Innovation Anthology #458:
Reclaiming oil sands mines involves more than replacing soil regimes and tree cover.
It also means reconstructing the unique hydrology that sustains the forests and wetlands of the boreal ecosystem.
It’s taken almost two decades of scientific research to uncover how boreal hydrology works.
Now that knowledge is being synthesized into a manual so it can be applied in the field by industry.
Soil scientist and reclamation consultant Clara Qualizza explains the process.
CLARA QUALIZZA: It’s a collaborative adventure between myself and the principle investigators who did the research. so it’s a lot of discussion about the fundamental scientific principles that underpin the functionality of these landscapes and what they’ve discovered. And then hen back and forth conversations and discussions about what would that mean when we get down to reconstructing the landscape. And so it’s about stretching the research beyond the natural systems into what does it mean for reconstruction.
The manual developed by Clara Qualizza and her team will outline a new conceptual model for boreal hydrology. And it will change the way oil sands reclamation is done.
Thanks today to SYNCRUDE
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
Guest
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Sponsor
Syncrude
Program Date: 2012-02-21