Native Plants for Site Restoration PART 1 David Polster, M.Sc. R.P.Bio Polster Environmental Services Ltd.
CP Rail’s Roger’s Pass Project, 1983 - 1989
Detailed reclamation plans developed for each section of the project. Followed successional patterns identified in the surrounding area. Incorporated the requirements of the rail line in the revegetation design.
The first contract let on the Roger’s Pass Project was for the collection of seeds and propagules from the local area. Over 1,000,000 local native plants were planted, more than half of which were alder. This was the first major native plant purchase in Western Canada and provided a start to several native plant nurseries.
Alder was the main species that was planted…
…but a wide variety of species were used…
…for specific sites.
Native species planting was a major part of the restoration program.
Tree & shrub planting Connaught tunnel muck, fall 1984
Connaught tunnel muck, July 22, 1986
Connaught tunnel muck, July, 1989
Connaught tunnel muck 1992 1996
Connaught tunnel muck understory, September 16, 1996
Connaught tunnel muck warm in spring, May 24, 1994
Connaught tunnel muck cool in summer, August 26, 1992
Connaught tunnel muck, July 16, 1999
Connaught tunnel muck, July 10, 2005
Connaught tunnel muck, July 10, 2005
Connaught tunnel muck, July 24, 2006
Connaught tunnel muck, August 1, 2009
West Portal, Planting in 1989 Rough and loose…
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, 2003
West Portal July 8, 2005
West Portal July 27, 2008
West Portal September 17, 2011, 22 years after planting.
West Portal September 17, 2011
West Portal September 17, 2011
Somenos Species at Risk Viola praemorsa
Species at Risk Triteleia howellii
Planting native species
Over 80,000 native grasses and forbs planted to “re -stitch the fabric of the ecosystem”
Use of nitrogen fixing pioneering species to enhance forest productivity at Quinsam Coal Mine
Tests at Quinsam Coal Mine, 1982
Tests using nitrogen fixers at Quinsam Coal Mine, 1983
Tree planting at Soil bioengineering Quinsam Coal at Quinsam Coal Mine, 1983 Mine, 1982
Soil bioengineering at Quinsam Coal Mine, 2007
Assessment of forest productivity Quinsam Coal Mine, 2007 Natural forests
Height vs. Age 2007
Natural sites have an average growth rate of 0.54 m/yr
Trees on the trial site have an average growth rate of 0.69 m/yr
Planting strategy based on trial results, July 31, 2007
By following the successional model of the forests around the site we can make reclamation a profit centre...
...and the trees just jump out of the ground, even on mine wastes, July 17, 2009…
...although deer browsing continues to be a problem, June 7, 2011.
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