Old Economy Village will close for the winter season on
Sunday, December 22nd, 2024
Flax-Driven Soil Remediation
2025 Research & Education Project
Cultivating A Greener Future At Old Economy Village
2025 Recipient of the
Sewickley Civic Garden Council Grant
Project Purpose & 2025 Plans
To evaluate the potential utility of historically significant fiber flax as a means of soil remediation and potential to correct nutrient imbalances while providing insights into potential heavy metal pollution to soils at Old Economy Village due to proximal industrial sites.
Launch 2025 educational events through lectures, signage and website page establishment to discuss research, site history and sustainable farming practices.
Prep ground for new transplants following research finalization using sustainable, economical & environmentally friendly practices and advance landscape restoration attempts to create historically significant spaces for community enjoyment.
What is soil remediation?
Soil Remediation is the process of restoring contaminated or degraded soils to a clean and healthy state through various physical, chemical, or biological treatment methods.
The method we're using will attempt to "clean" soil by using plants to absorb and accumulate existing pollutants, essentially "mopping up" the contaminants, by drawing them into the plant tissues and reducing their concentration in the soil. This process is also known as phytoremediation & crop mopping
Why here? Why now?
We are the Steel City. For years, our region has been a major player in steel, iron & coal industries while continuously growing & expanding our urban footprint. Sadly, this very boom that created us has also been tied to pollution of the surrounding land, water & air. Despite many shifts in policy and practice that has reduced some of this contamination, we continue to face numerous risks to our health and witness a decline in our surrounding landscapes. Issues associated with heavy metals, shifts in soil chemistry and reduction of biodiversity will continue to loom in the distance unless we further our understanding on how our history, or present day, actions affect all life.
Stopping the cycle...
That is what we aim to begin in 2025 at Old Economy Village. Using fiber flax, a plant significant to the Harmonists who once tended the land of Old Economy Village and its surroundings, we plan to conduct side-by-side research plot trials as well as gather hard data on existing and future states of soil health that currently affect existing plant life today. Along with this, we have a chance to open our knowledge to the community in both science and history through educational events & accessible information portals.
Event Series & Additional Information Coming Soon!
Get involved in 2025 with The Regenerative Roundtable series!
Join us throughout the 2025 growing season to learn more about our project goals, plant & soil science, local history & more at Old Economy Village. Check back in here in spring before we reopen to the public in April for event dates and additional information on our project!
Immediate questions or information requests may be submitted via email to:
Alexis Evans
Historic Horticulturalist