Investment in science and technology pays - especially when it comes to water quality. Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc. (Al-Pac) is proof of that. The kraft pulp mill (located 50 kilometers northeast of Athabasca, Alberta) invests millions of dollars annually on research and boasts one of the most advanced effluent (wastewater) treatment systems of any mill in North America.

So what does water have to do with pulp? It’s an important component throughout the entire pulp-making process. Al-Pac is the last of five mills located on the Athabasca River and rely on it for water. Al-Pac withdraws nearly 1,100 litres of water per second from the river and returns 900 litres – but not before the water goes through a complex treatment process.

All treated water must meet strict quality requirements established by the Alberta government. The $30-million
Al-Pac system is so effective that the mill’s effluent is less than 10 percent of allowable limits. As effective as
Al-Pac’s effluent treatment is, the company continues to invest resources in science and technology and will do its part to ensure the protection of water quality and consequently the health of the ecosystem in the area in which the company operates.

Seeking solutions through partnerships

In doing business today, a lot of factors influence the bottom line. Finding ways to sustain business in harmony with a softer footprint on the environment is a big part of the job. Al-Pac recognizes that along with the privilege of being the largest and most advanced single-line kraft pulp mill in North America, comes the responsibility of being a leader in environmental performance, including the protection of water quality.

To demonstrate this leadership, Al-Pac incorporates a wide range of environmentally sustainable practices into its business that help ensure that water quality is maintained. These include the best water treatment plant in the industry, the use of portable bridges to protect watercourses, and joining other partnerships with others in environmental research projects such as the Hydrology, Ecology, and Disturbance (HEAD) program.

HEAD is jointly funded by Al-Pac, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Ducks Unlimited and other industry partners. The three-phase project is assessing the impact that disturbances have on forest regeneration, soil erosion and water quality in streams and lakes. Researchers will use the data to develop a system that will help balance the health of the forest ecosystem with industry activities. With a solid commitment to investing in science and technology, strides are being made to ensure that water and forest resources will be sustainable for generations to come.

Al-Pac offers public tours from May to August and school tours year-round.

Helping to
understand aquatic impacts

The Hinton-based Foothills Model Forest (FMF) covers around 2.75 million hectares of land in west-central Alberta, including Jasper National Park, Wilmore Wilderness Area, William A. Switzer Provincial Park and Weldwood of Canada's Forest Management Agreement area. Its landscapes vary from forested bench lands and foothills to mountains, along with the associated diversity of rivers, lakes, forests, flora and fauna.

Foothills Model Forest partners include several universities and colleges, federal and provincial governments, a host of community based organisations and several major corporations. The FMF, which includes over a dozen employees working in a variety of different program areas operating on a budget of several million dollars annually.

Although the FMF is mandated to conduct research on sustainable forest management practices, it could just as easily be described as an experiment in learning about biodiversity and putting such knowledge to work in practical ways. A unique element of the FMF's mandate is its recognition of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and how that knowledge can be used to benefit the management of Canada's forests. Much of the program also ties into how we manage and conserve aquatic resources within Canada's forested lands.

Indigenous people of the world possess an immense knowledge of their environments, based on centuries of living close to nature. They have an understanding of the properties of plants and animals, the functioning of ecosystems and the techniques for using and managing them.

The Foothills Model Forest project has included the use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) as a part of its research program. An Elders’ Gathering attended by more than 200 people was held to address the development of a traditional cultural study. The value of Aboriginal involvement is recognized as an important objective of the Model Forest Program.

Imagine standing on the banks of Hardisty Creek and catching a skillet-sized Bull Trout. That's what residents of Hinton once did, but not anymore. Today, Hardisty Creek needs help. Trout can no longer migrate upstream from the Athabasca River to their spawning grounds because culverts have caused barriers to migration. Due to erosion, the culvert outlets at several crossings now hang in the air above the creek-bed. Deleterious substances from clearing industrial and residential properties along the stream has further aggravated the problem. This is fairly common, especially in streams that flow through Alberta's developed areas. As a result, habitat restoration projects and catch-and-release regulations are key to the recovery of Alberta's Bull Trout population.

The Hardisty Creek restoration project, is just one of a number of community-based initiatives of the Foothills Model Forest program. The project finds organizations such as the Athabasca Bioregional Society, the Hinton Fish and Game Association, Canadian National Railways and Weldwood Canada working together to restore the Bull Trout population by, amongst other things, re-establishing fish passages from the Athabasca River to their spawning grounds.

The Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC) with a paper mill located at Whitecourt on the Athabasca River is very conscious of its stewardship responsibilities, including its impact on water.

This company has developed an interesting mill wastewater (effluent) treatment process with a natural touch. It has designed what is called an activated sludge basin. This basin serves as a holding pond where, in about a two-and-a-half day period, bacterial populations consume the wood sugars and resins contained within the wood fibre rich effluent. After the process, the treated wastewater is discharged into the river and because of the treatment, it virtually eliminates any further oxygen demands the effluent would have on the river and in turn, any negative effect on aquatic life.

Alberta Newsprint has gone one step further and installed a ‘real-time’ monitoring system where anyone can log onto a web site and observe the actual water chemistry readings in the tailings area. The system measures the levels of oxygen, oxygen demand (microorganism health), nitrogen, phosphorous and ammonia in the water and thereby helps the ANC staff control the effluent treatment process. It also ensures that the effluent meets environmental standards and does not compromise in any manner the aquatic health of the Athabasca River.

To Weyerhaeuser Company Ltd., water is the sustaining element in forest ecosystems – the link between wildlife, plant, soil, and atmosphere. Water and its associated habitats (watercourses, streamsides and wetlands) support many plant, wildlife and aquatic species, including fish. Forested watersheds are the source of drinking water for many communities where Weyerhaeuser operates. For this reason, the company is committed to protecting water quality and carefully managing the riparian habitat associated with streams, lakes and wetlands.

In all its forest activities, Weyerhaeuser follows the laws and rules in place – and is guided by public input – to protect lakes, waterways and community watersheds. Its foresters assess and classify harvesting sites prior to all operations, and establish clear objectives for water quality. Road construction, bridge and culvert locations, and road maintenance all receive special attention.

During the harvest planning phase, Weyerhaeuser foresters classify riparian areas and identify riparian habitat conservation targets. They operate in full compliance with government regulations and practices related to conservation of vegetation around streamsides and water bodies.

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