Location: Laurentian Main campus, room C-101
1.5 ConEd Learning Hours
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
In Greater Sudbury, the impacts of sulphur gases—from roast yards before 1928 and subsequently through smelter operations emitting sulphur gases and metal particulates—created a barren landscape of about 17,000 ha, with an additional 64,000 ha of stunted forest. The requirement for major reduction of emissions set the stage for implementing an assisted landscape recovery program.
Over the past 45 years, the Sudbury Regreening Protocol, based on effective interaction between community, government, academia, and industry, has been recognized globally for its regional landscape transformation. It has evolved from application of dolomitic limestone and fertilizer, seeding of agricultural grasses and legumes, and planting of tree seedlings to a more complete biodiverse restoration strategy using over 80 species. By the end of 2022, approximately 3,500 ha has received soil amelioration treatments, with over 10 million trees and shrubs planted for approximately $36.5 million while employing 4,900 individuals. The continuance of the Regreening Program is one of the pillars of Sudbury’s Community Energy and Emissions Carbon Neutral Plan. The success of the program provides hope and guidance for other world-wide restoration activities during the current UN Decade on Restoration. The rejuvenated landscape provides many opportunities for residents to enjoy a healthy landscape and to design the urban environment in harmony with nature.
Learning Objectives
- Learn about the past environmental history of Sudbury that blighted the image of the city.
- Gain an insight in the evolving techniques that have allowed transformation of the urban landscape.
- Discuss the benefits that the landscape changes have brought to the local community.
- Reflect on incorporating these landscape changes into urban design.
Dr. Peter Beckett has spent a lifetime (over 40 years) as a restoration and wetland ecologist at Laurentian University in Sudbury, where he is now an Emeritus Professor and a Senior Fellow at the Vale Living with Lakes Centre. Peter serves as Chair of VETAC, an Advisory Panel to the City of Greater Sudbury that oversees the local landscape restoration. He holds a Noranda Award for "outstanding achievements in reclamation," a Watkin Award for Reclamation from the Canadian Land Reclamation Association, and a Pioneer in Reclamation Award from the American Society of Mining and Reclamation. Peter is an honorary member of the China Land Reclamation Society and has given numerous invited presentations on the Sudbury landscape restoration worldwide.