Soil Regeneration Resources for Los Angeles Communities

Soils are the critical interface of exchange between humans and Nature. Yet, within the context of urban planning, their impact and importance is desperately undervalued. This dynamic mixture of sand, clay, water, organic matter and untold quadrillions of organisms of every scale makes all terrestrial life possible. In cities, urban soils prevent floods, protect our health, offer the opportunity to farm, attenuate pollutants, and store carbon. Through mismanagement, urban soils become damaged, depleting this integral capacity. However, through research, engagement and implementation, we seek to regenerate urban soils.

The LA Urban Soil Collaborative is a sponsored partnership between TreePeople, Inc, the U.S. Forest Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), and the City of Los Angeles, alongside university partners: University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA), Texas Tech University, and California State University – Los Angeles, with the goal of regenerating the soil resources of Los Angeles through research, development of scalable best management practices, and community engagement in order to realize a more ecologically and socially productive future.