Land Reclamation in Action
Land Reclamation - Forestry Consulting - Reforestation Services - Natural Resources
Alberta - British Columbia (BC)

What is Land Reclamation?

Land Reclamation is integral to the sustainable operation of the oil and gas sector and other resource-based industries.

Land reclamation erases industrial footprints. It can start at ground level, with removal of contaminated soil or treatment of depleted soils. It can include harvesting seeds and then replanting to restore vegetation. It requires knowledge of the environmental impacts of the oil and gas industry combined with expertise in soil management, horticulture, native plants, climate, forestry, and the logistics of working safely in remote locations.

The demand is huge. In the province of Alberta alone, more than 40,500 discontinued well sites and 24,000 km of pipeline require reclamation certificates. In addition to decommissioned industrial sites, there are also 213,000 active well sites in Alberta alone, which will eventually require remediation, as will the approximately 15,000 new wells being drilled each year. Without land reclamation, companies carry continuing environmental liability for their past and present operations.

Both Alberta and B.C. offer oil and gas companies a way to reduce their environmental liability through reclamation program which certify the restoration of former well sites and pipelines to a condition as close as possible to the original, natural state.

Reclaimit offers professional, proven and safe reclamation services, even in the most difficult and remote environments. Our skilled project planning and site management ensure effective health, safety and environment protocols. We solve your problems - we don't create new ones.

Scroll down to see Reclaimit site reclamation in action.

Excavation of contaminated soil

Over a 10-day period, a Reclaimit team transferred 34,000 tonnes of material from a contaminated well site to a treatment and storage facility. Despite a remote location and adverse weather conditions, the operation proceeded smoothly and on schedule, with no accidents.

From complex problem to solid solution

Reclamation projects are often complex. Locations can be remote. Reclaimit's experience and solid project planning give you results at the lowest possible cost. For example, we hire contract local workers as much as possible to take advantage of their familiarity with the terrain and to reduce the cost of bringing in operators and machinery.

Reclaimit organized the restoration and reforestation of this access, which was created in 2005 to reach a spill site. A 1.6 km access lane had to be restored.
The remote site was only accessible by helicopter, so all workers and supplies were transported to nearby staging areas by air.
Hand tools were used to install water bars, develop drainage patterns and promote stability of the soils. The remote location prevented the use of heavy equipment. In addition, use of hand tools minimized further impact on the site. Grass seed mixes were applied to encourage rapid stabilization of surface soil; trees were planted to promote long-term stabilization of deeper soil.
A site monitoring visit six weeks later in mid October, (left) showed successful soil stabilization despite heavy autumn rains. A year later (right) the restored site blends into the surrounding forest.

Integrating natural vegetation

Reclaimit specializes in reclamation strategies that work with nature by using native plants as allies in restoring the land. Advantages of this approach include effective long-term erosion control; elimination of weed management; reduced need for monitoring; and less site preparation. All of these benefits combine to give you long-term savings.

Restoration of sites with native plants is also popular with the public and with other users of the land, including forestry companies, ranchers, and recreational users.

Gathering seeds is the first step in using native plants and natural vegetation. Cones can be harvested in the winter (left) but some species can only be harvested during a short period in the fall (right). Collected seeds are shown below.
Some harvested seeds are stored and kept cool and dry, ready for planting directly into the soil as part of site restoration. A small amount of seed will cover a large area and establish root systems to prevent erosion. Depending on the species, other seeds are planted and nurtured in greenhouses to grow into seedlings.
Transported to the reforestation or reclamation site, the seedlings - or seeds - are planted to aid in restoring the land. The natural vegetation used to restore the site is carefully chosen to match the environment and can include trees, brush, or grassland.
Reclaimit handles all types of plant-based restoration, from northern Boreal forests to prairie grasslands.

Reclaimit - Your one-stop reclamation solution

As a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with 20 years' reclamation experience in Alberta and B.C., Reclaimit President Andrew Carpenter gives you:

• Extensive experience handling the logistics of remote operations;
• A commitment to health, safety and environmentally responsible operations to protect your company;
• The knowledge of forest and foliage to design and implement cost-effective restoration projects;
• Familiarity with provincial government remediation and restoration regulations and requirements in both B.C. and Alberta; and
• The professional qualifications and experience to complete your reclamation project from start to finish, right down to the application for your Alberta government reclamation certificate or B.C. government Certificate of Restoration.

Reforestation can effectively restore sites damaged by resource exploration activities.  This spruce seedling (left) was planted on a reclaimed well site on July 17, 2004 in the Rocky Mountains of northeastern British Columbia. A year later (right), the site recovery is obvious.

Learn more about Reclaimit's commitment to safety, qualifications and experience, and how you can work with Reclaimit to meet provincial regulatory requirements. Contact Reclaimit Natural Resource Consulting for a free, no obligation review of your reclamation requirements.