ESC 424 - Ecosite Classification

3 Credits

Students in this program require extensive knowledge of inventory techniques and equivalence requirements used in the environmental consulting industry to service the needs of the oil and gas, mining, forestry and agricultural industries. A variety of standardized range and soil inventory techniques exist and are used to assess vegetation and soils in pre-disturbance and post-disturbance situations and in sites being assessed by environmental consultants. While government regulations may dictate specific methods and approaches to sampling, natural variability in site project size/scope can lead to the use of many resource inventory techniques. Therefore, environmental degree graduates require a solid understanding of standardized approaches to sampling vegetation and soils, both from research and applied industry perspective. This training helps students appreciate the basis for government mandated sampling strategies/methods and give them standardized options to apply in unique situations, sites, or projects.

Prerequisites: Entrance requirements for the Bachelor of Applied Science: Environmental Management Degree
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
 

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to

1. Evaluate and classify western Canadian native grassland, forest, wetland, and peatland - sites according to ecological site descriptions used in Alberta.
2. Select and apply the appropriate soil and/or vegetation measurement techniques to evaluate reclamation success in a variety of landscapes.
3. Perform a Detailed Site Assessment (DSA) using the Alberta 2010 Reclamation Criteria for Wellsites and Associated Facilities for Cultivated Lands, Criteria for Native Grasslands and Criteria for Forested Lands.
4. Develop an awareness of peatland types and formation, and to employ the Reclamation Criteria for Wellsites and Associated Facilities for Peatlands for success in these complex systems.
5. Interpret the information compiled for a DSA, analyze the results, and communicate them effectively.
6. Effectively evaluate reclamation success on larger disturbances where reclamation criteria do not exist.
7. Interpret the information compiled in a reclamation assessment where criteria do not exist and analyze and communicate the results.
8. Integrate ecological site descriptions into pre-disturbance planning and reclamation of natural ecosystems.
9. Interpret, analyze, and describe pre-disturbance site assessments for a proposed industrial disturbance using appropriate techniques.
10. Develop various reclamation reports including the Alberta Wellsite Reclamation Criteria tools and observation sheets and pre-disturbance site assessments for given ecosystems and disturbances and present these as written reports and verbal summaries.
11. Compare different approaches of scientific researchers and environmental consultants in industrial situations when sampling vegetation and soils.
12. Develop an understanding of climatic, abiotic, and biotic factors that determine the natural regions and ecosites across Alberta.
13. Apply sampling strategies and various techniques to measure and inventory the soils and vegetation across different landscapes.

Bureau of Land Management. (1999). Sampling vegetation attributes. Bureau of Land Management, Denver, CO. BLM Technical Reference 1734-4.

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. (2013). 2010 Reclamation criteria for wellsites and associated facilities for cultivated lands. Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Edmonton, Alberta. 78 p.

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. (2013). 2010 Reclamation criteria for wellsites and associated facilities for native grasslands. Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Edmonton, Alberta. 78 p.

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. (2013). 2010 Reclamation criteria for wellsites and associated facilities for forested lands. Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Edmonton, Alberta. 66 p.

Environment and Parks. (2017). Reclamation Criteria for Wellsites and Associated Facilities for Peatlands. March 2017, Edmonton, Alberta. PP. 142.

Kupsch, T., France, K., Loonen, H., Burkinshaw, A., Willoughby, M. C., & Ron L. McNeil
Landwise Inc. (2013). Central parkland range plant community guide. (2nd approximation). Pub. No. T/265. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Edmonton, Alberta.

Moisey. D., J. Young, D. Lawrence, C. Stone, and M.G. Willoughby. 2012. Guide to Range Plant Community Types and Carrying Capacity for the Dry and Central Mixedwood Subregions in Alberta. (7^th approximation). Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Edmonton, Alberta.

In addition, a variety of journal articles and other resource material can be given to the students in class. Students will be responsible for reading these materials.

Optional Resource Materials:

It is strongly recommended that students have the following book:

Beckingham, J.D., and J.H. Archibald. Field Guide to Ecosites of Northern Alberta.
UBC Press, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, 1996.

Reference Textbooks:

Adams, B., R. Ehlert, and D. Moisey. (2003). Rangeland Plant Communities and Range Health Assessment Guidelines for the Foothills Fescue Natural Subregion of Alberta. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Edmonton, Alberta.

Bubar, C.J., S.J. McColl, and L.M. Hall. Alberta Agriculture. Weeds of the Prairies. 2000.
Adgex 640-4.  Alberta Agriculture Publications Office: Edmonton.

Alberta Land Conservation and Reclamation Council. 1989. Manual of plant species
suitability for reclamation in Alberta. (2nd ed). Alberta Land Conservation and Reclamation Council Report No. RRTAC 89-4, Hardy BBT Limited, Edmonton, AB. p. 436.

Gerling, H.S., Willoughby, M.G., Schoepf, A., Tannas K.E., and Tannas, C.A. (1996). A guide to
using native plants on disturbed lands. Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and Alberta Environmental Protection. ISBN: 0-7732-6125-7. 247 pages.

Various Plant Identification Guides for Alberta and Western Canada. Elzinga, C.L., D.W. Salzer, & J.W. Willoughby. (1998). Measuring and monitoring plant populations. Bureau of Land Management, Denver, CO. BLM Technical Reference 1730-1.

Conduct of Course:

Total course hours are 28 hours of lecture and 42 hours of lecture/lab. The instructor discusses the allocation of time as it relates to your timetable and expected hours of homework.

The lecture component is a formalized lecture situation where the instructor discusses current techniques and pertinent topics, requiring students to take notes. Students are encouraged to ask questions to clarify subject areas. Lectures incorporate required readings, student research, and case studies. Independent learning of some topics is required by students. Lectures support lab content by providing additional detail for lab exercises.

The lab component focuses on field tours and hands on exercises that practically apply the theory discussed in lectures.

The course exams reflect course content from both the lecture and the laboratory components. The midterm exams focus on course content covered prior to these exams and the final exam is comprehensive.

Students are assigned readings in preparation for lecture. The main ideas are reviewed and discussed in class. Students may be required to summarize and present information from readings and library research. The assigned readings are an integral part of the course and help students apply principles from the lectures. Preparation and in-class participation are essential to the learning process. Quizzes on required readings, lectures and labs are provided to help students clarify the main ideas being covered.

Students complete five to ten written reclamation reports as lab assignments. The topics of the assignments vary depending on the labs that are conducted in any given year. Reports are to be completed either individually or as a group report, depending on the specific report. Report format is provided to students in advance of the field exercise for the specific lab. Lab assignments are graded as detailed in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Course information is available on Desire 2 Learn (D2L). However, the provided notes are NOT a substitute for attending lectures. There is additional testable material covered in the lectures and labs that is not in the provided notes.

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports, therefore absenteeism is recorded.

1. Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours can be required to withdraw and would then automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade).
2. An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor following an in-person meeting. Be sure to contact your instructor and ask what they will require from you as verification for each absence. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, exams, or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:

Lecture Contents:

The following is a list of the major topics that are covered in the classes time permits. The order of delivery may vary due to student field trips and timing of these field trips, field site accessibility and weather. Lectures support lab exercises, projects and student work and therefore may vary from the order given below. In addition, some of the lecture content that relates to field activities may be given as handouts or presented in the laboratory time period.

Unit 1: An introduction to Ecosite Classification

1. Ecosite Classification
2. Ecosite Classification General Process
3. The edatopic gird
4. Application in Alberta

Unit 2: 2010 Alberta Reclamation Criteria for Wellsites and Associated Facilities - field component

1. Cultivated Lands
2. Native Grasslands
3. Forested Lands

Unit 3: Ecological Site Assessment Techniques, Analysis, and Interpretation

1. Pre-disturbance plant community site assessments
2. Ecological site description and classification

Unit 4: Reclamation Data Analysis, Assessment, and Interpretation

1. Ecological site description and classification of the 2010 Alberta Reclamation Criteria for Wellsites and Associated Facilities
   1. Cultivated Lands
   2. Native Grasslands
   3. Forested Lands
   4. Peatlands
2. Saskatchewan Detailed Site Assessments

Dependent on time availability:

Unit 4: Research vs. monitoring - differences in assessment 

Laboratory Contents:

The labs in this course emphasize field tours and hands on application of expected course outcomes. The labs allow students to practice vegetation sampling techniques and implement the theory presented in the lectures. Students must come prepared for autumn weather conditions that can be variable within a lab period. Lab order and topics may vary because of inclement weather, guest availability or other contingencies.

Potential lab topics include:

1. Detailed Site Assessments - cultivated land, native grassland and/or forested land
2. Pre-disturbance site assessments
3. Assessment of plant establishment and species composition on reseeded land
4. Plant species composition and utilization on grazed land
5. Ecosystem classification - native grassland, forested land and/or wetlands
6. Case studies

Although every attempt is made not to do so, field trips may be held outside of the regular scheduled time based on field site location and industry liaison schedules.

Course Assessments:
 

To obtain credit for this course:

1. All lab reports, assignments, and projects must be completed and handed in to avoid an incomplete (IN) grade for the course.
2. Assignments and lab reports are due at the start of the class or lab section as requested. The penalty for late submission is -20% of the earned mark for submission anytime within the first 24 hours, and -20% for each subsequent day late.
3. All labs must be attended.
4. Lab assignments include a mixture of questions and detailed reports.
5. A minimum grade point of D (50%) is required to pass the course.
6. All reports, assignments, and exams are graded on a percentage (%) basis. Then a total course percentage is calculated using the above weighting values. Finally, the total course percentage is converted to a letter grade basis using the grading scheme.