Imagine you are a land restoration coordinator standing in a field that now boasts healthy, green grass; you reflect on the work completed as a reclamation specialist. This field, part of a farm, was once adjacent to an abandoned mine that had left behind a legacy of environmental issues, including acid rock drainage from waste rock piles, which had rendered the soil too acidic for agricultural use and posed a risk to groundwater quality.
Your task involved developing and implementing a reclamation plan to address these issues. The first step was to research the site's historical use to identify all potential contaminants and understand their possible environmental pathways. This knowledge was crucial for designing effective remediation strategies.
Based on this research, you drafted a reclamation plan that outlined specific actions: pollutant removal, monitoring protocols, and soil restoration methods. This plan received approval from the relevant provincial reclamation committee, allowing you to move forward with the practical aspects of the project.
The implementation phase included removing vegetation unsuitable for the site, reshaping the land to manage water flow, and treating the soil with agricultural limestone to neutralize the acidity. You also oversaw the addition of fertilizers and selected seeds to replenish nutrients and restore the soil's health.
This project, spanning several months, required meticulous planning, coordination with contractors, and management of resources. The successful reclamation of the site resulted in restored soil conditions conducive to agriculture and protection of the local groundwater from contamination.
Job duties vary from one position to the next, but in general, reclamation specialists are involved in the following activities:
If you are a high school student considering a career as an environmental geophysicist, you should have a keen interest in:
If you are a post-secondary student considering a career as an environmental geophysicist, the following programs are most applicable.
In most cases, the minimum education requirement to work as an environmental geophysicist is a graduate degree. Pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in fields related to environmental geophysics can enhance your expertise, career prospects, and ability to contribute to the field. These advanced degrees offer specialized knowledge and skills highly valued in both the professional and academic worlds.
In many provinces, geophysicists must obtain registration and licensure with their provincial association as a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.). The certification process for geophysicists is similar to that of engineering professions and is typically overseen by the same regulatory body.
Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.
Technical Skills
Personal and Professional Skills
Environmental employers look for professionals who can combine technical knowledge with soft skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or take our Essential Skills courses.
As key executive leaders who shape their company’s sustainability policy, CSOs work in many different types of organizations. Common employers of CSOs include:
Search for jobs on the ECO Canada Job Board.
If you are a post-secondary student seeking a CSO role in the future, consider pursuing a university degree related to:
In addition to the educational fields mentioned above, you will also need extensive management experience to become a CSO, with well-developed human resources management and leadership skills. Consider educational seminars or post-graduate studies that will hone your analytical thinking, such as:
Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.
Technical Skills
Personal and Professional Skills
Environmental employers seek professionals who combine technical knowledge with personal and professional skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or take our Essential Skills courses.
Cameron Faminow cites the combination of his ranching and farming background with his experience in the oil and gas industry as the main reason he is an effective environmental consultant. “People in this industry use jargon, which can be quite confusing and confounding.” Due to his combined experience, Cameron doesn’t have any problems translating this jargon. Today, he is the president and senior environmental planner of his own environmental consulting company.
Spending much of his time on reclamation projects, Cameron works both before and after a development project is complete. “The term ‘reclamation’ is similar to the term ‘environment’ in that it encompasses so many components…there are very few activities in any industry that do not have a reclamation component.” Prior to a development project, he does “front end” work, such as gathering the baseline data that will facilitate the return of the site to its preconstruction condition. “Ultimately, facilities will be abandoned, so the more we know prior to construction, the better we can reclaim the site,” he explains. Cameron’s “back end” work involves investigating sites that may still have reclamation issues.
Through literature searches and field investigations, Cameron determines what the land was used for and what pollutants may still remain at the site. After reclamation, the sites “should have the same agricultural or environmental capability as they did prior to development.” One of the highlights of Cameron’s work is the number of opportunities currently available to him. “Right now, there’s no shortage of work in all facets of the environmental industry, particularly in the reclamation sector.” He also enjoys the dynamic nature of his job, and the fact that a reclamation specialist’s role is “to create a win-win-win scenario, where industry, the environment, and landowners all win.”
Reclamation is an important process both for wildlife and humans alike; the process of deforestation is an example. When forests are cut down, whether to clear land or harvest more resources, it can be easy to forget that this has lasting environmental effects.
For wildlife, deforestation displaces species and may force them into new ecosystems that are not well-equipped to sustain additional wildlife. In the long run, this can create species and resource imbalance and can drastically deplete the population sizes of various species.
For humans, the process of reclamation supports conservation efforts to reverse the effects of deforestation. Reclamation allows us to efficiently use the same land in multiple ways, rather than disrupting new sites.
Some projects are more permanent (new housing communities and malls), others are less so (resource extraction). When these temporary projects have been completed inactive sites shouldn’t be left as is without any intention to use them again.
The research, data collection, and extensive planning or reclamation specialists mean they know which sites can be reclaimed in the future before they are disrupted. Other sites that haven’t been planned as thoroughly pose more of a challenge to reclaim. Reclamation specialists carry out extensive field investigations to determine exactly what the land was used for, what pollutants may still be lingering, and the probability of success with reclaiming that site.
Being a reclamation specialist is a very dynamic occupation. As the environment grows, there will be an increasing need for reclamation specialists.
Reclamation specialists are environmental professionals who restore lands disturbed by industrial or development activities, such as mining, construction, or deforestation. Their work impacts the environment by rehabilitating ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity, and stabilizing soil and water quality. This occupation focuses on reversing negative impacts on natural landscapes and promoting the recovery of native vegetation and wildlife habitats. The role embodies sustainability by aiming to leave the earth in a better state for future generations, ensuring that natural resources are restored and preserved.
Economically, reclamation specialists help mitigate the long-term costs of land degradation, such as loss of arable land and water pollution, by restoring ecological balance and functionality. This, in turn, supports agriculture, forestry, and tourism industries. Socially, their work improves community well-being by ensuring clean water and air and creating natural spaces for recreation and cultural activities.
Reclamation specialists support sustainable development by balancing environmental recovery with economic and social needs.
Marine geologists are classified into the following occupational grouping:
NOC Code: 21102 – Geoscientists and oceanographers
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) provides a standardized language for describing the work performed by Canadians in the labour market. It gives statisticians, labour market analysts, career counsellors, employers, and individual job seekers a consistent way to collect data and describe and understand the nature of work within different occupations.
See ECO’s Blue National Occupational Standard for a career competency profile for a marine geologist that outlines the specific skills, knowledge, and behaviours required for individuals to perform effectively in this particular role. This profile is a benchmark for training and development, ensuring consistency and quality across professions within the blue economy.
Dans un esprit de respect, de réciprocité et de vérité, nous honorons et reconnaissons Moh’kinsstis, le territoire traditionnel du Traité 7 et les pratiques orales de la confédération des Pieds-Noirs : Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, ainsi que les nations Îyâxe Nakoda et Tsuut’ina. Nous reconnaissons que ce territoire abrite la Nation métisse de l’Alberta, la région 3 au sein de la patrie historique des Métis du Nord-Ouest. Enfin, nous reconnaissons toutes les nations qui vivent, travaillent et se divertissent sur ce territoire, et qui l’honorent et le célèbrent.
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we acknowledge that we live, work, and gather on the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, including the Blackfoot Confederacy—comprising the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani Nations—as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nations.
This land, known as Moh’kinsstis in the Blackfoot language and encompassing what is now Districts 5 and 6, is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3, within the historical Northwest Métis homeland.
We recognize and honour the deep connection these Nations have to the land, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share in its stewardship.
As we continue our work, we commit to learning from Indigenous knowledge systems, uplifting Indigenous voices, and fostering relationships rooted in equity, understanding, and reconciliation.
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