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

阿尔伯塔省、萨斯喀彻温省和不列颠哥伦比亚省的北方森林有大量的石油和天然气勘探钻探点。钻井后，这些井台的复垦和通往森林的道路是减少这些活动对环境影响的关键一步。在本文中，我们研究了四种不同森林生态系统的土壤干扰类型：山麓黑松、北方短叶松、北方混交林和泥炭地（黑云杉沼泽和贫瘠沼泽）。然后，我们测试了各种可能的处理方法，这些处理方法有很高的概率将这些地点重新定位到原始森林类型的轨道上。我们工作的新颖之处在于为每一种森林类型的关键物种的重建提供必要的环境条件。在阿尔伯塔省西部的山麓Lodgepole松林，我们将研究使用来自林业斜拉桩的碎片作为土壤改良剂，为Lodgepole松的自然或人工再生做准备。此外，还将测试使用松果（从松林采伐得来）将种子运送到现场。在北方混交木样地，我们将集中精力进行自然再生，利用现有的白杨根系作为芽（根吸盘）和芽和种子库的营养繁殖来源，以招募其他物种。我们的研究将探讨在钻探过程中保护森林地面和白杨根系免受破坏的方法，钻探过程中大部分发生在冻土上。在风沙上的北方杰克松生态系统中，我们将研究干扰后可能减缓树木补充的几个可能的问题。首先，水在沙子上的渗透可能不均匀。其次，沙的不稳定表面可能会破坏这些地点的松树发芽。第三，暴露在外的表面可能会干得太快，无法建立幼苗。在泥炭地遗址，丘陵-空心微地形是

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