Kate Kennen - Phytoremediation: Pollution Purging Plants!

MHG Meetings

Sponsored By: Metro Hort Group

So you’ve had the soil tested and it’s not good news. Can plants help remediate your site’s contaminants? Cost-effective phytoremediation (phytotechnology) plantings can be effective in mitigating on-site pollutants, but these interactions are complicated. When do they work and when don’t they? What plant species can be used? There is a lot of confusion around what phytotechnology can and cannot accomplish. However, with careful research and planning, integrating this relatively new technology into design work can result in huge financial and environmental benefits. This talk will review the tools to create ‘phyto’ landscapes that enhance environmental conditions. A summary of plant species and example projects will be provided.

Kate Kennen is a landscape architect, and founder of Offshoots, Inc., a Boston, MA award-winning design practice focused on productive planting techniques and phytotechnology consulting. Kate’s recent book, PHYTO: Principles and Resources for Site Remediation and Landscape Design has received national awards and was named one of the top 10 new landscape books by The Dirt in 2015.

Website: http://offshootsinc.com