Long‐term impacts of peat‐based soil amendments promote ecological recovery in a boreal forest mine site in northern Ontario, Canada

The mining industry faces significant challenges in restoring mine till to support the recovery of native ecosystems. This study evaluates the long‐term effects of peat‐based and non‐peat soil amendments on vegetation recovery at a boreal forest mine site in northern Ontario, Canada. Using a randomized block design with five replicates, eight soil amendment treatments were applied: Control, Fertilizer, Oats, Peat, Biosolids, Oats + Fertilizer, Peat + Fertilizer, and Peat + Biosolids. Four native woody species—Jack Pine ( Pinus banksiana ), Prairie Willow ( Salix humilis ), White Spruce ( Picea glauca ), and Speckled Alder ( Alnus crispa )—were assessed for survival, height growth, and biodiversity recovery. Data were collected annually over 8 years (2016–2023), with statistical analyses conducted using Cox mixed‐effects models for survival, generalized linear mixed models for height, and linear mixed models for biodiversity indices such as species richness and the Shannon–Wiener index. Results indicate that peat‐based treatments, particularly Peat + Biosolids and Peat + Fertilizer, significantly improved woody species survival, height growth, and biodiversity compared to non‐peat treatments. Jack Pine demonstrated the highest growth, reaching a median height exceeding 200 cm by 2023, followed by White Spruce and Prairie Willow. Peat‐based treatments consistently supported greater species richness and Shannon–Wiener diversity indices over time, highlighting their effectiveness in ecological restoration. These findings provide practical insights for designing sustainable reclamation strategies in boreal forest ecosystems and underscore the critical role of peat‐based amendments in promoting vegetation recovery and biodiversity in reclaimed mine sites.