2003 Terrestrial Studies in the Gwich'in Settlement Area
Principal Investigator: Povey, Andrew (93)
Licence Number: 13464
Organization: Mackenzie Project Environment Group
Licensed Year(s): 2005 2004 2003 2002
Issued: Jun 26, 2003
Project Team: Jane Lanca

Objective(s): Imperial Oil Resources Ventures Limited, Aboriginal Pipeline Group, ConocoPhillips Canada (north) Limited, Shell Canada Limited, and ExxonMobil Canada Properties conducted a number of baseline studies during 2001 and 2002 as part of the Mackenzie Gas Project. These studies are being continued in 2003. Local knowledge and technical/scientific research, in combination with a synthesis of existing technical information, is being used to develop a suitable knowledge base for planning, assessment of impacts and development of environmental protection plans. The Mackenzie Project Environment Group has been retained to conduct the baseline studies. This portion of the project will involve terrestrial studies in the Gwich'in Settlement Area to be conducted during 2003. These studies will include vegetation and soils investigations. The primary goals are to classify vegetation, landforms, soils and permafrost in the project area, to identify locations of rare plants and uncommon plant communities in the project area, and conduct soil sampling. The classification of vegetation and soils along the proposed pipeline corridor was essentially completed in 2001 and 2002. Further classification of terrestrial resources will occur at potential infrastructure sites, roads and borrow pits, as well as along alternate pipeline corridors.