Mitigating recovery of mixedgrass prairie under high voltage powerline construction

自欧洲人定居以来，工业干扰对原始草原的影响一直在增加

The footprint of industrial disturbance on native grasslands has been rising since European settlement, and increasingly threatens the conservation of these ecosystems. In western Canada, common industrial activities include oil and gas extraction and high voltage power-line construction, both of which are significant impacts to native grassland vegetation and underlying soils. As these activities form a key component of the economy in the Canadian Prairie Provinces, understanding the specific management practices that can mitigate detrimental impacts of energy development, as well as maximize grassland recovery following their completion, are important for the managers of private and public rangelands, together with those industrial users seeking to minimize their environmental footprint. In this study, we are entering into a collaborative agreement with ATCO Energy Ltd., in order to 1) evaluate the recovery of native grassland disturbed by industrial activities associated with high voltage power-line construction, 2) understand the role of soil biophysical characteristics, including microbiology, in facilitating this recovery, and 3) develop best management practices for the use of access rigmats for conserving grasslands. Collectively, the information provided by this study will reduce the future environmental impact of industrial disturbance in native grassland, and promote the integration of energy development with other land uses.