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To determine the phase of remediation the site is in, I visited and took plant inventory. Different types of plants grow during different phases of remediation. According to Philip Jones from the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit in the UK, “You typically start off with a brownfield site that is essentially ground with no soil. Then, lichens and mosses come in and soil is blown in, enabling grasses and then shrubs to come in as the soil gets deeper and then finally get to a tree stage.” Most of the site is capped with concrete or buildings, but plants have started to grow in the cracks. I saw several bushes that were over 8' tall which is an impressive display of the power of nature. The roots of these plants are able to remediate the surrounding soil but are limited to the growing space of the cracks. They are mainly growing in the southern portion of the site where a large building was torn down so there are more breaks in the cap.
This map above depicts the context of the site, the toxins found at dangerous levels, the soil type, and the tree canopy. It should be used to identify plants that can grow in each soil type and treat the toxin(s) found. The tree canopy shows that the southern portion of the site is fairly remediated because the soil is able to support the growth of trees. In areas where plants were growing through the cracks, we can assume the soil in that immediate area is able to support the same type of plant (grass, perennial, etc). It is my hope that this analysis map can aid in and push phytoremediation efforts.
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