The progression of native species island establishment and monitoring practices on high-elevation waste rock dumps at Quintette Operating Corporation

Few agronomic species are able to establish and persist on high-elevation disturbances. Consequently, a native species island establishment program was started at Quintette Operating Corporation to ensure that the short- and long-term reclamation objectives outlined in Quintette's reclamation permit were met. Islands have been established almost every year since the program began in 1991. The species established, the methods of establishment, and monitoring procedures employed have changed over the years. The objective of this paper is to describe the evolving native species island program and to discuss the results of the program to date.