Technical Notes

Technical notes communicate: 

• improvements of existing methods or procedures 
• the development and application of new methods and procedures 

360 Videos

Virtual Walk in the Forest for Schools

This 3-part virtual series is an adaptation of the annual Walk in the Forest Program for schools in the Peace River Region. Explore interactive hotspots to discover what common boreal wetland and forest types look like, as well as learn about how wildfire and prescribed burn events affect these systems. 

Technical Videos

The Centre for Boreal Research develops scientifically based best practices and applied technologies to address present and emerging knowledge gaps in the management and reclamation of disturbed landscapes. Our mission is to promote the informed use of boreal resources through applied science, education, and partnerships with industry, government agencies, practitioners and academic partners.

Forest Land Reclamation: Site Preparation Options

Forest Land Reclamation: Revegetation & Vegetation Management

Peatland Restoration 

Seed, Propagation & Plant Technology Innovations

Plant Identification, Seed Collection & Processing

Lichen in Reclamation  

Regulatory Context  

Ecological Framework  

Remediation  

Upcoming Peer-Reviewed Publications  

ARCHIVED 

Forest Health 

Webinars and Presentations

NAIT Centre for Boreal Research 

April 20–21, 2021  

• Overview and Regional Context of the Research Program 2014 – 2019  
  Dr. Kevin Kemball (NAIT CBR) 
  Five Year Synthesis of Boreal Reclamation Research in the Peace River Region: Key findings, best practices and future opportunities 
  Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research 

October 2, 2018 

• NAIT Centre for Boreal Research – Applied Research and Knowledge Exchange 
  Dr. Kevin Kemball (NAIT CBR), Catherine Brown (NAIT CBR) 
  Hosted by the Wetland BMP Knowledge Exchange 

Forest Land Reclamation: Site Preparation Options  

November 14, 2017  

• Site Preparation and Vegetation Management in Reclamation – Part 1 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR) 
  Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research 

• Site Preparation and Vegetation Management in Reclamation - Part 2 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR) 
  Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research 

Forest Land Reclamation: Revegetation & Vegetation Management  

March 8, 2024  

• Restoring a Functional Forest: Challenges and opportunities undertaking legacy well site reclamation 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR) 
  Alberta School of Forest Science and Management Seminar Series 

• Topsoil replacement depth impacts on forest reclamation outcomes 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR) 
  Canadian Land Reclamation Association (CLRA) Annual Conference 

January 5, 2024 

• Webinar: Effect of Planting Timing on Survival and Growth of Frozen 1-0 Container White Spruce and Lodgepole Pine 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR) 
  Forest Growth Organization of Western Canada, Winter Webinar Series 

March 8, 2023 

• Taking a long-term approach: a case study of non-chemical noxious weed management on an in-situ facility soil stockpile 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR), Dr. Brad Pinno (University of Alberta), Dr. Chibuike Chigbo (Innotech Alberta), Robert Albricht (ConocoPhillips Canada) 
  Alberta Invasive Species Conference (AISC) Annual Conference 

February 24, 2023 

• Coal mine reclamation and the challenges of establishing forest vegetation in the face significant ruderal competition: a 5-year assessment of the good, the bad and the downright ridiculous 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR), Dr. Mark Baah-Acheamfour (NAIT CBR), Stefan Schreiber, Eckehart Marenholtz 
  Boreal Nature Series, Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research 

April 20–21, 2021 

• Hitchhiking Native Forbs with Conifers  
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR) 

• Use of Organic Amendments to Improve Soil Quality of Recently Placed, 40-Year-Old Topsoil  
  Dr. Chibuike Chigbo (NAIT CBR) 
  Five Year Synthesis of Boreal Reclamation Research in the Peace River Region: Key findings, best practices and future opportunities 
  Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research 

March 31, 2021 

• Clustered deciduous tree planting as a method to speed forest development in post-industrial disturbed landscapes 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker 
  Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research, Boreal Nature Series 

April 4, 2020 

• Open Access: Interim Reforestation of Soil Stockpiles 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR) 
  Hosted by the Society for Ecological Restoration 

February 2016 

• Spatial Analysis and Visualization of Soil Resistance Before and After Soil Adjustment on a Reclaimed Site 
  Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker (NAIT CBR), Trevor Floreani (NAIT CBR) 
  Hosted by the Alberta Land-use Knowledge Network 

Peatland Restoration 

April 20–21, 2021 

• Restoration of Peatland Ecosystem by Removing/Burying Overburden (clay and wood chip) Under Peat Layer (BUPL)  
  Dr. Bin Xu (NAIT CBR) 

• From Dirt to Peat: Fen Initiation on Residual Mineral Substrate  
  Dr. Bin Xu (NAIT CBR) 

• Understanding the Impact of Linear Features on Peatland Hydrology and Greenhouse Fluxes  
  Dr. Bin Xu (NAIT CBR) 

• Donor Moss Sites Harvested from Existing Linear Footprints: Do they naturally recover?  
  Melanie Bird (NAIT CBR) 
  Five Year Synthesis of Boreal Reclamation Research in the Peace River Region: Key findings, best practices and future opportunities 
  Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research 

December 2, 2020 

• Boreal Peatland Restoration: 10 Years of Learning 
  Dr. Bin Xu (NAIT CBR) 
  Society of Wetland Scientists Conference 

Seed, Propagation & Plant Technology Innovations 

April 20–21, 2021 

• Seed Pelleting for Land Reclamation  
  Dr. Jean-Marie Sobze (NAIT CBR) 

• Osmotic Priming of Paper Birch and Green Alder Seeds  
  Dr. Natalia Startsev (Canadian Forest Service) 
  Five Year Synthesis of Boreal Reclamation Research in the Peace River Region: Key findings, best practices and future opportunities 
  Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research 

Plant Identification, Seed Collection & Processing 

Lichen in Reclamation 

January 28, 2026 

• Growth and survival of lichen of different sizes and substrates in a greenhouse | ARCKP Webinar 
  Dr. Ricky Kong (NAIT CBR), Michael J. Schulz (Portage College) 
  ARCKP Webinar, hosted by fRI Research 

June 6, 2025 

• Transplanting Lichen into Burned Areas | ARCKP Webinar 
  Michael J. Schulz (Portage College) 
  ARCKP Webinar, hosted by fRI Research 

September 24, 2025 

• Effect of Fragment Size and Susbtrate on Survival and Health of Lichen Transplants | ARCKP Webinar 
  Dr. Duoduo Wang (NAIT CBR), Dr. Jean-Marie Sobze (NAIT CBR) 
  ARCKP Webinar, hosted by fRI Research 

May 22, 2025 

• Long-term lichen enhancement for woodland caribou habitat restoration: insights from a 24-year trial 
  Dr. Duoduo Wang (NAIT CBR) 
  ARCKP Webinar, hosted by fRI Research 

April 8, 2022 

• A Review of Lichen Transplant Studies and Methods | ARCKP Webinar #4 
  Dr. Ricky Kong (NAIT CBR), Michael J. Schulz (Portage College) 
  ARCKP Webinar, hosted by fRI Research 

Regulatory Context  

Ecological Framework  

Remediation  

Forest Health 

June 15, 2023 

• Mother Earth: Boreal Beauty of the Peace Country 
  Sharon Krushel, NAIT Applied Research - Centre for Boreal Research 
  Hosted by NAIT Centre for Boreal Research, Boreal Nature Series 

October 28, 2020 

• Forest Health Perspectives: Indicators of Unhealthy Forests at Various Scales 
  Ryan Hermanutz, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (NW Alberta Regional Forest Health Team) 
  Hosted by NAIT Applied Research - Centre for Boreal Research, Boreal Nature Series 

April 22, 2020 

• Air Quality in the Peace River-Three Creeks Region: Monitoring a success story 
  Michael Bisaga, Peace River Area Monitoring Program 
  Hosted by NAIT Applied Research - Centre for Boreal Research, Boreal Nature Series 

Upcoming Presentations 

ARCHIVED 

Field Guides

NAIT Centre for Boreal Research has published ‘A guide to Mosses and Liverworts of Alberta Peatlands’, by Dale H. Vitt (text) and Michael Lüth (photographs).

The guide identifies 60 species of mosses and liverworts that comprise the flora of fens and bogs in Alberta and western boreal Canada, designed for use in the field and laboratory.

Information in this publication may be reproduced for personal or public non-commercial purposes. Please indicate the complete title of the material reproduced, and the name of the authors and publisher. Commercial reproduction and distribution is prohibited.

Publications

Research Papers

Reclamation Field Tour of Upland and Peatland Industrially-Disturbed Sites. Field Notes. (pdf)
Centre for Boreal Research. 2018.
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

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Optimizing Weed Control for Progressive Reclamation: Risk Analysis on Regulated Weeds in the Boreal Region. (pdf)
Schoonmaker, S. Schreiber, C.B. Powter, and B. Drozdowski. 2018.
Optimizing Weed Control for Progressive Reclamation: Retrospective Case Study and Risk Framework. InnoTech Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta. 68 pp.

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Optimizing Weed Control for Progressive Reclamation: Literature Review (pdf)
Small, C., D. Degenhardt, B. Drozdowski, S. Thacker, C.B. Powter, A. Schoonmaker and S. Schreiber. 2018.
Optimizing Weed Control for Progressive Reclamation: Literature Review. InnoTech Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta. 48 pp.

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NAIT advances plant and see technologies to accelerate native plant establishment on boreal reclamation sites (pdf).
Jeannine Goehing, Jean-Marie Sobze, Catherine Brown. 2017.
Canadian Reclamation, Fall/Winter: 36-37.

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Silviculture knowledge for reclamation of oil and gas disturbances: soil decompaction (pdf).
Katalijn MacAfee, F. Cortini, and Amanada Schoonmaker. 2016.
Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Ottawa. 10 p.

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Alternative native boreal seed and plant delivery systems for oil sands reclamation (pdf).
Amanda Schoonmaker, Jean-Marie Sobze, Erin Fraser, Eckehart Marenholtz, Ann Smreciu, Chris Powter. and Marshall Mckenzie. 2014.
Oil Sands Research and Information Network, University of Alberta, School of Energy and the Environment, Edmonton, Alberta. OSRIN Report No. TR-55. 61 p.

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A life cycle approach to vegetation management on reclaimed industrial sites (pdf).
M Mihajlovich, Jean-Marie Sobze, and Amanada Schoonmaker. 2014.
Canadian Reclamation, 1 (14): 52-56.

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Practices to effectively till industrial forest soils (pdf).
David H. McNabb, Jean-Marie Sobze, and Amanda Schoonmaker. 2013.
Canadian Reclamation, 1 (13): 40-42.

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Wellsite clay pad removal and inversion – a peatland restoration pilot project (pdf).
Jean-Marie Sobze, Amanada Schoonmaker, and Line Rochefort. 2012.
Canadian Reclamation, 1 (12): 10-13.

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Alberta native plants and seeds: wild harvest, registration and deployment. A guide for technicians and practitioners (pdf).
Ann Smreciu, 2011.

 

Tools

Decision Support System

The Decision Support Systems (DSS) uses a scenario approach to guiding reclamation and restoration activities. They are integrations of decision trees, illustrative videos, technical notes, and photographs which assist practitioners in making reclamation decisions under given site conditions.

Silviculture Toolkit

The Silviculture Toolkit is a suite of knowledge extension tools used by the forest industry, to provide  information and instruction related to improving  forest cover on areas disturbed by oil sands exploration activities and operations. Topics include site preparation and regeneration techniques.

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The Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance (EMEND) Project 

Teacher resources  including 360 degree videos and lesson plan.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Forest Land Reclamation: Site Preparation Options

• Harper, N., Schoonmaker, A., Rolhauser, A. G., Baah-Acheamfour, M., Smreciu, A., & Fraser-Reid, E.C. (2025). Mechanical site preparation and use of non-invasive cover crops influences early-successional forest vegetation composition of a reclaimed airstrip in the Boreal Forest Forest Ecology and Management, 585 (122621).

Forest Land Reclamation: Revegetation & Vegetation Management 

• Chartrand-Pleau, C., Degenhardt, D., & Schoonmaker, A. (2025). Planting Native Herbaceous Species During Land Reclamation: 3-Year Growth Response to Soil Type and Competing Vegetation. Forests, 16(9), 1442. 
• Schoonmaker, A. L., Mathison, A., & Mackenzie, M.D. (2023). Hitchhiker planting: mixed-species container stock planting as a novel tool to increase plant diversity on industrially disturbed sites. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 53(11), 905-921. 
• Bradley D. Pinno, B.D.,  Schoonmaker, A., Yücel, C. K., & Albricht, R. (2017). Cluster planting: early enhancement of structural diversity in a reclaimed boreal forest. Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation, 6 (2), 37-50.  
• Le, K. D., Schreiber, S. G., Landhäusser, S. M., & Schoonmaker, A. L. (2020). Manipulating aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedling size characteristics to improve initial establishment and growth on competitive sites. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 35(1–2), 29–45.  
• Chigbo, C., Schoonmaker, A., & Degenhardt, D.(2022). Use of pulp mill biosolids to stimulate forest plant growth on an industrial footprint with marginal soil. Environmental Challenges, 8(100545), 1-12.  
• Baah-Acheamfour, M., Dewey, M., Fraser, E.C., Schreiber, S.G., & Schoonmaker, A. (2022). Assessing Ecological Recovery of Reclaimed Well Sites: A Case Study From Alberta, Canada. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 5 (849246),1- 14.  
• Van Dongen, A., Jones, C., Doucet, C., Floreani, T., Schoonmaker, A., Harvey, J., & Degenhardt, D. (2022). Ground Validation of Seismic Line Forest Regeneration Assessments Based on Visual Interpretation of Satellite Imagery . Forests, 13(7), 1022. 

Peatland Restoration

• Lemmer, M., Xu, B., Strack, M. & Rochefort, L. (2022). Reestablishment of peatland vegetation following surface leveling of decommissioned in situ oil mining infrastructures. Restoration Ecology, 31.(e13714). 
• Kleinke, K., Davidson, S. J. Schmidt, M., Xu, B., & Strack, M. (2022). How mounds are made matters: seismic line restoration techniques affect peat physical and chemical properties throughout the peat profile. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 52(6), 963-976. 
• Engering, A., Davidson, S.J., Xu, B., Bird, M., Rochefort, L., & Strack, M. Scott J. (2021). Restoration of a boreal peatland impacted by an in-situ oil sands well-pad 2: Greenhouse gas exchange dynamics. Restoration Ecology, 30(3), e13508. 
• Murray, K.R., Bird, M., Strack, M., Cody, M., & Xu, B. (2021). Restoration approach influences carbon exchange at in-situ oil sands exploration sites in east-central Alberta. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 29, 281-299. 
•  Strack, M., Softa, D., Bird, M., & Xu, B. (2017). Impact of winter roads on boreal peatland carbon exchange. Global Change Biology, 24(1) 201-212.  
• Wieder, R. K., Vile, M.A., Vitt, D. H., Scott, K. D., Xu, B., Quinn, J.C., & Albright, C.M. (2022). Can plant or lichen natural abundance ¹⁵N ratios indicate the influence of oil sands N emissions on bogs?Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 40 (101030), 1-9.  
•  Munir, T. M.,  Khadka, B., Xu, B., & Strack, M. ( 2017). Mineral nitrogen and phosphorus pools affected by water table lowering and warming in a boreal forested peatland. Ecohydrology, 10 (8). 

Seed, Propogation & Plant Technology Innovations

• Pollock, A., Grant, K.R., & Schoonmaker, A. (2025). Size Influences on the Survival of Willow Cuttings Under Operational Field Conditions. Ecology and Evolution, 15 (e70835), 1-11. 
• Inoue, S.,Tedla, B., Sobze, J.-M., & Thomas, R. (2025). Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Application Alters Stomatal Behavior in Boreal Shrubs Under Drought Conditions. Applied Nano, 6 (20). 
• Sobze, J-M., Galagedara, L., Cheema, M., Thomas, R., & Inoue, S. (2022). The Potential of Carbon Nanoparticles as a Stimulant to Improve the Propagation of Native Boreal Forest Species: A Mini-Review. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 5 (872780), 1-7. 
• Annabel Arnott, A., Galagedara, L., Thomas, R., Cheema, M., & Sobze, J-M. (2021). The Potential of Rock Dust Nanoparticles to Improve Seed Germination and Seedling Vigor of Native Species: A Review. Science of The Total Environment. 
• Hudson, J.J., Yucel, C. K., Schoonmaker, A.L., & Sobze, J-M. (2017). EEffects of cold stratification on the germination of Vaccinium myrtilloides (common blueberry) and Vaccinium vitis-idaea (bog cranberry) seeds from Alberta, Canada. Native Plants, 8 (3) 245-251. 
•  Kaur, J., Schoonmaker, A.L., &  Sobze, J-M. (2016). Length of cold stratification period affects germination in green alder (Alnus viridis (Chaix) DC. subsp. crispa (Aiton) Turrill) seed collected from northwestern Alberta . Native Plants, 17 (2), 95-101.  
• Pinno, D. B.,  Li, E.H. Y., (Edith H. Y.)   Khadka, B.,  & Schoonmaker., A. (2017). Germination and early growth of boreal understory plants on 3 reclamation soil types under simulated drought conditions. Native Plants,18 (2) 92-104. 

Plant Identification, Seed Collection & Processing

• Kong RS, Schoonmaker A, Hiley P, Sobze J-M. 2025. Aspen (Populus tremuloides) germination is dependent on seed ripeness at collection and not seed age: A 12-y study of aspen seeds in long-term storage. Native Plants Journal 26(2): 105-121. 
•  Baah-Acheamfour, M., & Sobze, J-M.(2022). Assessing Post-harvest Interim Seed Storage Conditions: A Case Study of Four Boreal Plant Species. Seed Science and Technology, 50(2), 183-194  

Lichen in Reclamation

Regulatory Context

Ecological Framework

Remediation

• Kong, R. S., Ilogu, C., &  Sobze, J-M. (2024). In-situ Electrokinetic Remediation of Salt-Impacted Soil at a Decommissioned Well Site. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 54, 1531–1539. 

Forest Health

Upcoming Peer-Reviewed Publications 

ARCHIVED

Non-Refereed Publications 

Forest Land Reclamation: Site Preparation Options 

• McNabb, D. H., Sobze, J-M., &  Schoonmaker, A. 2013. Practices to effectively till industrial forest soils, 1 (13): 40-42. 

Forest Land Reclamation: Revegetation & Vegetation Management 

• Centre for Boreal Research . 2018. Reclamation Field Tour of Upland and Peatland Industrially-Disturbed Sites. Field Notes. . Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. 
• Schoonmaker, A., Schreiber, C.B., Powter, B.,&  Drozdowski, B. (2018). Optimizing Weed Control for Progressive Reclamation: Risk Analysis on Regulated Weeds in the Boreal Region. InnoTech Alberta. 68 p. 
• Small, C., Degenhardt, D., Drozdowski, B., Thacker, S., Powter, C.B., Schoonmaker, A., & Schreiber, S. (2018). Optimizing Weed Control for Progressive Reclamation: Literature Review. InnoTech Alberta. 48 pp.
• Mihajlovich, M., Sobze, J-M., & Schoonmaker, A. (2014). A life cycle approach to vegetation management on reclaimed industrial sites. Canadian Reclamation, 1 (14), 52-56. 

Peatland Restoration 

• Sobze, J-M., Schoonmaker, A., & Rochefort, L. 2012. Wellsite clay pad removal and inversion – a peatland restoration pilot project. Canadian Reclamation, 1 (12), 10-13. 

Seed, Propagation & Plant Technology Innovations 

• Goehing, J., Sobze, J-M., & Brown, C. (2017). NAIT advances plant and see technologies to accelerate native plant establishment on boreal reclamation sites. Canadian Reclamation, Fall/Winter, 36-37.  
• Schoonmaker, A., Sobze, J-M., Fraser, E., Marenholtz, E., Smreciu, A., Powter C.B., &  Mckenzie, M. 2014. Alternative native boreal seed and plant delivery systems for oil sands reclamation . Oil Sands Research and Information Network, University of Alberta, School of Energy and the Environment, Edmonton, Alberta. OSRIN Report No. TR-55. 1-61. 

Plant Identification, Seed Collection & Processing 

• Kong, Ricky. "NAIT's Centre for Boreal Research Offers a Wealth of Seed Experience." Canadian Land Reclamation Magazine, Fall/Winter 2025, pp. 62–64. 
• Ann Smreciu. 2011. Alberta Native Plants and Seeds: Wild Harvest, Registration and Deployment. A Guide for Technicians and Practitioners. Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Centre for Boreal Research. 1- 17. 
• Kevin Kemball. (2023). Supporting Capacity Building with Knowledge to Practice.  Forestry and Environmental Sustainability NAIT Applied Research. Canadian Reclamation, Sping/Summer, 64-65. 
• Kevin Kemball. (2022). Supporting the Environment and Sustainable Development. Canadian reclamation, Fall/Winter, 50-51. 
• Goehing, J., Sobze, J-M., & Brown, C. (2017). NAIT Advances Plant and Seed Technologies to Accelerate Native Plant Establishment on Boreal Reclamation Sites. Canadian Reclamation, Fall/Winter, 36-37. 
• Mihajlovich, M., Sobze, J-M., Schoonmaker, A. (2014). A Life Cycle Approach to Vegetation Management on Reclaimed Industrial Sites. Canadian Reclamation, Spring/Summer, 1(14), 52-56. 
• McNabb, D.H., Sobze, J-M., & Schoonmaker, A. (2013). Practices to Effectively Till Industrial Forest Soils. Canadian Reclamation, Spring/Summer, 1(13), 40-42. 
• Sobze, J-M., Schoonmaker, A., Rochefort, L. (2012) . Wellsite Clay Pad Removal and Inversion – A Peatland Restoration Pilot Project. Candain Reclamation, Spring/ Summer, 1(12), 10-13. 
• Lichen in Reclamation 
• Kong, R.S., Tedla, B., Schulz, M., and Sobze, J.-M. 2022. A Review of Lichen Transplant Studies and Methods. Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Centre for Boreal Research, Peace River, AB, pp. 1–52. 

Regulatory Context 

Ecological Framework 

Remediation 

Forest Health 

Upcoming Non-Refereed Publications 

ARCHIVED