The Oil Sands Vegetation Reclamation Committee was formed in November 1996 with the mandate to prepare guidelines on the establishment of forest vegetation (ecosystems) for reclaiming oil sands leases in northeastern Alberta. The Committee focussed on starter vegetation and design criteria for ecosystems that would support primarily commercial forests and secondarily would provide wildlife habitat. In addition, biodiversity was considered an important aspect of reclaimed ecosystems. The guidelines have been based on successful reclamation techniques, and research and monitoring information that were available for the oil sands region at the time of document preparation. As research and monitoring programs continue in the region, new data will be used to update and refine the suggested approaches and techniques every 5 years.