COS 69-6 - CANCELLED - A critical environmental justice analysis of soil carbon storage by urban farms and gardens in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

Abstract: Urban growers in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN are experiencing the impacts of climate change, such as more frequent droughts interspersed with extremely heavy precipitation events. Many growers are adjusting their cultivation practices to adapt to these impacts of climate change; increasing soil carbon through repeated organic soil amendments, for example, can increase the rate of water infiltration by soil and increase water retention time. Carbon is also an important metric for organizations that fund non-profit and individual growers; funders are often interested in mitigating climate change, with specific interest in projects that increase carbon storage and/or decrease emissions. Within this context, our community-based research team conducted a mixed-methods study to investigate 1) how the effects of urban food cultivation practices on soil carbon compared to other urban land uses, 2) how the method used to quantify soil carbon impacted subsequent results/conclusions, and 3) how practitioners and policymakers interpreted and utilized soil carbon findings.



We conducted a three-year, on-farm study in collaboration with four growers, in which collards were grown under three different treatments, including amending soil with compost, and compared to grass plots. We also collected 200+ soil cores from parks, lawns, and boulevards across Minneapolis/St. Paul. Soil carbon was measured as both percent organic matter and carbon stocks, which accounts for different soil densities. We paired these field studies with a limited meta-review of soil carbon methods and results in prior urban agriculture studies and a critical discourse analysis of city/county urban agriculture and climate change action plans. Drawing on principles of critical environmental justice and feminist data analysis, we engaged in a participatory process with partners to visualize and analyze data.



This study allowed us to explore the impacts of soil carbon on urban farms/gardens, as well as urban land uses more broadly. This work assesses whether our soil carbon measures meet the needs of growers and policymakers when making decisions about growing practices, communicating with funders, and engaging in neighborhood or city climate action planning. It also expands the conversation about carbon beyond fuel and energy, exploring the important contributions of urban soils to carbon cycling. The relationships between soil carbon, ecological processes, and urban planning have implications for the cities we create, especially in the context of broader movements for environmental justice.