Over 60 per cent of boreal Canada is made up of lakes, rivers, marshes, bogs, fens and swamps: wetland habitats that are an essential component of the boreal forest’s biodiversity.

Biology professor Jan Ciborowski will discuss efforts to rebuild sustainable wetlands in disturbed landscapes such as the postmining landscape of the oilsands region in a free public lecture Wednesday entitled “The Landscape after Oilsands Mining: studying, measuring, protecting, and restoring Alberta's northern wetlands.”

Dr. Ciborowski led a team of scientists from five universities working with six major petroleum companies to study and develop restoration projects. He will discuss the plants and animals living in boreal wetlands, the functioning of wetland food webs and the techniques used to assess the health of wetland communities.

His March 20 lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Canada South Science City, 930 Marion Avenue, as part of the Science Café series. Sponsored by the Faculty of Science, the series offers discussion of important science research for the general public.