Effectiveness monitoring of native vegetation trials in mine soils and analysis of soil stockpiles at Huckleberry Mines, Houston, B.C

Upon request by Huckleberry Mines Ltd. for further on‐site reclamation research towards preparation for the anticipated mine closure in 2010, a vegetation and soil effectiveness monitoring project was initiated in the summer of 2008. The objective of this project is to evaluate the performance of native vegetation within soil stockpile originated substrates and describe the biogeochemistry of soil stockpiles at the minesite. In collaboration with Manning, Cooper and Associates Ltd, Phase 1 of the project conducted baseline sampling of soil stockpiles and initiated native seed test plots at various locations on the minesite. Further phases of the project will monitor the vegetative success of these test plots during the summer/fall of 2009 and 2010 and continue characterization of soil substrates within soil stockpiles. The goal of vegetation monitoring will be to provide recommendations towards refining the approaches to re‐establishing native vegetation on disturbed and degraded soils within the minesite footprint.

Faculty Supervisor:

Drs. Mike P. Rutherford & Philip J. Burton

Student:

Allan W. Carson

Partner:

Manning Cooper and Associates Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Mining and quarrying

University:

University of Northern British Columbia