


Services RCS provides industry leading environmental planning services to the oil and gas and the agricultural sectors. RCS provides innovative, focused, professional field-ready plans at reasonable rates. Samples of the services RCS provides are listed below with a complete listing of services and information available in our company brochure. Download: RCS Brochure PDF Environmental Planning At RCS environmental planning integrates client objectives, biology and regulatory requirements to promote sustainable development within the natural land base. Environmental solutions developed during the planning stages focus on the project needs while ensuring that environmental integrity is maintained or enhanced following project completion. Our philosophy is to fully understand the project’s objectives and to guide a project with a clear environmental approach through a multi-disciplinary effort between engineering, construction, surveyors, scientists, environmental planners and environmental inspectors. RCS conducts environmental surveys, prepares regulatory environmental applications, develops field-friendly environmental products and promotes environmental compliance through practical environmental inspection. RCS prides itself in being a leader in the environmental planning field of Alberta’s and Saskatchewan’s Oil and Gas Industry, having successfully completed hundreds of projects related to drilling and pipeline development. RCS has extensive experience applying a variety of rangeland conservation, management and environmental construction strategies which have proven to minimize or avoid environmental impact while achieving project success. Regulatory Environmental Management RCS develops environmental programs considering regulatory requirements, area sensitivities and client objectives for each project. In particular, regulatory requirements form the foundation of our environmental programs, guiding the planning process to ensure that our Client’s goals of environmental protection are achieved and beyond. Biophysical Assessments RCS conducts rare plant surveys, vascular plant community mapping, aquatic assessments, soil surveys and wildlife surveys. These biophysical assessments follow current industry standards and survey protocols. Assessments are conducted in a timely fashion, yet are thorough ensuring that a development project meets regulatory requirements by minimizing impact or avoiding sensitive habitats and species. As an example, soil surveys are conducted to identify problem soils within a project area that may place limitations on industrial development. Mitigation for such soils, including handling and construction methods, is provided in an Environmental Protection Plan or in a Pre-site Assessment. Watercourse Crossings Planning RCS develops comprehensive management plans for all aspects of watercourse crossings associated with pipelines and access roads right from conducting an aquatic assessment to post construction monitoring. Our team of fisheries biologists, environmental planners and environmental inspectors provide clients with crossing programs that consider all aspects, including development of a proposed crossing method, an understanding of fish populations and habitat values, and ensuring that regulatory restricted activity periods are adhered to where possible. Technical services we provide may include aquatic assessments, geotechnical evaluations, hydrotechncial evaluations, hydrogeological evaluations, and navigability assessments. Stream crossing design reports, horizontal directional drilling design reports, compensation plans, Environmental Protection Plans, regulatory notifications (Alberta Environment, Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada), consultation, applications and contingency plans are prepared to ensure all components of the watercourse crossing are completed prior to construction. As an addition to the overall environmental program, RCS promotes monitoring and inspection during and post-construction. Through continuing education, RCS takes pride in developing and executing the most current hands-on bioremediation solutions of stream beds and banks, and in improving fish habitat for existing species and those historically known to have been present. Heritage Resources RCS recognizes that Alberta’s and Saskatchewan’s rich and diverse archaeological, paleontologicial and historical resources may be under increasing pressures due to development. These resources are nonrenewable and should be preserved for future generations. Conservation of heritage resources is possible if they are identified and protected by appropriately designed assessments. If a known heritage resource is within the vicinity of a proposed development, RCS ensures that regulatory compliance is adhered to (Historical Resources Act clearance) through Historical Resources Impact Assessments or Overviews conducted prior to development. Environmental Inspection RCS encourages development companies to conduct environmental inspection during construction of a project. In doing so, critical environmental conditions identified during the planning phase, regulatory requirements and/or the client’s commitment to environmental protection are protected and/or mitigated during construction and following completion. Environmental inspectors at RCS often act as liaisons between companies, regulators, contractors, landowners, and occupants by facilitating consultation between groups during construction. Research and Monitoring The Oil and Gas sector and agriculture industry are developing stronger commitments to environmental protection. As a part of that commitment, research and monitoring programs have become increasingly important. Over the past eleven years RCS has been involved in the development of these types of research studies including, ecologically sound pipeline construction methods, soils handling, construction activities, reclamation strategies, industry spills, wildlife enhancement, water quality monitoring and exotic grass species management. As such, research programs at RCS have evolved to be ecologically based and academically sound to meet client needs, and if necessary, regulatory requirements. Vegetation and Range Resource Inventories RCS conducts vegetation and range resource inventories (VRRIs) for our agriculture clients, private landowners and non-government agencies. VRRIs incorporate the most up-to-date survey criteria establishing range and riparian condition and health with specific rangeland management objectives. RCS has taken part in the completion of hundreds of VRRIs on private and Crown land holdings in southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan, including the three Cypress Hills InterProvincial Parks. Extension (workshops for the Oil and Gas Industry) Extension workshops associated with environmental planning of linear developments, watercourse pipeline crossings and watercourse regulatory planning are available free of charge to Oil and Gas companies. Workshops generally take 45 minutes and can easily be conducted over lunch. RCS brings to these workshops years of experience and proven environmental planning strategies which are shared with confidence and pride.
[ RCS Profile About Us Services Projects Employment Contact Us ] inquiries@rcsltd.ca Copyright © 2008 Rangeland Conservation Service Ltd.

Services

RCS provides industry leading environmental planning services to the oil and gas and the agricultural sectors. RCS provides innovative, focused, professional field-ready plans at reasonable rates. Samples of the services RCS provides are listed below with a complete listing of services and information available in our company brochure.

Download: RCS Brochure PDF

Environmental Planning

At RCS environmental planning integrates client objectives, biology and regulatory requirements to promote sustainable development within the natural land base. Environmental solutions developed during the planning stages focus on the project needs while ensuring that environmental integrity is maintained or enhanced following project completion.

Our philosophy is to fully understand the project’s objectives and to guide a project with a clear environmental approach through a multi-disciplinary effort between engineering, construction, surveyors, scientists, environmental planners and environmental inspectors. RCS conducts environmental surveys, prepares regulatory environmental applications, develops field-friendly environmental products and promotes environmental compliance through practical environmental inspection.

RCS prides itself in being a leader in the environmental planning field of Alberta’s and Saskatchewan’s Oil and Gas Industry, having successfully completed hundreds of projects related to drilling and pipeline development. RCS has extensive experience applying a variety of rangeland conservation, management and environmental construction strategies which have proven to minimize or avoid environmental impact while achieving project success.

Regulatory Environmental Management

RCS develops environmental programs considering regulatory requirements, area sensitivities and client objectives for each project. In particular, regulatory requirements form the foundation of our environmental programs, guiding the planning process to ensure that our Client’s goals of environmental protection are achieved and beyond.

Biophysical Assessments

RCS conducts rare plant surveys, vascular plant community mapping, aquatic assessments, soil surveys and wildlife surveys. These biophysical assessments follow current industry standards and survey protocols. Assessments are conducted in a timely fashion, yet are thorough ensuring that a development project meets regulatory requirements by minimizing impact or avoiding sensitive habitats and species. As an example, soil surveys are conducted to identify problem soils within a project area that may place limitations on industrial development. Mitigation for such soils, including handling and construction methods, is provided in an Environmental Protection Plan or in a Pre-site Assessment.

Watercourse Crossings Planning

RCS develops comprehensive management plans for all aspects of watercourse crossings associated with pipelines and access roads right from conducting an aquatic assessment to post construction monitoring. Our team of fisheries biologists, environmental planners and environmental inspectors provide clients with crossing programs that consider all aspects, including development of a proposed crossing method, an understanding of fish populations and habitat values, and ensuring that regulatory restricted activity periods are adhered to where possible.

Technical services we provide may include aquatic assessments, geotechnical evaluations, hydrotechncial evaluations, hydrogeological evaluations, and navigability assessments. Stream crossing design reports, horizontal directional drilling design reports, compensation plans, Environmental Protection Plans, regulatory notifications (Alberta Environment, Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada), consultation, applications and contingency plans are prepared to ensure all components of the watercourse crossing are completed prior to construction. As an addition to the overall environmental program, RCS promotes monitoring and inspection during and post-construction. Through continuing education, RCS takes pride in developing and executing the most current hands-on bioremediation solutions of stream beds and banks, and in improving fish habitat for existing species and those historically known to have been present.

Heritage Resources

RCS recognizes that Alberta’s and Saskatchewan’s rich and diverse archaeological, paleontologicial and historical resources may be under increasing pressures due to development. These resources are nonrenewable and should be preserved for future generations. Conservation of heritage resources is possible if they are identified and protected by appropriately designed assessments. If a known heritage resource is within the vicinity of a proposed development, RCS ensures that regulatory compliance is adhered to (Historical Resources Act clearance) through Historical Resources Impact Assessments or Overviews conducted prior to development.

Environmental Inspection

RCS encourages development companies to conduct environmental inspection during construction of a project. In doing so, critical environmental conditions identified during the planning phase, regulatory requirements and/or the client’s commitment to environmental protection are protected and/or mitigated during construction and following completion. Environmental inspectors at RCS often act as liaisons between companies, regulators, contractors, landowners, and occupants by facilitating consultation between groups during construction.

Research and Monitoring

The Oil and Gas sector and agriculture industry are developing stronger commitments to environmental protection. As a part of that commitment, research and monitoring programs have become increasingly important. Over the past eleven years RCS has been involved in the development of these types of research studies including, ecologically sound pipeline construction methods, soils handling, construction activities, reclamation strategies, industry spills, wildlife enhancement, water quality monitoring and exotic grass species management. As such, research programs at RCS have evolved to be ecologically based and academically sound to meet client needs, and if necessary, regulatory requirements.

Vegetation and Range Resource Inventories

RCS conducts vegetation and range resource inventories (VRRIs) for our agriculture clients, private landowners and non-government agencies. VRRIs incorporate the most up-to-date survey criteria establishing range and riparian condition and health with specific rangeland management objectives. RCS has taken part in the completion of hundreds of VRRIs on private and Crown land holdings in southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan, including the three Cypress Hills InterProvincial Parks.

Extension (workshops for the Oil and Gas Industry)

Extension workshops associated with environmental planning of linear developments, watercourse pipeline crossings and watercourse regulatory planning are available free of charge to Oil and Gas companies. Workshops generally take 45 minutes and can easily be conducted over lunch. RCS brings to these workshops years of experience and proven environmental planning strategies which are shared with confidence and pride.