In New York City, there are more than 700 community gardens and urban farms. The recent increase in urban gardening for recreation, education and local food production means that more residents are interacting with soil. However, these gardens may be on properties with a history of soil contamination. To reduce human health risks, understandable and comprehensive soil information needs to be available to gardeners, residents, educators, land managers, and administrators.
Cornell University Cooperative Extension – NYC, Cornell soil scientists, Extension Educators, and New York state and city government agencies have launched a dual research and outreach project that will assess issues of concern and the need for information and education about possible exposure to contaminants in urban soils.
The research portion of the project will quantify the amount and extent of contaminants in urban gardens and other community sites. It will develop soil testing protocols and guidelines for understanding soil results. This project will also evaluate current management strategies and develop ways to address the public’s concerns. Results will help inform public health policies and programs that encourage community-based awareness about the benefits and risks of gardening in urban soils.
Project partners include:
- Cornell University Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences
- Cornell Waste Management Institute
- Cornell University Cooperative Extension-NYC
- NYS Dept. of Health, and
- GreenThumb/NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation.
Accomplishments to Date
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
1) Soil Sampling: From 2008-2011, more than 80 NYC Parks Department GreenThumb gardens were sampled to survey levels of contaminants, including metals such as lead and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and to identify likely sources of contamination. Over 900 soil samples were collected. These sites were representative of the size and spatial distribution of GreenThumb gardens.
2) Field, Greenhouse and Laboratory Experiments: These included field trials of contamination mitigation practices such as use of compost amendments, mulch, barriers and crop selection, and research plots in community gardens to assess uptake of metals and PAHs into vegetable crops.
3) Vegetable Sampling: Nearly 200 vegetable samples were collected from targeted community gardens in NYC. Each vegetable sample was paired with a soil sample to investigate the relationship of soil and vegetable contaminant concentrations for different crop types.
4) Gardener Interviews and Surveys: Through a collaboration with a Cornell graduate student, interviews with GreenThumb gardeners and garden coordinators were conducted in 2010 & 2011, as well as written surveys compiled, totaling more than 150.
5) Chicken Study: Working with Just Food, the project team measured contaminant levels in chicken run soils, as well as lead levels in the eggs of garden-raised chickens.
An Extension Educator cleaning a vegetable sample in Brooklyn |
Community gardeners, scientists & educators prepare a research bed |
An Extension Educator answers a question at “Making Brooklyn Bloom” |
EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
The project team responded to stakeholder-expressed needs for training, information and guidance and reached thousands of gardeners and residents through:
• Conducting multiple workshops, Q&A sessions, discussion forums, conference presentations and science symposia on topics such as soil testing and interpreting results
• Engaging garden organizations and gardeners in site-based research (e.g., paired vegetable/soil sample collection for testing) and education (e.g., “Farmer Field School,” etc.) activities
• Developing numerous print & multimedia resources housed on a publicly-accessible website
Some Best Practices for Healthy Gardening (PDFs of “What Gardeners Can Do: 10 Best Practices for Healthy Gardening” in English and Spanish can be found here)
• Use raised beds
• Add clean soil and compost
• Maintain neutral pH
• Use mulches
• Think crop selection
• Practice good food and personal hygiene
• Keep the dirt outside
Visit the project website for more information: http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/healthysoils.htm
Resources
Project overviews and other resources can be found at the Cornell Waste Management Institute’s (CWMI) website.
Factsheets covering the following topics can be found at this link on the CWMI website:
–Sources and Impacts of Contaminants in Soils
–Guide to Soil Testing and Interpreting Results
–Soil Contaminants and Best Practices for Healthy Gardens
Poster presentation from the 2009 Soils of the Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining, and Military Areas (SUITMA) conference.
Partner organization New York State Dept. of Health’s Healthy Gardening brochure with tips for new and experienced gardeners.
| Select Media Coverage“Lead found in eggs laid by chickens in New York City gardens.” ABC News article. Oct 11, 2012.CALS in the City: “Getting their Hands Dirty.” CALS News. Fall 2011.
“The dirt on urban gardens: Some contamination but help is on the way.” Cornell Chronicle. Dec 16, 2010. |
For questions about soil quality and testing, please go to this link under our FAQs.