EcoLogic Monthly #81
August 2026
Welcome to the 81st EcoLogic staff newsletter! All archived newsletters can be accessed here!
Health & Safety
Update from Safety Officer Wade:
Hello everyone, this report is coming to you from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Two Incidents to report -
IR and Investigation_2026.07.28 NM. NCC. Helicopter
Below is a summary of the account provided by three individuals who were on board the helicopter flight departing from camp to Iqaluit with Pilot #1. During a helicopter departure from camp on July 28, 2026, two of the three passengers reported concerns regarding the manner in which the aircraft was operated when demobilizing from camp. They described the pilot's flying as "extremely erratic" involving low-altitude flying, frequent abrupt turns, and periods where they perceived the pilot's attention was not consistently directed toward the aircraft's flight path. The passengers indicated that these flight characteristics caused them to feel unsafe and uncomfortable throughout the flight. The pilot was reported to have an unpleasant demeanour, which added to the stress of the journey. Additional information provided by the front-seat passenger indicated that visibility was deteriorating as fog moved into the area. The passenger believed the pilot selected an alternate route to avoid the weather conditions. The helicopter was reportedly flown at a very low altitude, which the front seat passenger confirmed. The front seat passenger presumed this was intended to maintain visual flight conditions beneath the fog but also acknowledged that the helicopter was flying very close to the ground. The passengers also observed the pilot raise his voice and yell at the mechanic during a separate interaction. They described the exchange as confrontational. Based on the information provided, the passengers expressed concerns regarding the combination of low-altitude flight, abrupt maneuvering, and the pilot's conduct before and during the flight. Although no incident or injury occurred, the passengers felt the circumstances warranted reporting as a near miss so that the flight operations could be reviewed.
Corrective Action to address
4) Improper performance is rewarded (tolerated)
The corrective action taken in response to these concerns was to bring the matter to the attention of Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation (NNC) management and the Dillon Project Manager and to also request that, as an interim measure, the EcoLogic team not be assigned to fly with this Pilot #1 until the circumstances could be reviewed in greater detail. This request was made as a precautionary measure in response to the safety concerns reported by field staff and passengers.
IR and Investigation_2026.08.07 NM.0091-24.Wallet
At the end of the day, while at the helicopter pick up spot, our bear monitor thought that they had lost their wallet. They left to go and find it without communicating exactly where they were going and was quickly out of sight from the rest of the team. They brought their firearm with them, but no other gear. The weather conditions were hot and sunny, so there was concern about them not having water. The other workers found the wallet shortly thereafter but did not have a way to communicate and call them back. They returned to the pick up spot roughly 10-15 minutes later.
The corrective action is simply to communicate a plan and a return time. For more information, see EcoLogic’s 32.0 Sign Out and Check InProcedure.
September Safety Drill
The September safety exercise will be Ergonomics.
Reminder
Wade’s parental leave will occur one eek per month. Scheduled for the third week of the month until September. For any safety concerns, please email safety@ecologicconsultants.com
-Wade and the Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) Team
Celebrations!
Happy Birthday to…
Lori Fleming - August 27
Mark Thompson - August 28
Happy Company Anniversary to…
Michael Mroczkowski - 5 year (August 2)
Lauren Elviss - 1 year (August 11)
EcoLogic Bulletin Board
First Peoples House at the University of Alberta Grand Opening
Martin had the privilege of attending the grand opening of the new First Peoples House at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He writes -
This private event was held on Monday August 24th and marked the 150 year of the signing of Treaty 6. His family has supported this initiative for years (~15 years in the making) and by providing art donations to the facility. The objective of this facility is to provide a space for all First Nation, Metis and Inuit students enrolled in the UofA a space to collaborate, share ceremony, have support (financial, educational, social, cultural, housing etc) and to connect to their heritage. It is a world class facility that is the first of its kind in Canada and has an amazing fitness centre, dance studio, kitchen, numerous study/working areas, grieving rooms, ceremony space, art room and just about anything you can think of that will help a student transition into university. There is also a program supported here that helps students with a soft transition into university with an abbreviated course load and additional support from tutors, mentors etc. The facility is run by an amazing team of Treaty 6 Cree members which are incredibly motivated to support in everyway possible! They also have local elders that come in and mingle with the students to provide teaching, support or anything else that students need help with.
I just wanted to put this out to EcoLogic to share with social circles and the various nations in which we get the privilege in supporting. This is a true act of reconciliation and I was very impressed at the lengths the UofA took to make this a world class facility that will make meaningful change to students lives! You can learn more at the link here!
Fun in the Field
Sara and Alice were back in the Arctic (INP Project) to continue wildlife transects and bird surveys. A lot was accomplished despite the uncertain conditions and a case of the camp cold that was being circulated.
Nearly nine hours in a helicopter for aerial surveys was fruitful and nausea-inducing. Some highlights included a Glaucous Gull colony, Greater White-fronted Goose, and caribou (of course)!
Alice and Sara also reunited with their friend, mentor, and wildlife monitor, Amie, who filled their days with laughs, wisdom, and pockets full of camp chocolates for his grandkids.
Celebrating Summer
Field Hockey Masters World Cup
EcoLogic sponsored Colleen and her Team Canada teammates to participate in the 2026 Field Hockey Masters World Cup. Colleen writes -
Dear EcoLogic,
The Field Hockey Masters World Cup in Brasschaat, Belgium, has come to an end. It was a very exciting tournament for all players, and I am pleased to let you know that our team placed 6th out of 14 teams in our division. Our goal was to make the top 5, and we came so close!! (Those darn Australians!!) Your support was invaluable, and this 6th place finish is the best finish of any Canadian Masters team, men or women, in the history of the Masters World Cup. We are very proud of that accomplishment!
Below are the standings, and I have attached a few action shots of our match against England (Canada is in white).
Again, thank you very much for your generous support of Masters field hockey.
On behalf of the team,
Kindest regards,
Colleen Wilkinson
Moth Madness
Jason is finally willing to admit to yet another dimension to his nerdiness: nocturnal insect surveys. If you recall, Jason had one light trap set-up at the barn on this property when we held our field school in May 2025. He now has four set up across a few different habitat types. Most nights, after Colleen and the dogs are comfortably abed, Jason is out roaming (while trying not to step on rattlesnakes). Here are a few of the more interesting finds of the past few weeks.
Jason’s light trap set up
EcoLogic Book Club
Alice is currently reading the Wild Horses of the Chilcotin: Their History and Future by Wayne McCrory. Next on her list is Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast by John Vaillant.
To go with his moth hunting adventures, Jason highly recommends Moths of Western North America (by Seabrooke Leckie) for folks interested in stepping up their moth game.
Lauren has been on a fantasy kick recently, and recommends When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill and The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne.
Weird and Wonderful iNaturalist Observation of the Month
A Southern Elephant Seal as a visual representation of social anxiety.
Photo by Oscar Thomas on iNaturalist
