Reclamation of altered landscapes in northern Alberta is becoming increasingly important as the regulatory requirement become more stringent. Oil and gas and forestry companies are liable for reclaiming the disturbed land and associated linear features, but it is the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that carry out most of the reclamation work. The industry’s need for efficient, cost-effective reclamation methods and techniques has never been greater in order to meet the government regulatory requirements.

We develop and provide industry and practitioners practical, cost-effective, and science based solutions for reclaiming boreal peatlands. We conduct critical research for developing peatland management practices, and train highly qualified personnel (HQP) in peatland science and reclamation techniques through summer internships, seminars and workshops.

Reclamation and reforestation of industrial disturbances in Alberta’s boreal forest is vital to the forest’s long-term health. Reforestation also ensures that future generations will be in a position to utilize this resource for a variety of purposes (timber, recreation or simply for its ecological value) in the decades to come. Our mission is to provide cost-effective methods, technologies, and best practices to support reforestation activities throughout the province of Alberta.

The NAIT Centre for Boreal Research forest reclamation research program is jointly funded by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), NAIT, industry, government, and small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) partners, and led by Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker, NSERC Industrial Research Chair.