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Guidelines for Reclamation to Forest Vegetation in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region

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Guidelines for Reclamation to Forest Vegetation in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region REPORT # ESD/LM/99-1 GUIDELINES FOR RECLAMATION TO FOREST VEGETATION IN THE ATHABASCA OIL SANDS REGION ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE Guidelines for Reclamation to Forest Vegetation October, 1998 In the Alberta Oil Sands Region Page i Prepared By: The Oils Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Oil Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee was formed in November 1996 with the mandate to prepare guidelines on the establishment of forest vegetation (ecosystems) for reclaiming oil sands leases in northeastern Alberta. The Committee focussed on starter vegetation and design criteria for ecosystems that would support primarily commercial forests and secondarily would provide wildlife habitat. In addition, biodiversity was considered an important aspect of reclaimed ecosystems. The guidelines have been based on successful reclamation techniques, and research and monitoring information that were available for the oil sands region at the time of document preparation. As research and monitoring programs continue in the region, new data will be used to update and refine the suggested approaches and techniques every 5 years. The guidelines are intended to be used by government and industry staff. They provide detailed information on what terrestrial vegetation (ecosystems) can be re-established to support commercial forests and wildlife habitat, how to establish the ecosystems through reclamation techniques, and how to monitor whether the reclamation approach has been successful. Information gaps that exist and assumptions that have been made have been documented. The Committee designed a seven step process to meet their mandate. The main conclusions are discussed below. Step 1 – Identify Target Ecosites that can be Established on Reclaimed Landscapes The first step was to identify which ecosites, of those that occur in the oil sands region, can be supported on reclaimed landscapes. The ecosites that naturally occur in the oil sands region were identified based on the ecological classification system for northern Alberta produced by Beckingham and Archibald (1996) and are summarized in Section 3.1. The ecosites that can be re-established on reclaimed leases depend on the landscapes, drainage patterns and soils that can be re-established. The ecosites that are emphasized in this document are those that are most likely to develop on the range of landscape features (position, slope and aspect) and soil types that currently exist in reclaimed areas on the Syncrude Canada Ltd. (Syncrude) and Suncor Energy Inc. (Suncor) leases. Step 2 – Identify Techniques to Establish Ecosites on Reclaimed Landscapes Techniques that have been developed through research and monitoring by Syncrude and Suncor to reconstruct the landscape/drainage patterns and soils, and to initiate “starter vegetation” that should eventually succeed to the targeted ecosites on their oil sands leases were compiled. They are summarized in Section 3.2. Guidelines for Reclamation to Forest Vegetation October, 1998 In the Alberta Oil Sands Region Page ii Prepared By: The Oils Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee Step 3 – Identify Terrestrial Land Use Objectives for Reclaimed Landscapes The Oil Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee examined the design criteria for ecosystems and landscape components that would meet two land use objectives: the establishment of stands of commercial forest and the establishment of wildlife habitat. Design criteria for other land uses that can be examined at a later date include recreation and traditional use. Ultimately, each oil sands lease will be designed to support several integrated land uses. Step 4 – Identify the Design Criteria for Ecosystems and Landscape Patterns to Achieve the Selected Terrestrial Land Use Objectives The fourth step in the process was to identify the design criteria required for the reclaimed landscape to support commercial forest and wildlife habitat. Design criteria included information on the preferred types of ecosites and preferred patterns of distribution of ecosites in the landscape. The design criteria for commercial forest are outlined in Sections 4.1 and 4.2. The design criteria to create habitat for ten species of wildlife are outlined in Sections 5.1.1 and 5.2, and Appendix J. Step 5 – Integrate Design Criteria for All Land Use Objectives for Reclamation of Oil Sands Leases It is intended that lease holders will use these guidelines to assist in designing their landscapes to achieve the required end land uses. Once the design criteria for each of the primary and associated land uses have been identified, the distribution pattern of the preferred ecosites for the primary land uses within the leases needs to be identified. Then the design criteria for the associated uses need to be integrated into the design criteria for the primary uses. This is an important planning exercise that should be completed by an operator of an oil sands development during the design of the closure plan. This step is not discussed further in this guideline manual. Step 6 – Design Monitoring Programs to Verify that Land Use Objectives have been Successfully Met The sixth step in the process was to design monitoring programs to determine if the land use objectives have been achieved. These have been outlined in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of this document. Guidelines for Reclamation to Forest Vegetation October, 1998 In the Alberta Oil Sands Region Page iii Prepared By: The Oils Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee Recommendations for monitoring programs for the establishment of a commercial forest include: · Confirmation that tree seedlings have been established (as benchmarked through compliance requirements under the Timber Management Regulations and Alberta Regeneration Survey Manual), and · Confirmation that forest productivity has been re-established (as benchmarked through measurements of tree height, mean annual increment and site index, and soil capability). Recommendations for monitoring the establishment of habitat capability for wildlife include: · Measurement and modeling of biophysical characteristics of re-established ecosites and physical features of landscape components (fine filter approach), and/or · Interpretation of biodiversity information on the plant community and landscape levels (coarse filter approach). Recommendations for monitoring biodiversity on reclaimed landscapes includes the collection of information on the landscape, plant community and genetic levels of variation. Step 7 – Recommend Research Programs to Address Information Gaps on Reclamation Research programs to address information gaps identified in the reclamation information include: · Vegetation productivity (site index) on reclaimed soils needs to be measured and compared to vegetation productivity on natural soils, · The relationship between soil capability classes and vegetation productivity (site index) needs to be identified through monitoring programs, · It is uncertain whether all plant species recommended as starter species can be propagated on reconstructed soils. Future propagation of additional plant species, such as those in Appendix H, needs to be studied, · The survival and vitality of plant species moved through direct placement from various ecosystems to reclamation sites supporting different subsoils needs to be examined, · The potential effects of elevated pH levels in reconstructed soils on plant growth are not known and need to be studied, · The feasibility of using mineral soil through direct placement to develop upland ecosystems needs to be examined, · The effectiveness of covering and reclaiming saline/sodic materials needs to be studied, Guidelines for Reclamation to Forest Vegetation October, 1998 In the Alberta Oil Sands Region Page iv Prepared By: The Oils Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee · The feasibility of continuing the use of exotic plant species in reclamation needs to be examined, · Methods to measure biodiversity need to be developed, · Draft seed zone maps for the oil sands area were developed with the intention of covering both woody and other vascular plants but may need to be further refined to determine their suitability for other vascular plants, · The feasibility of re-establishing ecosystems on consolidated/composite tailings (CT) needs to be researched, · The feasibility of applying sulphur to reduce soil pH and sodicity needs to be examined, · Methods to enhance the establishment of native understorey species to achieve greater biodiversity than is possible through seeding/planting need to be developed, · The biology and productivity of reclaimed soils should be examined. Mycorrhizae, nutrient cycling and sustainability of peat-mineral mix amendments to ensure that the “living” components of the soil system are functioning effectively and in balance should be the focus of the research, · Seed sources for species that provide good timber/fibre production need to be improved, · Essential ecosystem functions and plant species required to accomplish these functions need to be determined, and · The ability to create ecosites d (low-bush cranberry) and e (dogwood) without adding clay is uncertain. The sustainability of the ecosites needs to be studied. Guidelines for Reclamation to Forest Vegetation October, 1998 In the Alberta Oil Sands Region Page v Prepared By: The Oils Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Oil Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee has been comprised of the following representatives: · Earl Anderson Syncrude Canada Ltd. · Harry Archibald Alberta
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