SGang Gwaay

World Heritage Research

Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of SGang Gwaay from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.

• S G ang Gwaay and World Heritage preservation in a time of climate change

  A critical tension emerges between Indigenous beliefs and global conservation priorities at S G ang Gwaay, a UNESCO World Heritage site on Haida Gwaii. The Haida community's refusal to engage in invasive preservation—preferring the natural return of the site's totem poles and structures to the earth—clashes with standard heritage conservation practices. This conflict highlights a fundamental challenge within the World Heritage program: balancing the interests of rights-holding communities, which may not align with site longevity, against the urgent need for preservation in the face of accelerated degradation due to climate change. The study examines this dilemma through the lens of S G ang Gwaay's management history and argues that climate change will force a compromise, if one is reached at all.

  Robinson, S. M. (2025). S G ang Gwaay and World Heritage preservation in a time of climate change. Hunter Gatherer Research, 11(2), 199–214. https://doi.org/10.3828/hgr.2024.44

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• Small-scale harvest of big trees: impacts of land use changes over ~1300 years on SGang Gwaay, Haida Gwaii, B.C.

  Long-term land-use changes on SGang Gwaay, Haida Gwaii, have significantly impacted aquatic ecosystems over ~1300 years. Research reveals that small-scale harvesting of western red cedar (Thuja plicata) beginning in the 13th century altered carbon inputs to a pond, shifting from terrestrial plant dominance to increased autochthonous sources post-1625 CE. Paleolimnological methods, including stable carbon isotopes and diatom analysis, demonstrate these changes correlated with village expansion and subsequent ecological shifts, such as increased water mixing and light availability. The study highlights the enduring effects of Indigenous land-use practices on both terrestrial and aquatic systems.

  Zvezdin, A. C., Álvarez-Manzaneda Salcedo, M., Langille, E., Meyer-Jacob, C., Michelutti, N., Hipfner, M., Grooms, C., Smol, J. P., & Hargan, K. E. (2025). Small-scale harvest of big trees: impacts of land use changes over ~1300 years on SGang Gwaay, Haida Gwaii, B.C. Botany. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2025-0062

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• Baseline health parameters of rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) using serum protein electrophoresis, acute phase proteins, and biochemistry

  Approximately half (48%) of wild, apparently healthy rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) sampled across the North Pacific were seropositive for influenza A virus, with prevalence peaking at 75% in 2014. This study establishes baseline clinical health reference intervals for serum protein electrophoresis, acute phase proteins (serum amyloid A and haptoglobin), and biochemistry parameters in this key sentinel seabird species, using data from 178 breeding adults captured between 2013 and 2019 at five colonies. The findings provide critical metrics to inform marine ecosystem monitoring, wildlife rehabilitation, and conservation efforts in the Pacific Northwest. Researchers employed established guidelines from the American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathology to analyze health parameters, offering insights into inflammatory responses, nutritional status, and organ function.

  Lee, L. K. F., Hipfner, J. M., Frankfurter, G., Cray, C., Pearson, S. F., Fiorello, C., Clyde, N. M. T., Hudson, S. A., Parker, S. E., Stallknecht, D. E., Furst, E., & Haman, K. H. (2024). Baseline health parameters of rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) using serum protein electrophoresis, acute phase proteins, and biochemistry. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1379980

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• Population genomics of Sitka black-tailed deer supports invasive species management and ecological restoration on islands

  Population genomics reveals that invasive Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) across the Haida Gwaii archipelago, Canada, exhibit minimal genetic structure, with Moresby Island serving as a major source of migrants. This finding suggests that the entire archipelago should be treated as the primary unit for eradication efforts to prevent reinvasion and achieve ecological restoration. The study used restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (12,947 SNPs) to analyze 181 deer samples from 15 islands, identifying Moresby Island's central role in gene flow. Isolated islands like SGang Gwaay may benefit from targeted eradication combined with controlled culling and biosecurity measures to protect conservation gains.

  Burgess, B. T., Irvine, R. L., & Russello, M. A. (2022). Population genomics of Sitka black-tailed deer supports invasive species management and ecological restoration on islands. Communications Biology, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03159-5

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• A genotyping‐in‐thousands by sequencing panel to inform invasive deer management using noninvasive fecal and hair samples

  A high-success genotyping panel using noninvasive fecal and hair samples was developed to inform invasive Sitka black-tailed deer management on Haida Gwaii, Canada. The Genotyping-in-Thousands by sequencing (GT-seq) approach achieved 90.3% genotyping success across 244 loci, nearly matching the performance of tissue samples (92.4%). With only a 0.50% discordance rate between paired noninvasive and tissue samples, this method enables reliable individual identification, sex determination, and kinship reconstruction—critical for population management. The study demonstrates a proof-of-concept application on SGang Gwaay, a culturally significant island, showcasing the panel's potential to advance invasive species control while offering a scalable, quality-controlled workflow adaptable to other noninvasive genetic studies.

  Burgess, B. T., Irvine, R. L., & Russello, M. A. (2022). A genotyping‐in‐thousands by sequencing panel to inform invasive deer management using noninvasive fecal and hair samples. Ecology and Evolution, 12(6). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8993

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