Nov 21: Three Rivers Urban Soil Symposium

Join nationally acclaimed experts, professionals and community practicioners for an exploration of urban soils and their relation to agriculture, stormwater management, habitat and climate.

The second annual Three Rivers Urban Soils Symposium (TRUSS) brings together community leaders, researchers, scientists, students, policy makers and anyone interested in Pittsburgh’s soil conditions to discuss the state of urban soils and their interconnectedness to public health, urban agriculture, stormwater management and climate.  Speakers will explore how urban soils relate to many other environmental factors, such as agriculture, stormwater management, trees and parks, and climate change.  Community and residential concerns will also be addressed.

Symposium presenters include nationally acclaimed experts in addition to the research- and community-based efforts of regional academics, students and professionals, with speakers from institutions as diverse as the Rodale Institute, Heritage Farms, the EPA, the New York City Composting Program and several other universities and nonprofits.

In Pittsburgh, as in other post-industrial cities, understanding both the limitations and potential of urban soils is essential to address current and future environmental challenges. According to the United Nations, it's estimated that nearly 90% of America’s population will reside in urbanized areas by 2050. The challenges they will face are prominently represented here in Allegheny County. The Symposium will connect people across a broad range of disciplines and experiences to fully understand and evaluate these issues, fostering a new level of awareness, understanding and engagement that will benefit our region and beyond.

8:15 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Phipps Conservatory, followed by a reception from 5 – 6:30 p.m. with refreshments provided by Great Lakes Brewing (beer) and A Few Bad Apples (cider).  TRUSS is organized by Phipps Conservatory, Allegheny County Conservation District, and members of the Pittsburgh Urban Soils Working Group.  For more information and to register ($45), please click here.  Full and partial scholarships are available by applying to the Pittsburgh Urban Growers Professional Development Scholarship

Speaker bios and additional presentation information are here;  to participate in the poster session, please submit your abstract here.