(Algar) Caribou Habitat Restoration

Algar Caribou Restoration Project has been a combined effort of COSIA (Oil Industry) members to restore a large area of Caribou habitat South West of Fort McMurray. The project received the Emerald Foundation’s “Shared Footprints” award this year (2014), recognition of the collaboration and cooperation exhibited by the companies and government agencies involved to jointly restore caribou habitat.

Undisturbed Caribou habitat has been shrinking over the last forty years due to roads and seismic lines created for oil & gas exploration and forestry logging operations. There is growing evidence that linear features such as seismic lines and roads give easier access to predators which in turn is reducing caribou herd populations. COSIA chose the Algar area because it is an area habited by one of the many caribou herds in Alberta. Intent of the project is to reduce predication of caribou and increase herd numbers by deactivating and restoring native vegetation and trees on seismic lines, in an area covering some 570 square km.

Global Restoration Corp was hired to provide equipment, expertise in linear deactivation, winter access development and to help implement a winter tree planting program, the first operational winter tree planting done in Canada. The silviculture methods we used for the project were mounding, screefing, placement of woody debris and the spreading of native tree seeds on areas not suitable for winter planting.

Restoring or deactivating linear lines in caribou habitat is challenging, caribou habitat is often in areas where both upland and extremely wet peat bogs and muskeg fens exist. It requires low ground pressure equipment and operators with the experience of working on muskeg, as well as supervisors able to determine what is safe and what isn’t. Supervisors and operators also need to have a good understanding of the site preparation techniques that will be required. Linear deactivating is not like other types of deactivation or restoration because the terrain and ecosystems are constantly changing which in turn requires varying techniques.

We believe our experience and commitment to safety and innovation is the reason our clients choose Global Restoration Corp.

“Global Restoration is amongst a group of leading edge companies that are developing innovative resource solutions that help demonstrate Alberta’s commitment to resource excellence”
Doug Kulba - Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development

Dedicated to assisting the natural restoration of our forests and animal habitats
Safety. Innovation. Ecology.