The sheer scale of urban development is truly astonishing. The above image was taken from Google Earth. The tiny dots near the top and middle are houses.

Most of this landscape is populated by massive distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, and transportation infrastructure. Seeing the scale of this engineered surface at ground level is almost incomprehensible.

This is actually what the heart of America’s economy looks like, and how a significant portion of goods make it to all 333 million people. Just think about how much stuff there is in every store, shopping center, town and so on - these landscapes were inevitable!

Predictably, this landscape contains very little ecology. But if you peel back the surface just a little bit, you’ll find urban soils. They’re hidden under a few inches of concrete, disconnected from the flows and movements of Nature. Instead, water flows off concrete and asphalt into the drain and then into the lined canal, and finally into the ocean, bypassing soil entirely.

But what if we could preserve the commercial utility of this landscape while unlocking the potential of urban soil? The first step involves realizing that such an opportunity even exists.

Gallery

Metabolism of Cities & Soils

Thank you for attending!

Engaging the nuances of built and natural metabolisms as our guides to metabolism repair opportunities for true sustainability, health and wellness for all living beings. 

SOILS: The life-sustaining media of exchanges. The air we breathe, the water we need, the food we eat, the nutrient flow & cycling. 

CITIES: Intake and output of Resources and Waste. The system and hub of economy and market. 

The Symposium is not a Conference, but a Platform for cross-disciplinary sharing and exploration. Soils are our common language, our common denominator. Soils Unite!

This is the 9th Annual Urban Soils Symposium. Our vision is for this Symposium to not be a Conference, but instead a Platform for cross-disciplinary sharing and exploration where Soils are our common language and our common denominator. Each year since 2015, we have continuously strived to realize this vision. The format for this Symposium is intended to be equal parts: informative, collaborative, and experiential.

We continue to explore under the overarching theme of Metabolism of Cities & Soils

This Symposium is for: artists, researchers, environmental professionals, growers, community members, government representatives, citizen scientists, and anyone else who is interested in exploring topics at the intersection of the built and natural environments.

Fri., Nov. 22, 2024
Sat., Nov. 23, 2024

Project Farmhouse
76 E 13th St.
New York, NY 10003

Contributors

  • Rami Abou-Khalil, Architect, Educator; Associate Principal, Skidmore, Owings & Merill LLP (SOM)

    Rami Abou-Khalil

    Architect, Educator; Associate Principal, Skidmore, Owings & Merill LLP (SOM)

  • Journei Bimwala, Clinical Herbalist; Foraging practitioner; Educator; Artist; Founder, Each One Carry One

    Journei Bimwala

    Clinical Herbalist; Foraging practitioner; Educator; Artist; Founder, Each One Carry One

  • Margaret Boozer, Ceramicist; Founder, Red Dirt Studio; Co-Founder & Co-Director, USI Art Extension

    Margaret Boozer

    Ceramicist; Founder, Red Dirt Studio; Co-Founder & Co-Director, USI Art Extension

  • Shalena Brown, Member, Team P.A.C.T; Fellow, Human Impacts Institute

    Shalena Brown

    Member, Team P.A.C.T; Fellow, Human Impacts Institute

  • Julia Cavicchi, Education Director,Rich Earth Institute

    Julia Cavicchi

    Education Director, Rich Earth Institute

  • Ivi Diamantopoulou, Architect, Educator; Principal, New Affiliates

    Ivi Diamantopoulou

    Architect, Educator; Principal, New Affiliates

  • Diana Dushkova, PhD, Senior Researcher, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research − UFZ

    Diana Dushkova, PhD

    Senior Researcher, Helmholtz Centre
    for Environmental Research − UFZ

  • Harvey Epstein, Assemblymember, New York State Assembly (74th District)

    Harvey Epstein

    Assemblymember, New York State Assembly (74th District)

  • Vale Espinoza, Photographer; Farmer; Soil Health Advocate; Founder, Chicago Safe Soils Collective; Founder, Suelo Sano Inc. Land + Water Conservationist 

    Vale Espinoza

    Photographer; Farmer; Soil Health Advocate; Founder, Chicago Safe Soils Collective; Founder, Suelo Sano Inc. Land + Water Conservationist 


  • Brian Fath, PhD, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University

    Brian Fath, PhD

    Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University

  • Daniel Fiscus, PhD, Sustainability Scientist, Research Alliance for Regenerative Economics

    Daniel Fiscus, PhD

    Sustainability Scientist,
    Research Alliance for Regenerative Economics

  • Greg Kiss, Architect; Managing Principal, Kiss + Cathcart

    Greg Kiss

    Architect; Managing Principal, Kiss + Cathcart

  • Max Lerner, International Sustainability Practitioner; Founder, Environmental Time Travel Project, Executive Director and Founder, GROW Externships

    Max Lerner

    International Sustainability Practitioner; Founder, Environmental Time Travel Project, Executive Director and Founder, GROW Externships

  • Lucinda Li, PhD, Environmental Engineer, Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell University

    Lucinda Li, PhD

    Environmental Engineer, Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell University

  • Paul S. Mankiewicz, PhD, Co-Founder, NYC Urban Soils Institute; Founder, The Gaia Institute; Chief Scientist / Co-Founder, Leaf Island

    Paul S. Mankiewicz, PhD

    Co-Founder, NYC Urban Soils Institute; Founder, The Gaia Institute; Chief Scientist / Co-Founder, Leaf Island

  • Camila A. Morales, Artist, Designer, Educator; Co-Founder, Buena Onda Art Collective

    Camila A. Morales

    Artist, Designer, Educator; Co-Founder, Buena Onda Art Collective

  • Donald Parizek, Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS

    Donald Parizek

    Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS

  • Mike Rezny, Assistant Director, Green Space, GrowNYC

    Mike Rezny

    Assistant Director, Green Space, GrowNYC

  • Randy Riddle, Soil Scientist; MLRA Soil Survey Office Leader, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS)

    Randy Riddle

    Soil Scientist; MLRA Soil Survey Office Leader, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS)

  • Gisela Sanders-Alcántara, Producer; Educator; Disability Activist

    Gisela Sanders-Alcántara

    Producer; Educator; Disability Activist

  • Samuel S. T. Pressman, Holistic Landscape Designer, Builder, Educator; Founder, Samuel's Food Gardens

    Samuel S. T. Pressman

    Holistic Landscape Designer, Builder, Educator; Founder, Samuel's Food Gardens

  • Tatiana Schreiber, Social Research Director, Rich Earth Institute

    Tatiana Schreiber

    Social Research Director, Rich Earth Institute

  • Richard Shaw, PhD, State Soil Scientist (ret.), USDA-NRCS

    Richard Shaw, PhD

    State Soil Scientist (ret.), USDA-NRCS

  • Jason Smith, Director - Northern Manhattan Parks, New York Restoration Project

    Jason Smith

    Director - Northern Manhattan Parks, New York Restoration Project

  • Susan L. Smith, PhD, Artist, Educator;  Associate Professor of Research, University of Maine, Co-Director, USI Art Extension

    Susan L. Smith, PhD

    Artist, Educator;
    Associate Professor of Research
    , University of Maine, Co-Director, USI Art Extension

  • Shino Tanikawa, Executive Director, NYC Soil & Water Conservation District; Co-Founder, Urban Soils Institute

    Shino Tanikawa

    Executive Director, NYC Soil & Water Conservation District; Co-Founder, Urban Soils Institute

  • Marina Tsaplina, Interdisciplinary Eco-Puppetry Artist; Writer; Scholar; Artist-in-Resident, Henry Ford Health

    Marina Tsaplina

    Interdisciplinary Eco-Puppetry Artist; Writer; Scholar; Artist-in-Resident, Henry Ford Health

  • Jim Turenne, Assistant State Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS

    Assistant State Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS

  • Daniel C. Walsh, PhD, Founding Director, NYC Mayor's Office of Environmental Remediation; Founder, Clean Soil Bank, NYC Voluntary Cleanup Program and NYC Green Property Certification Program

    Daniel C. Walsh, PhD

    Founding Director, NYC Mayor's Office of Environmental Remediation;
    Founder, Clean Soil Bank, NYC Voluntary Cleanup Program and NYC Green Property Certification Program

  • Lauren Wilson, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, New York Restoration Project

    Lauren Wilson

    Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, New York Restoration Project

  • Marion Yuen, Green Infrastructure Professional; President, The MYA Group

    Marion Yuen

    Green Infrastructure Professional; President, The MYA Group

Format & Sessions

Friday, November 22, 2024

  • Opening \\ GrowNYC, USI, RUDN
    Ecosystem Reparation & Urban Metabolism Repair: Fighting Fire with Fire \\ Dan Walsh, PhD
    Challenges for Urban Metabolism Repair: The Path Ahead \\ Dan Walsh, PhD
    Politics of Soil \\ Susan Smith, PhD
    How NYC Can Support Soil Health Through Composting \\ Assemblymember Harvey Epstein

    Session Moderated by George Lozefski

    Urban Soil Survey & Classification + Artesols \\ Randy Riddle + NRCS Team
    3-YR Ecological Transformation @ East Flatbush Rehabilitation Haven \\ Marion Yuen + Sam S. T. Pressman
    Sustainable Urban Metabolism \\ Greg Kiss
    Coastal Zone Survey of Long Island Sound, Part 1 \\ Donald Parizek
    Making the First Ever Map of Manhattan’s Coastal Soils \\ Jason Smith + Lauren Wilson

    Session moderated by Mike Rezny

  • Session consists of 3 blocks, with two workshops happening concurrently during each block. Attendees not interested in either workshop may network in the common area or enjoy lower Manhattan and return later.

    —- Block 1 Choice of one: —-

    [12:45] Living Soils Rising Part 1 \\ Journei Bimwala, Margaret Boozer, Valentine Espinoza, Gisela Sanders, Shino Tanikawa, Marina "Heron" Tsaplina
    Ask Anything Soils Forum & Soils Survey \\ Richard K Shaw, PhD + NRCS Team

    —- Block 2 Choice of one: —-

    Soils Mesocosms: Building and Experimenting to See Soils at Work \\ USI Staff - Register Here
    Exploring RECLAIM - A Collective Game About Resource Recovery from Sanitation Systems \\ Julia Cavicchi + Tatiana Schreiber

    —- Block 3 Choice of one: —-

    Radical Metabolism Repair & Foundations for Sustainability \\ Dan Walsh + Paul Mankiewicz + Max Lerner
    Collaborating the Living Laboratory for the People’s Garden \\ USI Staff + Rich Earth Institute

Saturday, November 23, 2024

  • Opening \\ George Lozefski + USI Team + RUDN
    Metabolism of Soils & Cities \\ Paul Mankiewicz, PhD
    Carbon Stocks in NYC Soils \\ Richard K. Shaw, PhD
    Pee the Change! Urine Nutrient Recycling for Sustainable Food Systems \\ Julia Cavicchi + Tatiana Schreiber + Lucinda Li

    Session moderated by Brian Fath


    Tailored Empowerment Program as a Strategy for Sustainable Transition \\ Diana Dushkova
    ISO SOILS \\ Rami Abou-Khalil + Ivi Diamantopoulou + Syracuse Architecture NYC F24 Cohort
    Rose from Concrete \\ Shalena Brown
    Creating Tangible Progress for Food Sovereignty \\ Max Lerner
    Sedemeditations \\ Camila Morales & Buenda Onda Collective

    Session moderated by George Lozefski

  • Session consists of 3 blocks, with two workshops happening concurrently during each block. Attendees not interested in either workshop may network in the common area or enjoy lower Manhattan and return later.

    —- Block 1 Choice of one: —-

    Living Soils Rising Part 2 \\ Journei Bimwala, Margaret Boozer, Valentine Espinoza, Gisela Sanders, Shino Tanikawa, Marina "Heron" Tsaplina
    Ask Anything Soils Forum & Soils Survey \\ Richard K Shaw, PhD + NRCS Team

    —- Block 2 Choice of one: —-

    Soils Mesocosms: Building and Experimenting to See Soils at Work \\ USI Staff - Register Here
    Listening Session: Human Waste as Fertilizer \\ Julia Cavicchi + Tatiana Schreiber

    —- Block 3 Choice of one: —-

    Radical Metabolism Repair & Foundations for Sustainability \\ Dan Walsh + Paul Mankiewicz + Max Lerner
    Collaborating the Living Lab for the People’s Garden \\ USI Staff + Rich Earth Institute

Interactive Workshop Descriptions

  • Hosted by USI

    Please note that due to the structure of this workshop and space requirements for each participant, advance registration is required. This workshop is free; however, priority will be given to registrants for participation.

    Earth, Sky, and Water. Look and see the intricate structures that Nature designs and constructs in harmony with all living things to provide the ecosystem services needed to sustain Life. Take a look in real time and observe the complexities and interconnectedness of soils. Observe experiments on soil from different types of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to understand how we impact and affect the dynamic biogeochemical functions and parameters created by nature.  Build your own soil ecosystem! Join the mesocosm club, to design experiments and develop learning tools using mesocosms. Bring to life and explore the ecosystem services that are key to sustainability and offer opportunities for metabolism repair. These mesocosms can be built to understand ways to deal with diverse challenges such as the urban waste stream, human health, nutrient quality of food, and food sovereignty. We can only achieve true sustainability when we work in harmony with Nature, tipping the balance of beneficial and non-beneficial creatures towards greater symbiotic relationships that support the health and wellbeing of all life on Earth.

    Please note: This is intended to be a hands-on workshop, but due to logistical challenges, we had to readjust the format and will no longer be creating mesocosms individually. Instead, we will build a number of soils mesocosms for you to work with for the duration of the workshop and teach you how to build your own.

    Participation Requirements:

    • Mandatory sign up for the workshop using this form

    • You no longer have to bring a container - we will distribute pre-made soil mesocosms for you to explore

  • Living Soils Manifesto (Part 1) - Nov. 22

    Living Soils Manifesto (Part 2) - Nov. 23

    PART 1 DESCRIPTION - LIVING SOILS RISING

    On Friday November 22, our goal is to begin developing a multi-vocal, intersectional political poem / manifesto for the soils that will be collectively authored and generated. We won't finish writing Living Soils Rising during these two workshops, but rather will lay the foundational seeds for it. 

    We will be working in small working groups, divided by 4 themes:

    • Disabled ecologies & disability wisdom

    • BIPOC Ancestral knowledges, traumas, wisdom

    • Settler traumas & responsibilities

    • Queer & Trans wisdom

    Please note: We will be starting the Living Soils Rising Friday workshop at the mid-way point of the Symposium lunch hour (12:45 PM). Given the sensitivity of the process, we ask for all participants in these workshops to arrive a few minutes early so that we can collectively begin the process together. Friday's workshop is a smaller group, with a limit of 25 participants. 

    We would love to stay in touch with all contributors as the project grows, and to bring the Living Soils Rising workshops to as many communities as we can. Please be in touch!

    Led by: Journei Bimwala, Margaret Boozer, Valentine Espinoza, Gisela Sanders, Shino Tanikawa, Marina "Heron" Tsaplina

    PART 2 DESCRIPTION: LIVING SOILS RISING

    On Saturday November 23, we will share back the key thoughts, feelings, ideas that took place on Friday, and then we will break-out into shorter working groups (20 minutes) to reflect on what was voiced on Friday. The Saturday group will add new thoughts, dreamings, questions and articulations to the work that took place on Friday, and then we will do 1-minute share-backs to the whole group to close the session. 

    Saturday's workshop will be a larger group gathering for up to 75 people. The small working groups will again be divided by 4 themes:

    • Disabled ecologies & disability wisdom

    • BIPOC Ancestral knowledges, traumas, wisdom

    • Settler traumas & responsibilities

    • Queer & Trans wisdom

    We would love to stay in touch with all contributors as the project grows, and to bring the Living Soils Rising workshops to as many communities as we can. Please be in touch! 

  • Hosted by: Rich Earth Institute; Julia Cavicchi & Tatiana Schreiber

    Workshop participants will team up to play RECLAIM. In this interactive board game, participants will learn about strategies for resource recovery from sanitation while adapting and collaborating with other players. RECLAIM was produced by SLU (the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) via their Sanitation Planning for Alternative Nutrient-recovery Systems (SPANS) project through a co-design process with different stakeholders in both Sweden and Uganda. 


  • Hosted by: Rich Earth Institute; Julia Cavicchi & Tatiana Schreiber

    In this workshop, we will collaborate with participants to explore opportunities to complete the food nutrient cycle in an urban context. Together, we will consider the different pieces of the nutrient network puzzle that must come together to complete the food nutrient cycle. Elements discussed will include farmer partnerships, treatment technology options, permitting pathways, urine collection sources, social/cultural perspectives, and community organizing strategies. 

Past Symposium Event


Dig Deep Soil Pit Workshop
Thursday, October 3, 2024

As part of our first event in the Take Care series and warm-up to the 9th Annual Urban Soils Symposium, we were thrilled to host over 70 participants at the Dig Deep Soil Pit Workshop, held on Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.

As part of their mission, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) is tasked with mapping and describing America’s rich and varied soils and soil pits are the main way to perform this important task, however, few folks actually get the opportunity to see soil scientists in action. We are very grateful to soil scientists Dr. Richard Shaw and Donald Parizek for ‘uncovering’ the unique characteristics of Green-Wood to event participants.

Photo Credit: Gil Lopez; Syracuse School of Architecture

Collaborators

GrowNYC Logo

Privacy Statement: Privacy & Data Statement: When you submit or present your work at an in-person event or virtual event, you agree to allow NYC Urban Soils Institute (USI), and NYC Soil & Water Conservation District to feature your video/presentation/submitted work on the USI website and/or USI YouTube channel and livestream your video/presentation/submitted work if presenting live, unless explicitly requested otherwise. Full authorship credits will be attributed to the presenter and any other entities associated with the creation of the video/presentation/submitted work at the presenter’s behest. Any copyrighted content, including images, audio content and quotes, featured in the video presentation/submitted work is not claimed as property of the NYC Urban Soils Institute, NYC Soil & Water Conservation District, or event collaborators. It is the author’s responsibility to properly source, provide credit, obtain permission for all necessary content featured in their work.

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