Upland Reference Conditions

THE ISSUE

Uplands without water-logged soils are rare in the vicinity of the Victor Mine. The question arises as to what the reference conditions or targets for restoration should be when reclaiming new upland deposits of mining wastes, roads and gravel pads. This is of particular importance when aiming to rehabilitate new upland features to sustainable ecosystems dominated by native subarctic vegetation.

THE SOLUTION

35 interior upland islands and 37 river uplands along the Attawapaskat River were sampled. At each site, multiple soil parameters were measured and samples were taken. In 10×10 plots, tree growth, plant cover, composition of plant species and soils were measured.

THE RESULTS

It is now possible to characterize the best reference conditions as targets for reclamation of new uplands at the Victor Mine through examination of soil and vegetation parameters on a univariate or multivariate basis. The upland reference conditions determined for the Victor Mine are taken from a broad landscape, and so should be applicable to other mine sites in the region within the limestone plain of the Hudson Bay Lowland (HBL).