When is reclamation success achieved, using the 2010 Reclamation Criteria as a guide?
GL 09-9162-50
Jay Woosaree
The 2010 Reclamation Criteria for Wellsites and Associated Facilities for Native Grasslands was released in June of 2011 to relieve then current backlog of processing Reclamation Certificate applications, and to increase the quality of applications and public confidence in the oil and gas industry.
The Record of Observations (RoO) Tool was used in this project to assess reclamation success and to gain an understanding of how past practices such as seeding native species influences reclamation success. An additional objective was to determine the time length after reclamation required to gauge a reclamation certificate as a shorter time period could reduce unwarranted extension of surface leases and costs to industry.
Policy Issue
The effectiveness of industrial footprint reclamation. One of the primary challenges facing the oil and gas industry is effectively returning a range of landscapes to pre-disturbance conditions.
Knowledge Gap
Wildlife (including mammal, amphibian and bird) use of reclaimed habitats compared to pre-disturbed habitats