Plant and Seed Technologies for Boreal Reclamation and Reforestation

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The NAIT Boreal Research Institute (BRI) project 'Plant and Seed Technologies for Boreal Reclamation and Reforestation' introduces technologies and systems which, when tested and deployed, will accelerate the establishment of young forests on industrial sites. Working with 10 industry and small-and-medium-sized enterprise (SME) partners, BRI will develop seed products, technologies, methods, and equipment for the broadcasting and establishment of boreal plants and seed (P&S) onto large-scale sites (e.g., in situ and surface mining), problematic industrial sites (e.g., high saline and oil spill sites), and irregular sites (e.g. buffers, corridors, log lay-downs, steep slopes). Innovative seed products and broadcasting tools will enable the prompt covering of industrial sites with native, boreal forbs and shrubs. This ecologically-based approach will prevent the invasion of weeds and other undesirable species on freshly prepared industrial sites. In turn, P&S technologies are expected to reduce the need and high costs of chemical herbicides. Building upon BRI's preliminary laboratory and greenhouse trials of priming and pelleting and the nano-coating of seeds, the project focuses on field applications through the operational testing of seed products and the development of practical seed broadcasting tools and equipment. These new and adaptive technologies will provide industry and SMEs with cost-effective and versatile tools for reliable plant establishment and ecological resiliency. The project will spur the market adoption of technologies through the training of a projected 460 field practitioners and supports for the commercialization of P&S technologies. Regional innovations (e.g., Northwest Alberta P&S consortium and Shrub Seed Orchard) will strengthen the industry-business supply chain, ultimately driving SME competitiveness and diversification. The research program will train over 426 post-secondary and First Nations students in field-ready scientific, equipment, research and professional skills to prepare them for employment throughout Alberta and Canada.