Healthy Soils for Healthy Communities: A community-based urban soil initiative rooted in Los Angeles

Yujuan Chen, TreePeople, Beverly Hills, CA, Richard Pouyat, Chesapeake Bay Career Consulting, Susan Day, Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Erica L. Wohldmann, California State University, Northridge, Kirsten Schwarz, Departments of Urban Planning & Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, Gordon Rees, California Polytechnic State University, Manny Gonez, Edith de Guzman and Selena Mao, TreePeople, Edith de Guzman and Selena Mao, University of California, Los Angeles

Background/Question/Methods
To better understand and utilize the ecosystem services provided by soils, TreePeople, an environmental nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles (LA), launched the “Healthy Soils for Healthy Communities” Initiative in 2020. As the first phase of the initiative, this project aims to determine the current status of LA County soils, identify soil-related issues and community needs through community consultation and outreach, and provide a framework for future work regarding urban soil research, policy, public education, and community engagement in the region. We conducted online surveys, focus groups, various meetings and events, a review of the literature, and worked with universities, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community groups to achieve these objectives.
Results/Conclusions
In 2016, LA County was covered by 44% bare soil which represents a great opportunity for soil management. However, soil sealing is widespread in LA’s urban areas and LA soils have been highly modified (e.g., 45% human-altered soils in southeastern part of LA County, which coincided with the more heavily populated portions of the county). Among a total of 124 articles, reports, and other literature published between 1903 and 2020 on LA soils, soil properties and soil contamination were the most studied topics. A focus of public health and community concern is the presence of soil lead (Pb) throughout the LA metro region, where Pb concentrations in surface soils increased from 16 mg/kg between 1919 and 1933 to 79 mg/kg between 1967 and 1970. The results of 39 soil samples analyzed from the region suggest localized contamination of soils by several trace metals and relatively high soil pH, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios, and carbon. The main findings of four online surveys include: 1) most residents, educators, policy-makers, and professionals are concerned about soil contamination and pollution; 2) however, only very low percentages of residents (12%) and educators (8%) said that they have tested their soils; 3) the level of interest in soil-related topics is high across the four groups. The cross-cutting themes identified in three focus groups include a need for: 1) accessible and transparent soil data and testing; 2) effective community engagement and streamlined communication that targets underserved communities; and 3) building alliances among community, policy, and science professionals that leverage existing efforts. To address the identified needs, we developed an overall framework for phase two of this initiative, which proposes to establish an overall strategy for a new Los Angeles Urban Soil Collaborative.