Well-Site reclamation in the forest: restoring pine, boreal mixedwoods and peatlands

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The boreal forests of Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia have a large number of drilling sites for oil and gas exploration. The reclamation of these well pads and access roads back to forests after drilling is a critical step in reducing the environmental footprint of these activities. In this proposal we examine the types of soil disturbance applied to four different forest ecosystems: foothills lodgepole pine, boreal jack pine, boreal mixedwoods and treed peatlands (black spruce bogs and poor fens). We then test a variety of possible treatments that have high probability of re-positioning these sites on a trajectory back to their original forest type. The novel feature of our work is to provide the required environmental conditions for the re-establishment of key species of each forest type. In the Foothills Lodgepole Pine forests of western Alberta we will examine the use of chipping debris from forestry slash piles as a soil amendment for preparing sites for natural or artificial regeneration of lodgepole pine. Use of serotinous cones (from pine logging slash) to deliver seed to the site will also be tested. In the Boreal Mixedwood sites, we will focus efforts on natural regeneration using existing root systems of aspen as a source of vegetative propagation from sprouts (root suckers) and the bud and seed bank to recruit other species. Our research will examine ways to protect the forest floor and the roots systems of aspen from damage during the drilling processes - most of which occurs on frozen ground. In the Boreal Jack Pine ecosystems on Aeolian sands, we will study several possible issues that might slow the recruitment of trees after disturbance. First, water infiltration may not be uniform on sands. Second, the unstable surface of the sands may damage pine germinants on these sites. Third, the exposed surface may dry out too quickly to allow establishment of seedlings. In the Peatland sites, hummock-hollow microtopography is