Most scientists are too uninformed about what happens in the Arctic outside of the summer, according to a researcher from Sweden.

Terry Callaghan of the Abisko Scientific Research Station in Sweden said that's because much of the research is done by university professors and their students who head north during the school break.

Some aboriginal people in the Arctic refer to scientists as the "geese," arriving in the spring and leaving in the fall. The summer trips give researchers only a partial view of what's happening in the northern environment, Callaghan said.

"Those people who are there in winter, we see the warm winter events, we see periods in January where it should be -30 [degrees] with snow cover, which are five [degrees] with carbon coming off the soils which are free of snow for a few days," said Callaghan. "We see the icing events that kill the reindeer."

Terry Callaghan

Callaghan added scientists need to work more closely with aboriginal people who have a year-round understanding of the land. He noted western science and traditional knowledge use different approaches, and both have a role to play.

The chair of the Inuvialuit Game Council, Frank Pokiak, agrees.

"It's important that they have to start involving people that see the changes," said Pokiak. "That's one thing that we always had a problem with governments."

Progress has been made in bringing western science and traditional knowledge together, said Bobby Jo Greenland, a youth representative on the Gwitchin Council International. More needs to be done, though.

Bobby Jo Greenland

"People recognize the importance of it but recognizing it and actually utilizing it is a big difference," she said.

More partnerships require commitment on both sides, which will lead to much better observations, Callaghan said.