Canada's Land Reclamation Project: An Environmental Impact News

This news article reports on an ongoing land reclamation project in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, initiated by the oil and natural gas industry. The project aims to return disturbed land to a usable condition after oil sands operations, which typically last 25 to 50 years. The reclamation process involves drainage systems, ground re-contouring, topsoil replacement, seeding, vegetation, and continuous monitoring of water quality and soil. This initiative addresses social impacts related to health by monitoring vegetation and mitigating potential health issues, alleviating pressure on the natural environment caused by oil sands development, and making more land available for economic development. While the project supports economic growth and environmental restoration, political discussions and potential conflicts may arise concerning environmental implications. The article references the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and a study on the environmental, economic, and social impacts of Canadian oil sands.

NEWS ARTICLE

On-going Land Reclamation Project in Canada
By “student name” on “Date” Alberta & British Columbia
Natural gas well sites reclamation at the project planning phase (Land Reclamation in
Canada | Land Reclamation Projects & Action | CAPP, 2019).
Who:
Canada’s oil and natural gas industry has shared a commitment for the effective land
management.
What:
Returning the distributed land to a usable condition is known as land reclamation. The main
purpose of this process of land reclamation, by oil and natural gas industry is that, the land
used is returned in a productive condition. By which, it can be used for more services such as
building constructions, Agriculture etc.
Where:
This process is on-going in two provinces of Canada, as Alberta and British Columbia.
When:
After giving a long life cycle to the oil sands operation (Approx. 25 to 50 years for an oil
sands mine), many of the industry’s land reclamation process is still in the early stages.
Regulation has ensured that the distributed land will returned to an acceptable condition, once

the operations will reached at the end of their productive life as an oil industry (Land
Reclamation in Canada | Land Reclamation Projects & Action | CAPP, 2019).
How:
This land reclamation process follows various steps as shown below:
 Drainage system with ground re-contouring.
 Topsoil, subsoil and organic material salvaged replacement before the land
distribution.
 Seeding and vegetation.
 Water quality, vegetation establishment and soil monitoring.
Social Environmental Economical Political
Social impacts of the
land issues are
related with the
health. So, by this
land reclamation
process, the land will
be monitored for the
vegetation and other
purposes, which will
be helpful for
mitigating the health
issues.
The quick
development of the
oil sands has
enhanced the
pressure of the
natural environment.
Hence, by this
reclamation process,
the land can be
productive again.
By this land
reclamation process,
more land will be
available for the
development
purpose. Hence, it
would be good for
the economic point
of view.
The political
discussion between
the states can be
found in the
reclamation works
for the environmental
implications. Hence,
the political conflict
can be occurred
(Poveda and Lipsett,
2013)

References
CAPP. 2019. Land Reclamation In Canada | Land Reclamation Projects & Action | CAPP.
[online] Available at: <https://www.capp.ca/explore/land-reclamation/> [Accessed 10 April
2020].
Poveda, C. and Lipsett, M., 2013. The Canadian oil sands: environmental, economic, social,
health, and other impacts. WIT Transactions on Ecology and The Environment, [online] 173,
pp.575-587. Available at:
<https://www.witpress.com/Secure/elibrary/papers/SDP13/SDP13048FU1.pdf> [Accessed 10
April 2020].