The GLORIA project (Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments) is a global network of alpine sites designed to monitor changes in alpine species, and how those changes are related to temperature and snow cover.  It is an international project that in 2017 involves 50 countries and 130 active monitoring sites.  The sites are designed to be re-monitored every 5-10 years in perpetuity.

 

The Whistler site was set up in the summer of 2006 by University of Victoria Masters student Kristina Swerhun who is also a volunteer with the Whistler Naturalists.  It is located just inside Garibaldi Provincial Park, near the RMOW boundary, and includes 4 summits of varying altitude.  This monitoring site was set up along with a site on Vancouver Island (Mount Arrowsmith) and were the first GLORIA sites in Canada.

 

This project is ongoing and made possible thanks to funding from the BC Ministry of the Environment, Mountain Equipment Coop, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Alpine Club of Canada and the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve.  Thanks also go out to the Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC, AWARE and Whistler Blackcomb.

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Download an article on the installation of these Canadian GLORIA sites from Northwest Science.

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Visit the GLORIA website.