Gros Morne National Park

World Heritage Research

Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Gros Morne National Park from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.

• Quantifying changes in annual lichen volume for woodland caribou in Newfoundland using Landsat time series

  Lichen volume, crucial for the survival of threatened Newfoundland woodland caribou, has been quantified for the first time using long-term satellite data. The study reveals that while lichen biomass is generally low across both Gros Morne National Park and Gaff Topsails, coniferous forests host the highest volumes. Notably, Gros Morne shows faster lichen recovery compared to the more disturbed Gaff Topsails, suggesting protective measures may aid caribou habitat restoration. The research used vegetation-specific models combining Landsat imagery (1984–2022) with field data from 66 plots, achieving high accuracy (R² = 0.77). These findings provide critical insights for guiding conservation strategies to support caribou recovery in Newfoundland.

  Beaulieu, C., Coops, N. C., Morin-Bernard, A., Côté, S. D., & Achim, A. (2026). Quantifying changes in annual lichen volume for woodland caribou in Newfoundland using Landsat time series. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 152, 105444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2026.105444

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• Predicting carbon storage in North American maritime boreal forests under combined disturbances

  A reduction of up to 13 megatonnes, or 40% of the predicted carbon storage, can occur in maritime boreal forests following disturbances like fire and moose herbivory. This finding comes from a study that combined field measurements with remotely sensed data to predict carbon stocks and identify open forest patches in Gros Morne and Terra Nova National Parks. The research highlights the significant impact of herbivory on post-disturbance forest recovery, emphasizing its role in limiting carbon storage potential. By integrating variables such as forest height and productivity, the study provides a robust framework for assessing disturbance effects and offers insights to optimize boreal forest management for enhanced carbon sequestration.

  Wilson, E. R., Leroux, S. J., Moran, R., Whitaker, D., & Wiersma, Y. (2025). Predicting carbon storage in North American maritime boreal forests under combined disturbances. Landscape Ecology, 40(7). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-025-02145-6

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• The application of the collective impact initiative model for effective public consultation in Bonne Bay: example - ocean conservation

  A novel framework, the Collective Impact Initiative (CII) model, demonstrates significant potential for enhancing public consultation and cross-sector collaboration in marine conservation efforts. This study, using the hypothetical case of Marine Protected Area (MPA) planning in Bonne Bay, Gros Morne National Park, found that the CII model effectively addresses community engagement challenges and provides a more efficient structure for natural resource conservation. The research employed focus groups, interviews, and surveys to gather stakeholder input, revealing the model's capacity to support innovative public policy development and long-lasting decision-making processes. This approach not only benefits marine ecosystems but also strengthens socio-cultural, ecological, and economic well-being in coastal communities.

  Mendis, Roshayne. (2020). The application of the collective impact initiative model for effective public consultation in Bonne Bay: example - ocean conservation. Memorial University of Newfoundland. https://doi.org/10.48336/MVZS-4V92

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• Indication of Possible Shifts in Copepod Species Composition in St. Pauls Inlet, a Fjordal Estuary Connected to the Gulf of St. Lawrence

  A significant shift in copepod species composition has been observed in St. Pauls Inlet, a fjordal estuary within Gros Morne National Park, Canada. Research indicates that the abundance of Calanus finmarchicus, a large energy-rich copepod, has declined or disappeared entirely, while smaller, warm-water copepods have become more prevalent. This shift correlates with rising sea-surface temperatures in the Atlantic and may reflect broader changes in the Northwest Atlantic zooplankton community. The study analyzed data from surveys conducted in 1977/78, 2009, 2010, and 2019, revealing lower adult microcrustacean densities in recent years. Despite limited exchange with the Gulf of St. Lawrence, these changes suggest that St. Pauls Inlet could serve as an indicator of environmental shifts in coastal ecosystems.

  Stevens, E. N., & Campbell, C. E. (2022). Indication of Possible Shifts in Copepod Species Composition in St. Pauls Inlet, a Fjordal Estuary Connected to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Diversity, 14(1), 59. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14010059

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• 3DUNetGSFormer: A deep learning pipeline for complex wetland mapping using generative adversarial networks and Swin transformer

  A groundbreaking deep learning pipeline, 3DUNetGSFormer, achieves exceptional accuracy in wetland mapping, addressing the challenge of limited training data. This novel approach combines generative adversarial networks and Swin transformers to synthetically generate high-quality wetland training data, significantly improving classification performance. The methodology demonstrates a kappa coefficient, average accuracy, and overall accuracy of 96.99%, 97.13%, and 97.39% respectively, across pilot sites in Canada, including Gros Morne National Park. By leveraging advanced convolutional neural networks and vision transformers, this study opens new avenues for high-quality wetland data generation and classification, offering a scalable solution to ecosystem monitoring in degraded or lost wetlands.

  Jamali, A., Mahdianpari, M., Brisco, B., Mao, D., Salehi, B., & Mohammadimanesh, F. (2022). 3DUNetGSFormer: A deep learning pipeline for complex wetland mapping using generative adversarial networks and Swin transformer. Ecological Informatics, 72, 101904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101904

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• Associate Editors/Corédacteurs

  Moose browsing significantly alters forest composition in Gros Morne National Park, reducing balsam fir growing stock by 38% and increasing spruce dominance by 32% over a century under heavy browsing pressure. The study used a forest estate model to project these impacts and evaluate restoration strategies, revealing that moose population management could boost annual allowable cut (AAC) by 21%. Planting 7,194 hectares of disturbed areas in the Park could further increase total growing stock by 22% and AAC by 12%, with combined planting and moose control offering the most efficient restoration path under high browsing conditions.

  (Ed.). (2021). Associate Editors/Corédacteurs. The Forestry Chronicle, 97(3), 232. https://doi.org/10.5558/tfc2021-025

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• Intensive moose browsing and small-scale domestic woodcutting impacts on forest successional trajectories in Gros Morne National Park, Canada

  Under heavy moose browsing, balsam fir-dominated forests in Gros Morne National Park (GMNP) face significant decline, with growing stock decreasing by 38% and spruce expansion increasing by 32% over a century compared to light browsing scenarios. The study used a forest estate model to assess these impacts and restoration strategies, revealing that reforestation through planting could recover 97% of disturbed areas in heavy browsing conditions, boosting total growing stock by 22% and annual allowable cut (AAC) by 12%. Combining planting with moose population management was identified as the most efficient approach for forest restoration under high browsing pressure. The model also estimated AAC at 120,979 m³ in light browsing scenarios—21% higher than sustainable levels under heavy browsing.

  White, S., Zhu, X., Meng, F., Taylor, S., & Bourque, C. P.-A. (2021). Intensive moose browsing and small-scale domestic woodcutting impacts on forest successional trajectories in Gros Morne National Park, Canada. The Forestry Chronicle, 97(3), 315–325. https://doi.org/10.5558/tfc2021-033

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