Creating a Knowledge Platform for the Reclamation and Restoration Ecology Community: Expanding the OSRIN Model Beyond the Oil Sands

One of the core mandates for the Oil Sands Research and Information Network (OSRIN) was to enhance access to oil sands environmental management information. With OSRIN’s mandate ending December 31, 2014 OSRIN sought a partner with a similar philosophy to provide an archive for the website content and to continue the role of knowledge generation, perhaps with a broader scope than the oil sands. OSRIN provided funding for the Alberta Centre for Reclamation and Restoration Ecology (ACRRE) initiative at the University of Alberta to develop an ACRRE website, which will house the OSRIN content, and to produce a series of knowledge exchange communications that will be used to demonstrate the business case for ACRRE, a knowledge generating and sharing program for the reclamation and restoration community. Previous work conducted by OSRIN has demonstrated the strong desire, across a broad base of stakeholder groups, for increased access to timely research information. Stakeholders participating in OSRIN’s workshops have also demonstrated this thirst for knowledge sharing opportunities. Outreach and application of knowledge is a key component of ACRRE’s mandate. ACRRE will connect scientists, practitioners, managers, regulators, and policymakers. Collaborative efforts within this network will focus on integrating, synthesizing, sharing and applying scientific knowledge to address challenges in land reclamation and restoration. The Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences (ALES) at the University of Alberta and OSRIN have already provided proof-of-concept of the delivery of the Centre’s outreach mandate. The delivery of the outreach program will be through: preparation of major synthesis and review papers on topics of particular importance to partners; creation of short, focused Research Notes synthesizing recent research results; delivery of technology transfer workshops, symposia, and conferences; and organization of field tours.