Ecological Remediation, Fungi & The Aftermath of Urban Fires

EcoJustice Radio

Join us for a conversation with Danielle Stevenson, founder of the Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation, and Maya Elson, co-founder of Radical Mycology, as they delve into the transformative potential of ecological remediation. Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Roughly half a million brownfields, or industrially contaminated sites exist in the United States, about 90,000 of them are in California. Also, we must navigate the legacy of urban fires and the toxic aftermath they leave behind. Danielle and Maya share their insights on using fungi and native plants to heal contaminated environments. In a world increasingly affected by climate change and environmental degradation, this episode serves as a powerful reminder of our capacity for regeneration and the critical role of Indigenous wisdom in guiding our relationship with the land. Fungi and ecological remediation can transform the ecosystem from toxic inheritance to a legacy of health & vitality for all life. For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio RESOURCES Danielle first appeared on EcoJustice Radio in 2021: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/renewing-the-environment-with-mycoremediation/ Environmental Health News, May 13th, 2024, “How fungi could help clean up our biggest toxic messes,” https://www.ehn.org/mycoremediation-fungi-2668186479.html The Guardian, April 12th, 2024, “‘Solar-powered vacuum cleaners’: the native plants that could clean toxic soil,” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/14/native-plants-fungi-soil-bioremediation Dr. Danielle Stevenson [https://www.danielle-stevenson.com] is an environmental toxicologist, applied mycologist and bioremediation innovator with expertise in soil, water and waste remediation. She has led community-academic-government partnerships to develop accessible soil testing programs and devise and implement nature-based cleanup strategies, including plant-fungal remediation models. Currently, she leads R&D on fungal-based plastic degradation while advancing scalable bioremediation solutions for polluted sites [https://caer.earth/]. Maya Elson is a guest instructor at UC Santa Cruz and an MS student at San Jose State University who explores the interplay between fire, fungi, and humans. Maya is a co-founder of Radical Mycology, former Executive Director and Board Member of CoRenewal [http://www.corenewal.org], and founder of MycoPsychology Experiences [http://www.mycopsychology.org]. Maya has led efforts and research on post-fire bioremediation, is the lead investigator of Biome Logs, and is a consultant for post-fire bioremediation efforts in Hawaii, Greece, and Lebanon. Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth. Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt Hosted by Carry Kim Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Episode 256 Photo credit: Adam