Site Preparation 

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Prepare the Site for Revegetation

• Redistribute soil materials in a manner similar to the original vertical profile
  • Photographs of soil horizons 

• Reduce compaction prior to redistribution of topsoil
  • Methods of reducing soil compaction
    • Ripping
    • Use of tracked equipment (as opposed to wheeled equipment)
    • Avoid handling of saturated or frozen soils
  • Methods of testing soil compaction
  • Ripping & Surface Roughening
  • Forest Reclamation Advisory No. 3 - Soil Compaction 
  • Forest Reclamation Advisory No. 4 - Loosening Compacted Soils on Mined Sites   
   

• Provide suitable surface and subsurface physical, chemical, and biological properties to support the long-term establishment and viability of the desired plant community
  • Microsite topography, erosion control
  • Chemical characteristics favorable to plant establishment and growth
    • Soil nutrients
      • NPK, Ca, S, MG
      • C- and N-cycling
      • Artificial fertilization
  • Chemical characteristics unfavorable to plant establishment and growth
    • Salts
    • Wastes (oil, chemicals, etc.)
  • Soil fauna favorable to plant establishment and growth
  • Organic material
  • Blank Bulk Seed Calculator

• Protect seed and seedling establishment
  • Restrict human activities on reclaimed sites (road barriers, etc.)
  • Weed control activities
  • Restrict livestock and wildlife activities on reclaimed sites
    • Fencing
    • Grazing management
  • Artificial structures to shelter seedlings, container stock/transplanted materials