Reclamation
Syncrude spent $29 million on land reclamation activities in 2007 and leads the industry in land reclamation.
We have now reclaimed over 4,500 hectares of land and planted close to five million trees and shrubs. Early in 2008, Syncrude also achieved another first when the Government of Alberta formally certified the reclamation of a 104-hectare parcel of land known as Gateway Hill.
Reclamation work on Syncrude's former East Mine is continuing, using a layer of capping sand over a foundation of composite tailings. Full-scale reclamation and planting will occur from 2010 through to 2015. As per the reclamation and closure plan submitted to Alberta Environment in 2006, this area will evolve into an area similar to its pre-disturbance state - a mixture of indigenous aspen and white spruce forests, grassland and marshy wetlands.
Reclamation work on Syncrude's former West Mine also continues. This area is currently being filled with mature fine tailings, which will be capped with water in 2012 to form a lake. Syncrude conducted extensive research on water capping through the 1980s and 1990s, using pilot-scale test ponds. Results have shown the water capping method is conducive to establishing and supporting a healthy aquatic ecosystem.
Understanding that our stakeholders need assurance and confidence in the water capping method, Syncrude is continuing with extensive research in this area, in collaboration with industry, government and academic institutions.
Our Commitment
Reclaimed wetland area
on the Syncrude site.
Syncrude is committed to ensuring that the land disturbed by our operation is returned to a stable, safe condition that is capable of supporting biologically self-sustaining communities of plants and animals. Our long-term vision is to create a landscape that sustains an integrated mosaic of land uses that meet stakeholder expectations.
Toward this, Syncrude has plans in place for closure and reclamation of its Mildred Lake and Aurora sites that meet the conditions and expectations contained in our operating approvals. thorough monitoring of all reclamation areas allows Syncrude to track and compare their performance to design intent and also provides the database for reclamation certification, which is the formal testing of reclamation success against government standards.
Toward excellence in reclamation practices, Syncrude's ongoing reclamation research has evolved to emphasize integrated programs within watersheds that are intensively instrumented and monitored, and several such watersheds have been established. This approach leads to cross-fertilization between research disciplines as well as better, more integrated insights from research findings. As part of these efforts, Syncrude routinely collects information on soil and vegetation development, drainage feature performance, and wildlife habitat development.
Bison Update
The herd of approximately 300 wood bison that lives on 700 hectares of reclaimed land continues to thrive. The herd, which is managed by Syncrude in partnership with the Fort McKay First Nation, brought home several major livestock awards in 2007, helping the animals live up to their reputation for excellence. Thanks to its disease-free status and excellent health, the Syncrude-Fort McKay herd also is contributing to a genetic preservation project that aims to create a sustainable future for the entire wood bison species, which has seen a large reduction in its total population over the last century. The project involves the collection and study of genetic material related to reproductive biology. It is being led by scientists from the Universities of Calgary and Saskatchewan and several government agencies.
Operating License Reflects Advice From Elders
The wishes of Aboriginal Elders from the community of Fort McKay to reclaim disturbed land with materials from the original landform have been incorporated into the conditions of Syncrude's recently renewed operating license. Syncrude will now separate the material it removes from the forest floor (which contains twigs, root pieces, seeds and spores) into stockpiles and use these stockpiles to help re-establish native plant species into later landform design. Syncrude had previously been experimenting with this practice and, in June 2007, conducted a tour for Elders on plots of land that had been reclaimed in this way. (See further discussion on this topic here.)
