Wetlands in Alberta: Challenges and Opportunities. David Locky, PhD, PWS, PBiol Grant MacEwan University

Transcription

1 Wetlands in Alberta: Challenges and Opportunities David Locky, PhD, PWS, PBiol Grant MacEwan University

2 Overview What & Where Function & Value Alberta s Keystone Ecosystem Losses & Impacts Restoration & Construction A Few Points on Policy Observations & Insights

3 Wetlands are the only ecosystem in the world recognized by international treaty, the Ramsar Convention

4 What & Where

5 What: Wetland Defined Land saturated with water to promote wetland or aquatic processes poorly drained soils, hydrophytic vegetation various kinds of biological activity

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7 Wetlands in Alberta Environment Canada

8 Wetland Classification Well, actually, Doreen, I rather resent being called a swamp thing, I prefer the term wetlands-challenged mutant.

9 Classification in Alberta Classification of Natural Ponds and Lakes in the Glaciated Prairie Region Stewart & Kantrud (1971)

10 Classification in Alberta Five Classes of Wetlands Bog Fen Swamp Marsh Shallow Water Wetland

11 Wetlands in Alberta Mineral Soil Wetland Peat-forming? No Yes Peatland Environment Canada

12 Wetlands in Alberta Peat-forming? No Yes Mineral Soil Wetland Peatland Shallow Water Wetland Bog Swamp Marsh Fen Shrub Swamp Conifer Swamp

13 Where Are The Wetlands?

14 Western Canadian Peatlands Vitt et al. (2000)

15 Alberta s Two Wetland Regions PEATLAND ZONE Bog Fen Conifer Swamp MINERAL SOIL WETLAND ZONE Marsh SWW Shrub Swamp

16 Wetlands in Alberta 11% of Canada s wetlands? ~20% of the province? ~93% peatlands? ~7% MSW?

17 Wetland Function and Value

18 Function vs. Value Function encompasses the science-based performance of a wetland whereas value includes a socio-economic usefulness factor

19 Wetland Function Sources Water Sediment (Peat) Biodiversity Sinks Water Sediment (Peat) Transformers Biogeochemistry Water Physical Forces

20 Functional Kusler 1983 Differences Type Size Location

21 Wetland Value Flood Control Groundwater Recharge Shoreline Stabilization and Storm Protection Sediment and Nutrient Retention, and Export Climate Change Mitigation, Water Purification Reservoirs of Biodiversity Wetland Products Recreation and Tourism Cultural Value

22 Alberta Wetlands: Some Points on Function and Value

23 Productivity

24 Biodiversity Important for biodiversity far beyond borders Maintain hydrology of adjacent areas Temporary habitat and refuge for upland spp

25 Plant Diversity Mean Spp. Richness Bryophytes Vascular Plants Locky & Bayley 2006

26 Biodiversity Mechanisms Wooded Bog Black Spruce Swamp Wooded MR Fen Open MR Fen Open ER Fen Low Low Low Low MR = Moderate-rich ER = Extreme-rich ph/alkalinity Conductance Water table Microhabitats High High High High Low Locky & Bayley 2006

27 Wooded Moderate-rich Fen

28 Mitigate Fragmentation Often the last remaining areas in degraded landscapes &, thus, mitigate fragmentation

29 Ramsar in AB Hay-Zama Lakes Whooping Crane Summer Range NWT AB Peace-Athabasca Delta BC Beaverhill Lake SK USA

30 Storage and Filters Highly effective at removing sediments, excess nutrients, and pollution Natural and constructed wetlands

31 Wetlands Are Well-Connected LOCAL AND REGIONAL DISCHARGE LOCAL RECHARGE LOCAL AND INTERMEDIATE DISCHARGE LOCAL RECHARGE LOCAL DISCHARGE Spring RECHARGE LOCAL DISCHARGE Stream/ Wetland Drainage Divide

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33 Carbon Peatlands represent 25% to 50% of the global carbon pool 147 Gt in Canada, 17 Gt in Alberta Complex cycle: CO 2 & CH 4 Source or sink?

34 Wetlands are worth more per hectare than most other ecosystem types

35 Economic Value of Wetlands Costanza et al $/ha/year: $19,580 Flood control/acre/year: $96,000 Nutrient filtration/acre/year: $75,196 Water supply/acre/year: $291,357 Horticultural peat in Alberta/year: $69 M

36 Estimated Cost of the Loss of Alberta s Wetlands: $45.7 B (1999)

37 Keystone Ecosystems Have an impact on the landscape inordinate to their size or distribution Wetlands are Alberta s Keystone Ecosystem

38 Losses & Impacts:

39 Over 60% of Alberta s wetlands have been lost in the settled region but 93% of Alberta s wetlands are in the unsettled region

40 Peatland Zone Climate Change The Atlas of Canada (2004) Sensitivity Level No Change Very Slight Slight Moderate Severe Extremely Severe Carbon? Function? Value?

41 Many of Alberta s peatlands initiated 6,000 years ago when the climate was much wetter -- their existence may be tenuous based on current climate projections

42 Direct Impacts Forestry Conventional Oil & Gas

43 Peatland Zone In-Situ Oil Sands Technology: 80% of OSR Expensive Challenging Restoration? Googlemaps

44 Peatland Zone Oil Sands Mining: Air Land Surface Water Ground Water Googlemaps

45 Peatland Zone Oil Sands Mines: Eight approved km 2 Other proposed -- Additional 700 km 2 Much of this is lost peatland (45-50%)

46 Can We Bring Them Back? Restoration & Construction

47 Wetland Construction Kennedale Wetland, Edmonton City of Edmonton Shepard Wetland, Calgary EIA EIA Peak Experience Imagery

48 Suncor Reclamation

49 There are no known examples of successfully constructed peatlands in the world

50 Syncrude Constructed Fen

51 Suncor Constructed Fen

52 A Few Points on Wetland Policy in Alberta

53 The Tools Federal Provincial Municipal

54 Federal Policy % of Canada No-net-loss 10.6% of Alberta

55 Municipal Policy Calgary has no-net-loss policy Edmonton has no wetland policy Many examples where Alberta s nonet-loss policy was applied

56 Provincial Policy

57 Restoration/Compensation Mitigation a process to reduce wetland loss by 1. Avoid 2. Minimize 3. Compensate

58 Restoration/Mitigation 3:1 Wetland Replacement Ratio Graph

59 A Case of Semi- Permanency Well pad on dry land (2005) Flooded next year (2006) 2006

60 Provincial Policy?

61 Challenges & Opportunities

62 Wetland Policy and Practice in Alberta: An Opportunity for Leadership We know the way We have the expertise The timing has never been better Policy, evaluation, science, management

63 Wetland Monitoring Programs and Protocols Wetland inventory Wetland classification Evaluation, carbon, climate change, planning Baseline for what we have, cumulative impacts

64 Two Types, Two Regions, Two Strategies Strong dichotomy for all elements Peatlands vs. mineral soil wetlands Wetland loss, land use, and population Mineral Soil Wetland Zone Peatland Zone

65 Wetlands are Alberta s Keystone Ecosystem Strong linkages between terrestrial & aquatic Many functions and high value All of Alberta s biomes Bellwether

66 Peatland Logging Basics Marketable size black spruce and tamarack are common in peatlands Ditching, mounding, and draining Winter when organic soils are frozen

67 Effects of Peatland Logging Watering-up Modification of soil microclimate Loss of nutrients with tree biomass Reduction of soil hydraulic conductivity Introduction of weedy species (fens vs. bogs) Formation of stable shrub communities Paludification and reduction of productivity

68 Peatland Logging in NE Ont. Higher precipitation = much timber Bogs and black spruce swamps Black spruce >10cm dbh Peat depth m ½ of forest that is logged is peatland

69 Peatland Logging in NE Ont. Specialized or adapted equipment is used Lakehead U

70 Logging Peatlands in the Western Boreal Locky & Bayley CJFR

71 Implications Exposed Peat Stable Shrub Communities Weeds

72 Summary Short-term Effects Changes to plant succession Changes to soil and surface waters

73 Summary Potential Longer-term Effects Disturbed, sterile peat More vascular plants, weeds Stable shrub communities

74 Further Observations Does it matter? Based on known limitations, will peatland logging become a significant activity in the western boreal region? Seismic and related activities take significantly more black spruce and tamarack from peatlands than logging.

75 Conventional & Oil Sands Athabasca University

76 Research Opportunities 1. Effects of logging in older harvest blocks (post 20 years)? 2. Logging in fens vs. bogs vs. black spruce swamps? 3. Logged peatlands vs. burned peatlands?

77 Thank you... David Locky