Grant: Collaborative Research and Training Experience

Impacts of industrial resource extraction activities on landscapes and ecosystems have generated increasing attention from scientists, land managers, government and the public in Canada and abroad. The decreasing useable terrestrial land base (approximately 50%) and the concurrent increasing human population on planet earth make reclamation of disturbed lands a highly essential area of training and development worldwide. Among the most pressing challenges of the 21st century will be reclamation to ensure the long term ecological and environmental sustainability of these lands and the socio-economic sustainability of the communities which depend upon them. Canada is in urgent need of highly trained, adaptable and innovative professionals with a solid grounding in the environmental sciences and with an understanding of associated socio-economic policy. CREATE funding will be used to support establishment of the Land Reclamation International Graduate School (LRIGS), with current international partners.LRIGS is the first land reclamation training program of its kind in Canada. The training team comprises outstanding researchers from Canada and abroad coupled with key personnel from industry and government. Students will address significant scientific challenges associated with oil sands and coal mining reclamation. This unique and innovative training program will facilitate rapid knowledge transfer and implementation into industrial and regulatory regimes to facilitate timely and effective reclamation of disturbed lands. The participant's technology and management skills will be applicable worldwide. The international component of LRIGS will provide a rich training environment that will enhance student mobility and provide a unique learning experience. Each cohort of LRIGS students will be involved in joint courses, workshops, field experiences and time spent with industrial and international partners. They will have a unique combination of specific technical training and training in communications, public engagement, policy development, commercialization and technology transfer.