Soil reclamation and reforestation at oil and gas well sites in northeastern British Columbia.

摘要

Five abandoned well sites were selected for study within the Boreal White and Black Spruce biogeoclimatic zone near Fort St. John and Dawson Creek, BC. Rehabilitative treatments consisted of tillage, wood chip mulch, tillage + wood chip mulch, tillage + incorporated wood chips, brush mats, and an untreated control. Treatments were implemented between fall 2003 and spring 2004, and sites were subsequently planted with alternating seedlings of lodgepole pine and white spruce. Response variables included various soil physical properties, the least limiting water range, nutrient availability, and seedling performance.;Results indicated soils on control plots were in a potentially physically degraded state with respect to theoretical growth-limiting thresholds. Treatments involving tillage tended to improve soil physical condition one year after treatment. No treatment effects were observed related to measures of pine performance after two growing seasons; however, spruce height and vigour were moderately improved where treatments involved tillage. High rates of spruce seedling mortality and suspect over-winter injury (i.e., freeze desiccation) were observed.