Response Indicators

Response indicators for land relate to actions taken by society - individually or collectively - that are designed to ease or prevent negative environmental impacts, correct existing damage or conserve natural resources.

Responses may include regulatory action, policy implementation, research, changes in management strategies and education. Responses should be designed to act on the pressures.

Coal Mining Development and Reclamation: The goal of the coal mining reclamation program is to ensure that mined land is reclaimed in a timely manner and has a land capability equivalent to its former use, or to other approved uses. This indicator provides a tool for identifying the progress made in land reclamation once mining in an area is complete. The indicator shows the cumulative area of land disturbance for coal mining activities in three categories; active, net reclaimed, and certified reclaimed.

Hazardous Waste Recycling: hazardous wastes include a wide range of compounds classified by toxicity, acidity, flammability, ability to corrode other materials and other characteristics.

Oil and Gas Wells Reclamation: the goal of the reclamation program is to ensure abandoned wells are reclaimed in a timely manner and have a land capability equivalent to pre-drilling conditions. This indicator shows the change in number of oil and gas wells that have been abandoned and reclaimed each year from 1963 to 2009.

Oil Sands Mining Development and Reclamation: this indicator provides a tool for identifying the progress made in land reclamation following oil sands mining, and shows the cumulative areas cleared, disturbed for mining, and in the various stages of reclamation at the oil sands mines near Fort McMurray. The indicator was recently revised to include more detailed information on reclamation, and 2009 was the first year using the new, detailed categories.

Solid Waste Diversion: waste diversion is linked to clean and productive land. Diverting waste minimizes the land required for disposal sites for solid waste. This indicator shows Alberta's trend in diverting waste from disposal through recycling or other activities such as composting.

Timber Harvest versus Allowable Cut: the Annual Allowable Cut is the amount of timber that can be harvested on a sustainable basis within a defined planning area. Timber sustainability is calculated by comparing the actual annual timber harvest with the long-term sustainable Annual Allowable Cut. This indicator shows the status of Alberta's timber stocks by comparing the actual annual timber harvest with the annual amount of timber allowed to be cut in the forested portion of the province.