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

阿尔伯塔北部地区拥有丰富的泥炭地，面临着资源勘探和开采活动的压力。根据艾伯塔省的《环境保护和加强法》，高地森林表层土壤、泥炭地地区的有机土壤和具有适当特征的底土在就地设施建设期间将被回收和储存。土壤是复垦的宝贵资源，在使用前可储存数十年。在艾伯塔省麦克默里堡附近的帝国石油公司的白杨项目研究区域内，湿地，包括针叶沼泽、沼泽和沼泽，覆盖了77%的研究区域。由于修建了通道、借土坑和中央处理设施，这里储存了大量的有机土壤。虽然对矿物来源的储存已经制定了常见的做法，但对土壤回收、储存和植被管理对有机土壤特性和随后作为复垦材料的质量的影响知之甚少。该项目旨在测试从有机土壤库存的原生、北方乔木和灌木物种池中选择建立木本植被群落的方法。除了常见物种外，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。采用并试验首次开发的矿质土库存搭便车种植法。我们还将评估从附近资源和被修复土壤内的种子库中自发恢复植被的潜力。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，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回收材料以备将来使用。最终，改善土壤管理将带来更好的开垦结果，并恢复受干扰的北方景观，为该地区所有居民提供更高的环境质量。

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.