Soils in Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens Challenge: Growing food in degraded urban soil...
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Soils in Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens Challenge: Growing food in degraded urban soil Healthy soil is fundamental to agriculture. For there to
Soils in Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens Challenge:
Growing food in degraded urban soil Healthy soil is fundamental to
agriculture. For there to be significant improvements in access to
healthy food through urban agriculture soils must be productive.
Urban agriculture often takes place on a small scale and will need
to make use of dense planting techniques which require excellent
soil fertility.
Slide 2
Challenges Healthy soil Urban soil has often been both damaged
and neglected. Urban populations have generally low environmental
literacy and even less understanding about soils. Compaction? Low
Nutrients? Poor Drainage? Contamination? Whats a busy urban dweller
to do?
Slide 3
The single best solution to the problem of urban soil is to Add
Organic Matter (anything that was once alive, containing carbon)
Urban centers generate a wide range of organic residuals that have
potential utility as soil amendments, including: municipal
biosolids yard trimmings and food scraps The single best solution
to the problem of urban soil is to Add Organic Matter (anything
that was once alive, containing carbon) Urban centers generate a
wide range of organic residuals that have potential utility as soil
amendments, including: municipal biosolids yard trimmings and food
scraps Add Organic Matter Urban Residuals
Slide 4
Organic Residuals Annually, each person in the US generates an
average of: 22 dry kg municipal biosolids (treated sewage) 88 kg
yard trimmings and (grass clippings, leaves, etc.) 79 kg food
scraps (NEBRA, 2007; USEPA, 2006) Approximately 50% of the
biosolids, 98% of the food scraps and 45% of the yard trimmings are
currently disposed of or landfilled.
Slide 5
Organic Matter really works to improve urban soil Adding
organic matter: Will support an increase in production for urban
agriculture by increasing available nutrients and building soil
tilth and fertility. Phosphorus is an essential plant nutrient On
left: Beets grown with biosolids On right: Beets grown without
biosolids
Slide 6
Organic Matter really works to improve urban soil Adding
organic matter Will improve how quickly water infiltrates the soil
reducing surface water runoff and allowing water to get to plants.
Also improves the soils ability to hold water
Slide 7
Organic Matter really works to improve urban soil Adding
organic matter: Will store carbon - sequestering carbon in the soil
and providing food for soil microbial communities. This also takes
it out of the atmosphere where we have an excess and puts it back
in the soil where it becomes food for plants.
Slide 8
Besides urban soil: Other benefits to recycling Residuals
Reduces the importation of valuable organic matter from rural areas
Creates sustainable end-uses for urban residuals Many urban
gardeners are new to gardening available soil products will allow
gardeners to have greater success.
Slide 9
A little background on whats happening in Tacoma TAGRO Class A
biosolids produced by the City of Tacoma. TAGRO has been utilized
by the community for decades. WWTP upgrade in 1991 officially made
the product Class A safe for use with no restrictions Historically,
TAGRO was available in a liquid form for farmland this is still
done but availability is limited Developed dry products beginning
in 1995 Diversified product range in 2004 Program has worked to
build relationships and gain public support creating a market
Slide 10
Community Gardening in Tacoma increasing demand Pink existing
prior to 2008 Yellow new since 2008 The vast majority are using
TAGRO products The combination of urban gardening and urban
residuals is contributing to incredible success for gardeners,
government, and the environment.
Slide 11
Education another incredible opportunity Demand for this
information is exploding There is a window of opportunity to
connect people to their food supply/environment Also an opportunity
to educate people about waste and urban nutrient cycling
Slide 12
What is needed now Investments in Urban residuals and
incredible urban resources that is too often treated as waste and
disposed of. Educational resources made available lack of urban-
appropriate resources about both gardening and residuals Support
from municipal infrastructure for urban agriculture as a productive
use of urban land low cost way to care for vacant land.
Slide 13
Questions? Questions? Comments? Kristen McIvor, PhC Community
Garden Coordinator, Tacoma/Pierce County Cascade Land Conservancy
[email protected] 253.363.1846