Disturbance and Recovery Trajectories (DART) Landscape Restoration Planning April 24th 2012
Analytics Conference Tim Vinge Sustainable Resource Development
Presentation Outline 1. Introduction to restoration planning. 2. The concept of DART 3. Building the DART board 4. Strategic opportunities for DART modeling
5. Tactical opportunities for DART 6. Summary comments and questions
Introduction What are our issues ?
Landscape Fragmentation
Caribou numbers are dwindling in relation to a number of complicated factors
Access Issues
Increased Predation Why restore cutlines?
Light-3D Seismic
Introduction Disturbance Types
Heavy-2D Seismic
What kind of disturbances?
Intact soils layer (LFH) Nutrient cycling working
Soils layer not intact (LFH)
Forest influence close by
Little vegetation reestablished
Soils not compacted
Soils compacted
Woody debris available
No woody debris
Fast recovery
Slow recovery
Recovery of disturbances is an important component of landscape management
Introduction What is the challenge ?
Vegetation responses and treatments to disturbance vary across ecosites
Wide range of ecosites and responses. Field Guide to Ecosites of West Central Alberta
Building the DART Program
What is Dart all about ?
Strategic and Tactical Planning Decision Support System
•
DART is an acronym that stands for Disturbance and Recovery Trajectories.
•
Program proponents are the U of A, AIEES (Alberta Innovates Energy and Environment Solutions) ,OSLI (Oil Sands Leadership Initiative) and SRD.
•
Use wet area mapping (Lidar data) ,ecological and disturbance information to develop predictive and prescriptive vegetation recovery models.
•
Inform landscape models on potential timelines and options for linear recovery (Natural and assisted).
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Will help to identify limiting factors associated with revegetation strategies and will help to prioritize sites for restoration work.
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Provide best alternatives for treatments as well as costs.
How will DART models be built ? 1.
2.
Select a study area based on availability of disturbances and ecosite combinations and available data. Assemble inventory data: a) b) c) d) e)
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Seismic line disturbance history Lidar Wet Area Mapping (WAM) Alberta Vegetation Inventory (Avi) Lineal Inventory Data (Softcopy interpreted data)
Stratify sites according to disturbances and ecosite combinations. Design sampling program including plot protocols. Complete field sampling program. Evaluate inventory parameters in relation to vegetation reestablishment on seismic lines. Build models for predicting vegetation re-establishment. Test the model on alternate areas. Lines that have been recently cleared will not be selected for research. Only minimal use lines (Vegetation re-establishment).
What area was selected for the research? Project Area Name - Stony Mountain 800 CEMA Access Management
1. CEMA Access Management Pilot area near Fort McMurray.
Pilot Area 2. Linear Footprint Management Subgroup 1. Linear Footprint Management Pilot on 32 townships south of Fort McMurray. 2. Lineal inventory completed using Softcopy Technology
Seismic Lineal Inventory Greenlink Forestry
Series of inventory variables collected for linear features
Stony Mountain 800 Project Area
Inventory data available for the project area? Line type (Seismic, Pipeline..) a. Line width b. Natural subregion c. Mineral expression (Apron, Blanket, Depression‌) d. Organic expression (Bowl, Dome‌) e. Soil moisture f. Soil nutrients g. Ecosite h. Line utilization i.
Line utilization length
j.
Line origin date (First origin, Last origin Origin fit)
k. Vegetation structure l.
Vegetation coverclass
m. Vegetation distribution class n. Distribution type
o. Adjacent vegetation type
Total Seismic, 10,043 km, 82%
2D Seismic, 3628 km, 30%
3D Seismic, 6415 km, 52%
Trails, 924 km, 8% Pipeline, 544km , 4% Roads, 402km , Other, 3% 229km , 2% Well Sites, 129 km, 1%
Facilities, 5 km, <1% Fire Breaks, 19km , <1% Gravel Pits, 18 km, <1%
TOTAL LINEAL EXTENT (km) INVENTORY
LENGTH
%
2D
5,898
48
3D
6,415
52
Total
12,313
100.0
THREE CLASSES: Reclaimed (V >= 1.0): The disturbance has suitable vegetation growing within acceptable parameters (i.e. density, distribution, species) to meet management objectives; Inclined (0.5 <V <1.0): The disturbance has vegetation growing but currently not within acceptable parameters and is expected to become reclaimed sometime in the future; Deficient (V <0.5): The disturbance has no vegetation or vegetation is growing well below the acceptable parameters. It is not clear whether these lines are, or will be, on a reclaimed trajectory in the near future.
Deficient, 3,764 , 64%
Inclined, 830 , 14%
Reclaimed, 1,304 , 22%
DART would define vegetation trajectories over time
Why are these areas not revegetating?
Why are these areas revegetating?
Vegetation Recovery
Digital Layers Lidar Information
With or Without Trees - Landform Only USDA Website
Digital Layers Lidar Information
Accurate landform representation
Wet Area Mapping
USDA Website
Digital Layers Wet Area Mapping
Barry White ASRD Completed for large drainage areas
Digital Layers Vegetation Information (AVI)
Alberta Vegetation Inventory Ecological Classification
Tactical Applications? Modeling to determine which lines need assistance ? Focus 1 Area 5 years to complete
Develop a plan to restore seismic lines Focus 2 Area 5 years to complete
Vegetation Reestablishment
Meet Landscape Objectives
Access Access Control
Restored landscape over time
Control
HYPOTHETICAL RESTORATION Theoretical Treatments
PRIMARY TREATMENT STRAIGHT, 4038, 73%
MOUND, 570, 10%
LFN, 961, 17%
DART would define treatments and application of treatments as well as resultant vegetation trajectories
Summary Comments 1.
DART will be used at the tactical and strategic planning levels in combination with other land use considerations (recreation, energy, forestry, wildlife) to formulate restoration plans.
2.
Vegetation recovery is based on the original disturbance, subsequent line usage and the ecosite.
3.
Some lines will come back fairly quickly and some very slowly. We have to sort out the wheat from the chaff so to speak.
4.
Models will be very useful for making strategic decisions on where to focus efforts for line restoration (caribou).
5.
Treatments will vary by ecosite. DART will help ensure that the correct treatments are being used.
6.
We have enough knowledge and experience to build DART.
7.
DART will form an important part of future landscape assessments.
8.
Dart is only a part of a more comprehensive landscape evaluation and planning program.
Questions
Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get started anyways