by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 19/97) - Yellowknife residents have often wondered about the effect of living in the shadow of two gold mines.

Research being done this year and next by two German scientists will answer some questions about the impact of both mines, as well as the city itself, on the natural environment.

"Our aim is to give a general statements on the ways settlements and mining influence the boreal forest," said Karin Steinecke.

Steinecke and junior scientist Bettina Wittenberg, both from Bremen University, have spent the summer here collecting samples of water and vegetation in and around the city.

The grant Steinecke and Wittenberg are operating on doesn't allow much room for what some researchers consider necessities.

They bicycle or walk to the 50 land sites and five ponds and small lakes where they have collected samples to take back to Germany for analysis.

"In some of the reports it makes it sound so easy -- this place is nearby, only five minutes by helicopter," noted Wittenberg with a chuckle.

Water samples are collected from an inflatable boat which the two pack, along with their other research equipment, for rides that extend out along the Ingraham Trail.

But most target sample areas, mini-ecosystems, are in the city.

Samples from the Ingraham Trail are used as a reference, to compare with others collected in areas where the people and mines have a greater influence on the natural surroundings.

This year's trip to the North included a three-week visit to the old Pine Point mine. Abandoned 10 years ago, the site gave them an opportunity to examine how long it takes nature to reclaim settlements.

They reported the pits that the zinc and copper was mined from now contain water and fish.

How do fish come to exist in a pond that did not exist 10 years ago?

"On ducks," said Steinecke. "The eggs stick to their feathers."

Red tape the two had to cut through to get here included authorization to get samples. The two needed to get numerous permits, including those allowing them to take tree core samples and collect tiny invertebrates from ponds and lakes.

Steinecke said things will be easier next summer, when they return to sample more areas, among them Kam Lake and Frame Lake.

"People here are very friendly and helpful," she said Steinecke. "We've met a lot of people and made some good contacts."