Tackling Soil Contamination With Nature-Based Solutions

Los Angeles County residents and experts are turning to nature-based methods like bioremediation to address long-standing and fire-exacerbated soil contamination without resorting to costly and disruptive removal.

2 minute read

April 28, 2025, 6:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Side view of layers of grass and soil

michal812 / Adobe Stock

In the wake of the Eaton and Palisades wildfires, many Los Angeles residents are grappling with concerns about toxic soil contamination — not just from ash and smoke, but also from decades of industrial, agricultural, and residential pollution. Soil tests conducted by the L.A. Times in various burn areas revealed alarming levels of lead, zinc, and high alkalinity, though results varied widely. Notably, even areas that did not burn showed dangerous levels of heavy metals like lead and arsenic, often lingering from lead-based paints and outdated fertilizers. While scraping away the topsoil is a common remediation method, experts warn it's unsustainable and can destroy the vital layer plants rely on.

As alternatives to excavation, many Angelenos are turning to in-place remediation techniques such as mulching, hugelkultur, and phytoremediation — using fungi, minerals like zeolite, and toxin-absorbing plants like sunflowers and corn. Landscape designers Shawn Maestretti and Leigh Adams, both of whom lost homes in the Eaton Fire, are leading by example, nurturing their fire-scorched landscapes through decades-old soil-building techniques. Community groups like Plant Community have also implemented sheet mulching and raised beds in South L.A., allowing formerly incarcerated individuals to safely grow food and reconnect with nature despite elevated soil toxins.

Environmental toxicologist Danielle Stevenson, who leads the nonprofit Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation, is helping drive this shift by training residents in bioremediation practices that detoxify soil without removing it. She emphasizes the need for sustainable, community-led strategies to address widespread contamination, noting that removing soil often just moves the problem rather than solving it. By layering mulch, adding absorbent minerals, and cultivating specific plant species, communities are proving that even the most polluted soil can be transformed — not discarded — in the pursuit of healthier ecosystems and environmental justice.

Thursday, April 24, 2025 in Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

Aerial view of Albuquerque, New Mexico at sunset.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico

An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

May 16 - Source NM

Close-up on white bike helmet lying on pavement with blurred red bike on its side in background abd black car visible behind it.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes

Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

May 16 - Wood TV 8

Muni bus on red painted bus-only lane in downtown San Francisco, California.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels

Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.

May 16 - Mass Transit