Mitigating recovery of mixedgrass prairie under high voltage powerline construction

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The footprint of industrial disturbance on native grasslands has been rising since European settlement, andincreasingly threatens the conservation of these ecosystems. In western Canada, common industrial activitiesinclude oil and gas extraction and high voltage power-line construction, both of which are significant impactsto native grassland vegetation and underlying soils. As these activities form a key component of the economyin the Canadian Prairie Provinces, understanding the specific management practices that can mitigatedetrimental impacts of energy development, as well as maximize grassland recovery following theircompletion, are important for the managers of private and public rangelands, together with those industrialusers seeking to minimize their environmental footprint. In this study, we are entering into a collaborativeagreement with ATCO Energy Ltd., in order to 1) evaluate the recovery of native grassland disturbed byindustrial activities associated with high voltage power-line construction, 2) understand the role of soilbiophysical characteristics, including microbiology, in facilitating this recovery, and 3) develop bestmanagement practices for the use of access rigmats for conserving grasslands. Collectively, the informationprovided 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.