and Fauna) with the collaboration of tree
main partners: the University of Alaska Fairbanks (Dr. Donald (Skip) Walker), PNW
Reaserch Station (Dr. Teresa Hollingsworth) and CAFF.

In 2004 November 24, 2004, during the 4th meeting of the Arctic Council in Reykjavík
(Iceland) the development of a circumpolar boreal vegetation map was endorsed officially in
the Ministerial Declaration by the Conservation Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) and the
Senior Arctic Officials representing eight Arctic States. In September 2005, at the US- Russia
Botanical Conference held in Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA, the proposed Circumboreal
Vegetation Mapping project received the endorsement of the «New Roots for the 21st
Century». FINIR L’HISTORIQUE

Needs to map circumboreal vegetation

The reason to concentrate efforts to map boreal vegetation from all around the globe is to
provide a framework for understanding the boreal region. Actually, various maps exist of the
boreal biome, but they do not rely on a unified international method for classifying and
mapping boreal vegetation. By recognizing the boreal region as a single geo-ecosystem with a
common set of cultural, political and economic issues CBVM project is going to be the first
vegetation map of the entire global biome at comparable resolution. Changes associated with
global warming and rapid land-use changes in the boreal add substantial importance to the
creation of a new circumboreal map. In fact, such a map is needed for a wide variety of
purpose related to resource development, land-use planning, studies of boreal biota and
biodiversity, education, anticipated global changes and human interactions. A common legend
and language for describing boreal ecosystems is essential for answering questions at a global
scale. Observations and statements at a global scale will be possible since boreal forests are
particularly appropriate for unified classification because of their high level of floristic,
physiognomic and syntaxonomic similarity across the entire biome (such as it is for Arctic
region). A key objective of the map will be to identify and map regions of
diversity/rareness/value and their vulnerability to global and local climate change and
anthropogenic impacts, i.e. boreal «Hot Spots». A circumboreal vegetation map will have
numerous other application uses for boreal scientists and managers such as impact studies on
wildlife and feedback mechanisms in models or such as increased emission of greenhouse
gases. CBVM will also contribute to global efforts on improving understandings and