Slow to recover naturally, these easily travelled corridors are proving to make life difficult for the resident Woodland Caribou because they provide competitive advantages – with greater visibility and a simplified pursuit – to resident predators (E.g., wolf, bear, cougar). With a decade of partnership with MEG, Reclaimit is seeing remarkable progress, with actual results that exemplify the commitment of energy and forestry companies to ecological restoration.

A Decade of Dedication: 2014 – 2024

Reclaimit’s journey in the East Side Athabasca Range (ESAR) began in 2014 when, after completing its work in the Faster Forests Program, MEG requested the environmental consultancy to provide reforestation support on some legacy seismic lines. This was Reclaimit’s first step into the world of the Woodland Caribou’s habitat restoration needs. Since that time, the company’s dedicated efforts over the years have led to substantial achievements, including:

• Reclaiming Legacy Seismic Lines: Addressing the challenge of habitat restoration involves tackling the enduring marks of previous activities. This endeavour demands a steadfast commitment and sufficient financial resources, as transformative results are achieved over time rather than overnight. The issue itself was not formed in a brief span but evolved over decades. The restoration of 220 kilometres of legacy seismic lines represents a noteworthy advancement in forestland restoration, underscoring the significance of each kilometre reclaimed in our ongoing efforts.
• Reviving the Land: A total of 160,000 seedlings have been planted, using as many as 10 different tree and shrub species, because the forest is an ecosystem. As a producer of goods and services beyond those that are commercially recognized, Reclaimit’s project planning and execution is considering species, age, and structural diversity needs in providing meaningful solutions for the caribou and benefitting the many other known and not-considered benefactors of a healthy forest.
• Innovative Practices: Our approach has always been about more than just numbers. We’ve contributed cutting-edge practices for linear restoration across various ecosystems, demonstrating our commitment to ecological innovation. Just like the forest has many forms, so does our toolkit have multiple applications.
• Extensive Habitat Restoration: Since 2014, using a variety of innovative and ecologically-fit restoration techniques, we have successfully restored over 10,000 hectares of land.