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IVVAVIK NATIONAL PARK - Scientists from several branches of the federal government are using satellite imagery to track possible changes in Northern landscapes due to climate change.

Rob Fraser is a research scientist with the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, Natural Resources Canada. He recently travelled to Ivvavik National Park to compare satellite images with what is actually on the ground.

"It allowed you develop a baseline ground cover map and then you can track changes from that baseline," said Fraser.

Fraser said Parks Canada is responsible for reporting to the Parliament every five years on the state of each national park. This project will make that much easier.

"There are a lot of large parks across Canada," he said. "By using satellite imaging it is more cost effective and feasible to rack the changes that are going on."

Once they have completed the map, researchers plan to compare records from back as far as 1985 to see changes that have already taken place. Fraser travelled to Ivvavik with Greg Brooks, a geologist with the Geological Survey of Canada, and some Aklavik residents who were also in the park, including Sam McLeod who assisted with permafrost tests.