Making Air
Richmond, Virginia experiences similar detriments to public health and the environment as other urban centers such as vehicle exhaust stifling air quality, the urban heat island effect raising ambient tempera-tures, and stormwater runoff entering local waterways such as the James River. To combat these issues, The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities (PRCF) is turning to a familiar solution: planting trees and other native flora.
It is difficult for plantings to take root in Richmond’s soils, which are made up of a high percentage of clay and prone to compaction. To address these barriers to planting, PRCF is incorporating a novel soil amendment technique developed by the Virginia Department of Forestry and Virginia Tech, which ustilizes two substances known for carbon sequestration: biochar and compost. In addition to the ecological benefits of these substances, their use decreases reliance on conventional topsoil, which can cost 2-3 times as much according to Jamie King, Urban Forest Manager and University Arborist at Virginia Tech.
Biochar is reminiscent of charcoal and retains impressive quantities of water and nutrients due to its high level of absor-bency. There is evidence of a substance similar to biochar, terra preta (meaning ‘black earth’ in Portuguese), having been used for soil amendment in the Amazon River Basin centuries ago. During pyrolysis, the process used to make biochar, carbon from the input biomass is largely captured. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has touted the benefits of producing biochar in Virginia, such as utilizing state forestry waste to produce it, and the creation of green ‘jobs of the future’ provided by two man-ufacturers currently operating in the state. These manufacturers have received direct investment from the state including a cash grant and support from the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
Compost used for plantings in Richmond is largely bought. However, a community compost initiative loosely based on one in Philadelphia utilizes compostables donated by residents for a city-grown supply. Some of this local compost has been combined with biochar for soil amendment in advance of recent plantings.
‘Making Air’ looks at a new use for carbon sequestering substances that both stimulate Virginia’s economy and help combat threats to the urban environment and public health, all while illustrating one city’s move toward climate resilience.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/11eb5918-42f1-49f0-80bc-e4bbfe07b15b/1/1/MAXP2868.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=6c8dcad638f1951e67f1b302fd6a6e67373f1925ef58ae15097006dbe8658edd)
Volunteers at a tree planting event put on by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Richmond's Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities in Jefferson Hill Park, Richmond, VA, October 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,2000,3000,1600,3000/0-0-0/632c619a-3d3f-49ef-a8b4-d0184cc1e021/1/1/MAXP2181.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=58e9798de66b5a6a101a67593aa40f9d15204ab70b442f1132c7e6cd026fbf0a)
Biochar being gathered for soil amendment, Richmond, VA, October 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/cca35ca3-a5c4-48b9-b04d-1a3a8bf0f9a7/1/1/MAXP4750.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=6c8dcad638f1951e67f1b302fd6a6e67373f1925ef58ae15097006dbe8658edd)
Soil beneath a former tennis court at Fonticello Park in the midst of the soil amendment process, Richmond, VA December 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,2000,3000,1600,3000/0-0-0/39cf9db1-5548-4428-88b2-395964377216/1/1/MAXP4798.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=58e9798de66b5a6a101a67593aa40f9d15204ab70b442f1132c7e6cd026fbf0a)
Michael Gee, Arborist and Labor Crew Supervisor with Richmond’s Workforce Development Program poses for a portrait after a day facilitating soil amendment in Fonticello Park, Richmond, VA, December 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/2a402187-06fe-4903-b3fb-3c8922df3ea9/1/1/MAXP3503.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=6c8dcad638f1951e67f1b302fd6a6e67373f1925ef58ae15097006dbe8658edd)
Department of Public Works and Public Utilities employees Samuel Grooms and Jerry Talley organize bins used to collect waste from city residents for The Richmond Compost Initiative at the Wickham Court composting facility, Richmond, VA November 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/65846f17-df20-4e0d-aa38-1b1f722a962a/1/1/MAXP3690.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=6c8dcad638f1951e67f1b302fd6a6e67373f1925ef58ae15097006dbe8658edd)
Waste contributed by city residents to The Richmond Compost Initiative is mixed at the Wickham Court composting Facility, Richmond, VA, November 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,2000,3000,1600,3000/0-0-0/8e2af809-7517-470e-9223-c55cfd08033d/1/1/MAXP3661.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=58e9798de66b5a6a101a67593aa40f9d15204ab70b442f1132c7e6cd026fbf0a)
Mark Davis, owner of Real Roots Food Systems poses for a portrait at the Wickham Court Composting Facility, Richmond, VA November 2023. Davis is contracted by the City of Richmond to direct the The Richmond Compost Initiative which is loosely based on a similar program in Philadelphia.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/e1494693-f76e-4d98-a65c-03d024068eb5/1/1/MAXP3954.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=6c8dcad638f1951e67f1b302fd6a6e67373f1925ef58ae15097006dbe8658edd)
Compost generated by The Richmond Compost Initiative is loaded into a truck at the Wickham Court composting facility for transport to a community garden, Richmond, VA, November 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,2000,3000,1600,3000/0-0-0/63c9cda0-58a3-4819-bd21-d5dab80fe6f9/1/1/MAXP5093.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=58e9798de66b5a6a101a67593aa40f9d15204ab70b442f1132c7e6cd026fbf0a)
Ethan Jones (13), participates in a planting event put on by the Richmond Department of Parks Recreation and Community Facilities, Richmond, VA, December 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,3000,1999,3000,1200/0-0-0/670d5258-9020-4274-bb05-037706cd2037/1/1/DJI_0689.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=9b3dc4108b2abb921dca4d30a0cadcac98c5e3e73227965d30717c95bb15545d)
A community planting event at Fonticello Park on a piece of land formerly home to a tennis court which received the soil amendment protocol developed by The Virginia Department of Frestry and Virginia Tech, Richmond, VA, December 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/b3563c1a-eaa1-4a25-8229-e90f0ff4a0b5/1/1/MAXP3188.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=6c8dcad638f1951e67f1b302fd6a6e67373f1925ef58ae15097006dbe8658edd)
Volunteers plant trees at Canoe Run Park during an event facilitated by Capital Trees, Keep Virginia Beautiful, and the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities, Richmond, VA, October 2023.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/385ec0cc-fc36-40da-ac39-62775d618186/0/0/0/0,0,2000,3000,1600,3000/0-0-0/63d8980c-4985-4981-9b21-0f6c8373fae3/1/1/MAXP2927.jpg?fjkss=exp=2037443907~hmac=58e9798de66b5a6a101a67593aa40f9d15204ab70b442f1132c7e6cd026fbf0a)
A new tree planted during an event put on by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Richmond's Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities in Jefferson Hill Park, Richmond, VA, October 2023.