Organic Soil Stockpile Management: Mitigating Environmental Footprints Through the Establishment of a Woody Vegetation Community of Native Boreal Species

阿尔伯塔的北方地区拥有丰富的泥炭地，但面临着资源勘探和开采活动的压力。根据阿尔伯塔的《环境保护和改善法》，在现场设施建设期间，应抢救和储存高地森林表土、泥炭地地区的有机土壤和具有适当特性的底土。土壤是一种宝贵的复垦资源，在使用前可能会储存数十年。在帝国石油公司的白杨项目研究区附近的英尺。麦克默里，阿尔伯塔，湿地，包括树木繁茂的针叶沼泽，沼泽和沼泽，覆盖了研究面积的77%。修建便道、取土坑和中央处理设施导致了几个大型有机土壤库存。虽然常见的做法已被开发的矿产资源的库存，土壤救助，库存，和植被管理的有机土壤性质和随后的质量作为复垦材料的影响知之甚少。该项目旨在测试方法，以建立一个木本植被群落选择从池的本地，北方树木和灌木物种的有机土壤库存。除了常见的物种外，还将选择具有文化意义和传统用途的物种来测试不同的技术，以提高实验室和田间条件下的发芽和生长性能。我们将采用并测试最初为矿物质土壤储备开发的搭便车种植方法。我们还将评估从附近的资源和种子银行内打捞土壤自发植被的潜力。一个多产的木本植被群落可以帮助稳定土壤和控制侵蚀，调节土壤水分和径流，防止杂草入侵，并抵消有机物分解产生的温室气体排放。通过对有机土壤库存的妥善管理，该行业将能够减少其足迹，保护土壤，并保存或生产高质量的再生材料供未来使用。最后，改善土壤管理，改善复垦成果，恢复受干扰的北方景观，为所有生活在该地区的人提供更高的生态质量。

Alberta's boreal regions have abundant peatlands that are facing pressure from resource exploration andextraction activities. As per Alberta's Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, upland forest topsoil,organic soil from peatland areas, and subsoil with appropriate characteristics are to be salvaged and storedduring construction of in-situ facilities. Soil is a valuable resource for reclamation and may remain stored fordecades before use. Within Imperial Oil's Aspen Project study area near Ft. McMurray, Alberta, wetlands,including wooded coniferous bogs, fens, and swamps, cover 77% of the study area. Construction of accessroads, borrow pits, and the central processing facility has led to several large stockpiles of organic soil. Whilecommon practices have been developed for stockpiles of mineral origin, less is known about the effect of soilsalvage, stockpiling, and vegetation management on organic soil properties and the subsequent quality asreclamation material. This project aims to test methods to establish a woody vegetation community selectedfrom a pool of native, boreal tree and shrub species on organic soil stockpiles. In addition to common species,species of cultural significance and traditional use will be selected to test different techniques to enhancegermination and growth performance in both lab and field conditions. We will adopt and test the hitchhikerplanting method first developed for mineral soil stockpiles. We will also assess the potential of spontaneousrevegetation from nearby sources and seed banks within the salvaged soil. A productive woody vegetationcommunity can help stabilize soil and control erosion, regulate soil moisture and runoff, prevent weedinvasion, and offset greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing organic matter. Through the propermanagement of organic soil stockpiles, the industry will be able to reduce its footprint, conserve soil, andpreserve or produce high-quality reclamation material for future use. Ultimately, improved soil managementwill result in better reclamation outcomes and restoration of disturbed boreal landscape providing higherenvironmental quality for all those living in the region.