The Ecology of Recovery: from mines to marshes. Frank Slide. How does this happen? Over time natural processes restore these sites

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1 The Ecology of Recovery: from mines to marshes David Polster Polster Environmental Services Ltd. Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. Frank Slide Over time natural processes restore these sites How does this happen? At one point not long ago most of Canada was covered by ice making some of our largest disturbances look small. 200 tonne trucks 1

2 Natural disturbances dwarf human disturbances and give us opportunities to see how these disturbances are reclaimed. Fully-functional Biotic Threshold Abiotic Threshold Ecosystem Function Non-functional How do ecosystems unravel? Intact Modified from Hobbs and Suding, 2009 Ecosystem State Degraded What are the filters and how can we solve them? Compaction Limits root growth, nutrient exchange. 2

3 Erosion During a heavy rain, as much as 224 t/ha of soil can be lifted in the air ready for erosion Once the soil is in the air, it can easily be moved down the slope. Steep Slopes A rolling stone gathers no moss Adverse Texture Adverse Chemical Properties Limits moisture and nutrient holding capacity Sudbury Syndrome is indicative of metal toxicity Soil Temperature Extremes Excess Herbivory Soil surface temperature measured to be 140 o F Seeded agronomic grasses and legumes leads to extreme ungulate populations that eat everything. 3

4 Extreme Competition Phytotoxic Exudates Spotted Knapweed Centaurea maculosa So, what can we do? Fine textures at the top, free draining in the middle, larger rock at the bottom By pushing the fine textured materials over the face we can eliminate the limitations of the coarse substrate. By making the surface rough and loose we can control erosion 4

5 Erosion solution - Kemess Mine tailings dam Spreading soil material D 10 Bulldozer D 10 Bulldozer Erosion starting on smooth surface before spreading is even completed. Making it rough and loose Rough and Loose Roughened the whole surface Cenovus Energy, Foster Creek, July 12,

6 August 5, 2009 Fall 2008 No signs of erosion from spring break-up August 5, 2009 Where spring melt overwhelmed infiltration capacity each hole acted as a settling pond Cost of rough and loose treatment at Kemess Mine was $715/ha while hydroseeding costs over $2,500/ha September 22, 2014 Making surfaces rough and loose controls erosion and enhances native species establishment. 6

7 September 22, 2014 September 22, 2014 The rough and loose treatment has been used throughout the mine September 22, 2014 Brenda Mine, 2011 Controls erosion, addresses compaction and promotes vegetation establishment The rough and loose treatment deals with compaction Rough and loose West Portal, Planting in 1989 Cenovus Energy Foster Creek, September 10, 2014 Rough and loose 7

8 West Portal, 1989 West Portal tree & shrub planting, 1989 West Portal August 25, 1992 West Portal August 5, 1997 West Portal July 15, 1999 West Portal August 3,

9 West Portal July 8, 2005 West Portal July 27, 2008 West Portal September 17, 2011 West Portal September 17, 2011 West Portal September 17, 2011 West Portal, September 9, 2014, 25 years after planting. 9

10 There was a 3 km penstock that was also removed. BC Hydro removed the Heber River Dam and was faced with the need to restore the disturbed sites We made project sites rough and loose (= increased topographic heterogeneity) and covered them with woody debris By November 13 th, 2012 the project sites were ready for winter. Monitoring transects were established at 5 project locations, July 16, 2013 An average of 5,410 Red Alder seedlings/hectare were found in

11 Including between the rocks of the rip-rap By 2014 an average of 8,554 Red Alder seedlings/hectare (and 67 other species) were found Rough and loose surface treatments control erosion by preventing overland flow. IOL Battle Lake gas plant site to be restored, March 11, 2010 Rough and loose, April 14, 2010 Rough and loose traps snow Planting pioneering vegetation, April 14,

12 Planting pioneering vegetation, April 14, 2010, note fence. Watering in the cuttings, April 14, 2010 Cuttings growing, June 24, 2010 August 17, 2010 Red-osier Dogwood September 11, 2010 September 11,

13 April 10, 2011 August 2, 2011 August 19, 2011 Two growing seasons August 19, 2011 July 9, 2012 February 29,

14 August 17, 2013 March 1, 2013 The use of natural processes can provide cost-effective solutions for the restoration of drastically disturbed sites. Restoration of Tall Wooly Head (Psilocarphus elatior) habitat February 26, 2014 Red Listed Species Creek dredging in 2004 created a berm that prevented flooding of the Tall Wooly Head habitat. This resulted in an initial increase in population numbers

15 but eventually invasive species took over and almost eliminated the Psilocarphus Seed of Psilocarphus was collected before active restoration was undertaken (July 31, 2013) The dense willow and reed canary grass cover was cut (September 20, 2013) After brush cutting September 20, 2013 Excavator brought in to breach the berm October 13,

16 Several openings were made in the berm, October 13, 2013 These were dug down to creek level, October 13, 2013 Over the winter, the area flooded January, 2013 With spring the vegetation started to re-grow, April 8, 2014 April 8, 2014 The locations of remaining Psilocarphus were carefully identified, June 23,

17 This occurs slightly before full leaf expansion Mowing was initiated when the offending plants had reached the low point in energy reserves. Plant Energy Reserves Repeated cutting May winter kill J F M A M J J A S O N D Months July 4, 2014 July 24, 2014 August 24, 2014 September 5, 2014 (before cut) 17

18 What about steep slopes? September 5, 2014 (after cut) 0.8 : 1 or 51.3 o Rock Cut Alder seedlings from seeding Seeding Sitka alder, October 30, 1986 Alder seeded slope, May 23, 1994 Alder seeded slope, July 16,

19 Alder seeded slope, August 1, 2009 Alder seeded slope, July 9, 2005 Conifers continue to move in 23 years after the alder seeding. March 13, 2013 Note tree for reference December 8, 2014 Other steep slope treatments Ivy Removal December 8, 2014 December 9, 2014 Ivy Removal First row of wattle fences 19

20 December 9, 2014 Wattle Fences Going up December 12, 2014 Reference Tree December 15, 2014 Nearing the top Almost done Reference Tree December 15, 2014 December 15, 2014 Completed Slope completed 20

21 UBC Slopes, Winter 1988/89 Soil bioengineering can be used to initiate successional processes on steep slopes Point Grey Cliffs UBC Slopes, March 6, o slope Doesn t change slope Changes conditions for vegetation growth 1989 Cuttings sprout and grow UBC Slopes, May 28,

22 UBC Slopes, January 18, 1990 UBC Slopes, 1996 UBC Slopes, March 25, 1999 UBC Slopes, March 25, 1999 UBC Slopes, July 4, 2012 UBC Slopes, July 4,

23 UBC Slopes, September 25, 2513 UBC Slopes, November 26, 2012 Colquitz Riverbank Restoration March 18, 2013 March 18, 2013 September 20, 2013 October 13,

24 November 11, 2013 November 11, 2013 November 11, 2013 November 12, 2013 November 13, 2013 November 14,

25 November 17, 2013 January 29, 2014 April 7, 2014 March 25, 2014 April 30, 2014 July 2,

26 Pocket Planting October 17, 2014 The natural solution to coarse substrates Vegetation establishment on coarse talus the genesis of pocket planting. Pocket Planting Pocket planting detail Pocket planting Seaton River August 15,

27 Pocket planting Seaton River June 13, 2006 Pocket planting Seaton River May 30, 2013 Pocket planting Seaton River March 24, 2014 Wascana Creek Restoration Wave erosion along the shoreline undermines the dike slopes. Small slumps threaten the integrity of the dike 27

28 Shoreline pioneers can control erosion and start the processes of succession. Soil bioengineering treatments incorporated into slope designs May, 2003 October, 2003 Planting Wave Protection Zone Collecting plants for Wave Protection Zone 28

29 May 2002 August 2011 Using emergent aquatic plants to protect shores Very successful treatments on Wascana Creek Fall colours add to visitor enjoyment October, 2011 May 2003 Building soil bioengineering into designs can provide ecological, social and financial benefits Volunteers from the Cowichan Valley Naturalists helps remove invasive species from Eagle Heights Probably the most pristine Garry Oak Ecosystem in Canada 29

30 It has not been invaded by agronomic grasses Native Garry oak grasses allow a diversity of species to occur. What is the motivation of these folks? In addition to ecological and socio-economic values that are critical to restoration, personal and cultural values are essential, and I would say, the social values and the spiritual values. 30

31 What role do spiritual values play in the restoration of disturbed sites? I believe that we are connected with everything and that this connection is what is meant by the Spiritual part of our world. I believe that there is this spiritual part in every person (thing) and from this belief stems the view that we can all connect directly with this spiritual part of the Universe. So when we work to restore damaged sites we connect with spiritual part of the site/organisms/ecosystems....beside a babbling brook... Sometimes when I am in an old forest... 31

32 ...in a quiet wetland......in the alpine......or in a Garry Oak ecosystem in spring......i get a sense of this spiritual part of our world. By working to restore those that have been damaged, I can connect with this spiritual part. Natural processes provide solutions to even the toughest restoration problems Of course there are many other elements of restoration, but 32

33 if you identify the filters, find and follow the natural solutions and build in the social and spiritual values, restoring difficult sites is relatively straightforward. Remember Whatever you do Have Fun! Questions??? 33