TerraHumana Solutions is Celebrating Its 7th Anniversary.

October marks the 7th anniversary of TerraHumana Solutions. Dr. Isabelle-Anne Bisson co-founded (along with McGill classmate Stephen Yamasaki) her now solely-owned research consulting firm. The initial vision was to use her scientific knowledge to help industries with their strategic planning for sustainability. The first years were challenging, but with perseverance and a timely meeting with an old friend from Queen’s University, she had her first mandate with Makivik Corporation on a project in Nunavik. Working with Indigenous Peoples was a dream come true. TerraHumana Solutions acted as technical and scientific advisors for the communities of Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq on an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment review.

Overall, TerraHumana Solutions’ mission is to apply scientific knowledge and data towards solving our most pressing environmental issues, like the conservation of natural spaces and biodiversity, in part for climate change mitigation. Their biggest objective, however, is to work with Indigenous communities that use Traditional Knowledge to solve their most pressing environmental issues. TerraHumana Solutions is also now returning to its initial raison d’être by working with industries on improving waste management. "All of the work we do is my passion, my vocation”, says Dr. Bisson.

The future is bright. TerraHumana Solutions is helping the First Nations community of Kanesatake with a project on environmental contaminants and health impact. “We are working to help build capacity so that contaminants testing can occur in-house and Kanesatake can become models for other First Nations communities”, says Dr. Bisson. “We are also working in collaboration with the Legacy Fund for the Environment on creating a platform for communities to understand what steps they need to take to protect natural spaces”, says Dr. Bisson.

About TerraHumana Solutions

TerraHumana Solutions is a consulting firm, which specializes in helping community and business leaders to find sustainable solutions to environmental and social issues. Our approach is simple - we listen. Bringing 20 years of international experience in natural resource sciences, strategy, project conception, and management, we can find the right strategic approach for you. At TerraHumana Solutions, we contribute to informed decision-making on community and business engagement projects, and conservation projects with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

For more information, please contact:

Isabelle-Anne Bisson, PhD.

President

TerraHumana Solutions

+1 514 654-7835

ibisson@terrahumanasolutions.com

TerraHumana Solutions Completes Executive Summary - An ecological assessment in Hudson, Quebec

Terrahumana Solutions is proud to announce the completion of their Executive Summary prepared for Nature Hudson. In the spring of 2021, TerraHumana Solutions received a mandate from Nature Hudson and the Legacy Fund for the Environment to conduct an ecological evaluation of a 10.35 ha forested wetland situated on the shores of the Ottawa River in Hudson, Quebec.

The objectives of this independent study were to inventory the flora and fauna, identify the presence of species at risk, demarcate the wetlands, and provide recommendations on the reported findings. Earlier studies had identified this natural space as important for conservation. A total of twenty-six field surveys were conducted throughout the spring and summer (from the beginning of April 2021 to the end of July 2021) to assess the populations of flora and fauna including insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and bats.

During this study, 343 species of flora and fauna were identified, including 29 species at risk[1] - among the species at risk were three insect species, four bat species, six bird species, three turtle species, and 13 plant species. According to Dr. Isabelle-Anne Bisson, this inventory is far from complete, as many phyla have either not been surveyed or only briefly. "Forested wetlands along the Ottawa river have been and still are vanishing due to development. We must work together to preserve these biodiverse and important natural spaces,” says Dr. Isabelle-Anne Bisson.

About TerraHumana Solutions

TerraHumana Solutions is a consulting firm, which specializes in helping community and business leaders to find sustainable solutions to environmental and social issues. Our approach is simple - we listen. Bringing 20 years of international experience in natural resource sciences, strategy, project conception, and management, we can find the right strategic approach for you. At TerraHumana Solutions, we contribute to informed decision-making on community and business engagement projects, and conservation projects with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

For more information, please contact:

Isabelle-Anne Bisson, Ph.D.

President

TerraHumana Solutions

+1 514 654-7835

ibisson@terrahumanasolutions.com

[1] Species at risk includes those listed un the Federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) designated as "endangered", "threatened", or of "special concern", and those assessed under the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). The province of Québec consigns species in four levels : "menace", "vulnérable", "susceptible d'être désignée menacée ou vulnérable", or "espèces floristiques vulnérables à la récolte."

TerraHumana Solutions Recognizes Generous Participation by Université de Montréal Field Experts

TerraHumana Solutions is proud to be wrapping up the fieldwork on another technical and ecological assessment for Nature Hudson in the municipality of Hudson, Quebec. The field study started in April and finished at the end of July, and took place on 10.35 hectares of forest and wetland area at the confluence of the Vivry and Ottawa Rivers. Marian MacNair, one of TerraHumana Solutions' research assistants, headed up the study and oversaw the complete field program. 'It's a very biodiverse region,' says MacNair. 'This natural space has several trails and is used a lot by the people of Hudson. 'When you get off the trails, this area has a particularly high concentration of poison ivy,' says MacNair, who calls this plant the defender of the forest.

Marian MacNair worked alongside a group of burgeoning scientists - TerraHumana's latest incubator - a group of student volunteers gaining valuable field experience identifying plants and trees.

Another aspect of this project that made it special, according to MacNair, was the retired professors from the UDM who so willingly gave their time and expertise to the identification of a variety of wildlife. According to these experts, 'it was the only nature of this type all along this shore,' says MacNair. Several species at risk at the federal level were found during this project. 'We had a botanist, entomologist, bat expert, bird expert, and an amphibian and reptile expert helping us in this study area,' said MacNair. At-risk raptor nests, nests of a rare species of turtle, and the brown bat were also found. 'Just about every species from plants to insects, birds to reptiles, fish, shrimp, and molluscs to small mammals are found here,' says MacNair.

'We really want to thank and acknowledge a group of wonderful volunteers: Alison Hackney, Antonia Cattaneo, Ginette Methot, Christiane Hudon, Frieda Beauregard, David Fletcher, Maxim Larrivée, and Patrick Galois. Their level of expertise and knowledge brought this project to another level,' says Dr. Isabelle Bisson.

Volunteers Bios

Alison Hackney is a biologist with degrees from McGill University and UQAM who surveyed Hudson avifauna. She founded the first organic farm on the island of Montreal. As a member of Sauvons L'Anse-à-L'Orme, she contributed to the creation of the Grand Parc de l’Ouest - Canada's largest urban nature park.

Antonia Cattaneo is a retired professor of freshwater ecology from the Département de Sciences Biologiques of the Université de Montréal, with emphasis on the benthic communities of algae, aquatic plants, and invertebrates.

Christiane Hudon is an adjunct professor at the Département de Sciences Biologiques of the Université de Montréal, and an emeritus research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada. She specializes in river ecology and wetlands.

Ginette Méthot is a retired research associate in zooplankton ecology from the Département de Sciences Biologiques of the Université de Montréal.

Frieda Beauregard holds a PhD researching plant ecology and biogeography, and teaches botany at McGill University, where she is curator of the Herbarium. She organizes projects on campus to encourage pollinators, and is an avid horticulturalist.

David Fletcher is a former high school teacher who retired after 35 years of introducing students to the joys of vernal pools. He was one of the founding directors of the Green Coalition and since then, has served as its vice-president and spokesperson.

Maxim Larrivée is the Director of the Montreal Insectarium and one of the founders of the eButterfly and Mission Monarch online butterfly databases.

Patrick Galois holds a doctorate in biology, and is the principal project manager at the Amphibia-Nature research group. He has over 32 years of experience as a research biologist. He has conducted numerous inventories and impact studies, and developed and monitored wildlife conservation projects as well as education, awareness, and research efforts in Quebec and internationally. He has worked on different faunal groups with a specialization in herpetofauna.

Student volunteers

Dylan Gwilliam

Ekra Karim

Katerina Kieran

Maeve Bohle

Nikita Bhat

Tiphaine Devanneaux