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Research Project Studies Cultural, Economic Impacts of Ice Loss
In a recent study published in Limnology and Oceanography Letters, University of Minnesota researcher Lesley Knoll and colleagues report on the cultural impacts of ice loss on inland lakes and rivers. With warmer winters, events of socioeconomic and cultural importance – such as ice fishing tournaments, cross-country skiing and ice-skating races – are increasingly being canceled.
The loss of ice currently affects 14,800 lakes and impacts cultural ecosystem services – such as food subsistence, transportation, religious ceremonies and recreational opportunities – in surrounding communities.
For example, ice roads serve 49 remote First Nations communities in northern Ontario and Manitoba, often connecting communities in the north to those in the south. These winter ice roads are crucial for social, mental health and financial reasons. However, across Canada, the opening of ice roads has been delayed, at times, by as much as three weeks.

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