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Fall 2023

Hynes, Brittany E

The redevelopment of understories is an often-overlooked aspect of forest restoration following anthropogenic disturbances. In my research I explored the feasibility of actively restoring forest understories through seedling planting. First, I examined the quality of nursery-grown boreal shrub...

Fall 2014

Campbell, Brett A

Aggregate resources are naturally occurring deposits of sand, gravel and crushed stone that are integral components to the construction of everything from roads and sidewalks, to hospitals and schools. Mining these resources can release deleterious sediments, salt and chemicals into watercourses,...

Spring 2020

Hudson, Jessica Jacquelene

Herbaceous forbs hitchhiked, or co-grown, with a woody species, is a solution to establish both native woody and herbaceous species at recently disturbed sites. The broad study objectives were to (1) assess the growth of fireweed hitchhiked with three deciduous woody species and one conifer over...

Spring 2018

deBortoli, Leah A.

Reclamation efforts that promote the re-establishment of native tree and plant communities subsequent of large-scale oil sands mining land disturbances are crucial in restoring natural ecosystems. It is important that reclamation procedures capable of facilitating the establishment of native...

Fall 2020

Brown, Nicholas

While bitumen is one of the oldest construction materials in the world and currently provides an important fuel needed to sustain our modern lifestyle, the disturbances caused by extracting and refining this material are considerable, with 895 km2 of land being disturbed in Alberta as of 2018...

Spring 2024

Batycky, Anya

Hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) is a common flocculant used in oil sands tailings dewatering technologies. Although HPAM is regularly used in tailings treatment and will eventually be incorporated into the reclaimed landscape of the oil sands, there are knowledge gaps surrounding the environment...

Fall 2018

Valek, Erika Rovena

Forest reclamation sites are often located in areas not suited for agriculture and therefore have poor soil conditions. To assist in the rehabilitation of forests on these types of sites, organic amendments can be used. Close to large urban centers, compost derived from municipal organic waste...

Spring 2017

Frerichs, Laurie Anne

Achieving forest recovery on previously forested well sites in northern Alberta is an on-going challenge for the oil and gas industry. Thirty-three experimental oil sands exploration (OSE) sites were constructed and reclaimed between 2004 and 2006 in northeastern Alberta. Our goal was to...

Spring 2022

Ficko, Sarah A.

Resource exploration and extraction in the arctic causes long lasting disturbances as natural recovery is a long and slow process in the north. With three Canadian diamond mines expected to close in the next fifteen years, many hectares of land will require revegetating. Research conducted in the...

Spring 2014

Archibald, Heather Anne

Peat mineral soil mix has been the predominant cover soil used in Athabasca oil sands reclamation. Use of LFH mineral soil mix (forest litter layers and underlying mineral soil) has recently been mandated by regulatory approvals. Effectiveness of these cover soil types to provide diverse, native...