Assessment of Relevant Indicators for the Monitoring of Reclaimed Sites in Peatlands

Boreal wetlands are known to be disturbed by linear features (roads, ditches, pipelines) and drilling pads, etc., and are thus part of reclamation and closure planning, but historically there has been no standardized systematic monitoring framework for wetland health in the oil sands region. Establishing diagnostic indicators and integrating data over spatial and temporal scale to track and evaluate reclamation success is important for optimizing management activities and understanding local and regional drivers that could impede wetland reclamation. The objective of this project was to develop a framework for the determination of relevant indicators for peatland reclamation and trial the monitoring of these indicators using ground and remote sensing technology.

A framework document was developed to provide practical guidance on the application and utility of specific indicators in monitoring of reclaimed sites in peatlands. Monitoring of sites using new technology, paired with ground-truthing as outlined in the framework, will further accelerate the pace at which these technologies can be used to improve data quality and predictive capacity. The innovation of this project is to apply UAS and remote sensing technologies in assessment of reclaimed peatland sites. Accurate models were developed for vegetation and microtopography classification, surface terrain and water table estimation. Learnings from this project can be used to make decisions at the regional scale using UAS and remote sensing techniques. These models for monitoring peatland indicators and the developed framework can greatly streamline field assessment, reduce risks, and increase confidence.