A Life Cycle Approach to

Vegetation Field Technologies for Boreal Reclamation –

Boreal Research Institute

September 5, 2013.

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Introduction

• Quick introduction to the principles of life cycle thinking

• Application of these principles to industrial development and vegetation management

▫ Identify life cycle of industrial sites

▫ Identify critical points for vegetation management

▫ Discuss methods and techniques that align with critical points for intervention

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Life Cycle Approach

• Life cycle approach = managing vegetation as part of the process of establishing, producing, retiring and reclaiming industrial sites

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Life Cycle Approach

• Identify critical phases in the life cycle of the facility or process

• Align activities with these phases AND the longer term goal

• Integrate activities over time and with current practice on the site

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Life Cycle Approach

• Manage plant populations or plant community composition

• Identify challenges and attempt to avoid them

• Integrate an array of tools and work to the strengths of each

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Key Precepts of a Life Cycle Approach

• Most important tools are:

▫ Understanding dynamics of the system

Anticipate challenges

Recognize how they will begin

▫ Promptness in taking action

Don’t wait for the challenge

Act on the indication of emergence

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Key Precepts of a Life Cycle Approach

• Site should be a key factor in determining both strategy and tactics

▫ Moisture regime

Objectives should reflect what is attainable on the site

▫ Site richness

Objectives should reflect what is attainable on the site

The richer the site the more likely there will be competition

▫ Slope and aspect

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Key Precepts of a Life Cycle Approach

• Vegetation management tactics change with where we are in the disturbance cycle

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Key Precepts of a Life Cycle Approach

• Techniques should be aligned with objectives and work to their strengths, for example: ▫ Systemic herbicides effectively control the entire

plant so are good population reduction tools ▫ Cultural controls are not environmentally

intrusive and reduce plant fecundity so are useful in maintaining low population levels of undesirables

▫ Use of certified propagules substantially reduces risk of “weed” transfer and reduces risk

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

Clearing Life Cycle

Identification

Development

Operations/StockpileSoil

Abandonment

Remediation

Reclamation

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Identification

▫ Determine site characteristics

Soil type

Soil nutrient regime

Soil moisture regime

▫ Look for potential problem species

Weeds

Marsh reedgrass

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Identification

▫ Anticipate challenges

Noxious weeds to be controlled prior to development

▫ Describe pre-disturbance plant community

Guide reclamation planning

Identify risk factors to avoid in development

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Development

▫ Ensure equipment does not bring unwanted hitchhikers with it

▫ Pay attention to shallow, ephemeral drainages

▫ If noxious weeds were found at Identification check on how well they were controlled

▫ Manage footprint and timing to minimize compacted area

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach • Operations/Stockpile Soil

▫ Minimize the area to be managed

Plant/seed compatible species on unused or little used portions of the clearing (use certified or known clean seed)

Seed compatible species on stockpiles ASAP after stripping

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This

Not this

Cultural Control

Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Operations/Stockpile Soil ▫ Prompt vegetation management

Monitor annually to identify need to treat, species to be controlled

Use herbicides in rotation to prevent herbicide resistance

Use selective herbicides on cultural control areas, non-selective herbicides where bare ground is required

Time herbicide use to ensure most weeds have emerged and not set seed (late June – end July)

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Operations/Stockpile Soil

▫ Use an array of weed control methods

Herbicides to reduce populations, prevent seed set and maintain vegetation free areas

Cultural controls such as cover crops to maintain less used areas in a desirable condition at lower cost

Mechanical controls such as mowing to prevent weed seed set and population expansion

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Abandonment

▫ Do NOT stop managing vegetation

Monitor and treat as if operational

Use herbicides of low persistence/soil activity

▫ Identify potential challenges that might arise during reclamation

Seed banking weeds (leguminous annuals, wild oat, smartweed, hawksbeard)

Rhizomatous undesirable species (Canada thistle, sow thistle, marsh reedgrass)

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Rehabilitation

▫ If soil movement is required recognize the opportunity for invasion

Anticipate seedbanking species if present

Anticipate rhizomatous species if present

Use cultural control if above are not present, i.e. seed low rates of compatible species in a non-vernalizing cover crop ASAP disturbance

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Reclamation

▫ Continue to anticipate challenges

Decompaction is likely to stimulate rhizomatous weeds so control them while the site remains accessible

Cultural control will challenge establishment of woody vegetation

Competition (now we begin to understand “compatible”)

Vole habitat

So mow, spot spray, brush blanket as appropriate to control where needed

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Reclamation

▫ Continue to use cultural control

Biodegradable mats around planted trees or shrubs

Seeding of annual grasses that won’t vernalize as cover crops

Low density seeding of desirable herbaceous species

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Applying the Life Cycle Approach

• Reclamation

▫ Understand that reclamation takes time

Monitor frequently

Scale responses to the scale and severity of vegetation challenges

E.g. spot spray noxious weeds, broadcast spray severe competition,

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Conclusion

• Stephen Covey said it all:

▫ Habit 1 – Be proactive

▫ Habit 2 – Begin with the end in mind

▫ Habit 3 – Put first things first

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