Urban soil assessment and reuse as planting medium, James Urban

There is nothing more important than soil to the success of plantings in urban landscapes. Urban sites, and thus urban soil, make up a large part of the work of landscape architects – yet the analysis of urban soils is often ignored except as part of ageotechnical engineer’s report on its structural capability. Too often it is assumed that there is no soil of value; urban soil analysis is too difficult or mpossible; and that if a better planting medium is
needed then it is probably best to buy it.
This approach has led us to ignore a sustainable asset present on many projects. But there are often usable soil resources at many urban sites; it can be assessed; and with minimum effort, can often be reused as viable planting medium.
This workshop will teach practitioners a new approach to assessing and using urban soils and will present the protocols to analyze and use this sustainable resource. The workshop will include ahands-on introduction to the tools and principles required