A Landscape in Motion
The Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station sits at a dynamic frontier of climate science. Located just south of the 9,700-square-kilometre Torngat Mountains National Park, this facility is a center for studying rapid ecological shifts. The mountains, part of the Arctic Cordillera, are composed of Precambrian gneisses that are among the oldest rocks on Earth, dating back as far as 3.9 billion years. This ancient area is now experiencing accelerated change. Researchers are documenting a phenomenon known as "shrubification," where warming temperatures allow plant species to colonize new territory.
Satellite data covering the period from 1985 to 2019 shows a 235% increase in shrub cover across the park. Species like Arctic dwarf birch and willows are expanding into higher elevations and across formerly barren tundra. This "greening" of the Arctic is driven by longer growing seasons and the thawing of permafrost, which allows plant roots to penetrate deeper into the soil. The changes were first flagged by Inuit elders, whose knowledge prompted further scientific investigation into the shifting ecosystem. Scientists work closely with Inuit from Nunatsiavut and Nunavik, whose communities co-manage the park.
Caribou and Climate
The base camp also supports research on the region's distinct wildlife, particularly the Torngat Mountains caribou herd (Rangifer tarandus). This population is unique, living its entire life cycle within the mountain range. This herd was assessed as endangered by COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) due in part to its small population size. In the 1980s, the herd was estimated at 5,000 individuals, but a 2014 survey counted only 930.
Recent monitoring shows signs of a potential recovery. A 2021 survey estimated the population at 2,422 caribou, and a 2024 count found 2,997. Researchers use the base camp as a staging ground for aerial surveys and studies on how habitat changes affect the herd's movements and calving grounds. The expansion of shrubs can alter migration routes and the availability of lichen, a primary food source. The delicate balance between the warming climate, vegetation changes, and caribou population dynamics is a focus of study.