In May 2014 SOGA was informed of possible metalloid contamination within the Student Organic Garden’s soil. Summer 2014 interns Owen Duffett, Sara Cate Jones, and Deanna Oganesian diligently worked to understand the nature of this contamination and whether or not the garden was safe for volunteers.
A huge thank you goes to Professor Céline Pallud, graduate student Sarick Matzen and several others who helped us along the way! With the help of these wonderful people, SOGA interns found that after a few changes to cultivation procedures and safety protocol the garden is safe for students and community members to enter and grow produce!
For an in-depth synopsis of soil and tissue sample results as well as remediation efforts in SOGA Garden, please follow this link.