Fostering Community Gardens in An Area With Historic Soil Contamination.

For nearly 100 years, a copper smelter operated near Tacoma, WA, contaminating area soils.  Over the past 20 years, remediation has been conducted, and a variety of public health outreach efforts have educated residents about the health risks of metal-contaminated soils.  This had led to a hyper-aware population that is cognizant of potential dangers, as well as a history of real contamination.  In 2010, the City of Tacoma collaborated with other area partners to promote urban agriculture and community gardens.  Since then, Tacoma has built nearly 30 gardens (many using the City’s Class A biosolids product) with very real benefits for human health and nutrition as well as safe communities.  This presentation will explore the opportunities and challenges of community gardening in a city with both real and perceived soil contamination and some of the factors that have led to success in Tacoma.