Understanding Soil Health: Bioremediation in Urban and Post-Fire Landscapes with Danielle Stevenson- August 11, 2026

Decades of human activity and development can leave behind contaminants that are difficult to see but may affect the health of our soils. This leads to a multitude of common questions: What defines soil health When should we be concerned about contamination? What happens to soil after a wildfire? How does that compare to an urban conflagration? How can fungi help restore damaged soils? What steps can be taken to evaluate risks and create safer outdoor spaces for our homes, families, and communities?

Join environmental toxicologist and applied mycologist Danielle Stevenson for an engaging online conversation about soil contamination, ecological recovery, and the emerging role of mycelium in environmental restoration.

Drawing on her work at the intersection of toxicology, ecology, and fungal science, Stevenson will describe how fungal networks can help break down pollutants and support healthier, more resilient landscapes.

Through real-world examples and current research, attendees will gain a practical understanding of common contaminants found in our urban landscapes. In this webinar, Stevenson will discuss how contamination concerns differ between wildfire-affected areas and urban fire zones, what soil testing can and cannot tell us, and how fungi, plants, and other nature-based approaches may be incorporated into broader restoration and sustainability strategies. Whether you are stewarding a home garden, schoolyard, community space, or landscape recovering from fire, this webinar will provide valuable insights into assessing soil health, understanding contamination risks, and exploring science-based approaches to ecological recovery.

Danielle Stevenson is a multidisciplinary environmental scientist and toxicologist with expertise in bioremediation, fungi, and circular waste management. She holds a PhD in Environmental Toxicology from the University of California Riverside, where her research focused on fungal and plant-based brownfield remediation. Danielle founded D.I.Y. Fungi (2012) and Healing City Soils (2015), and is the Founder & Executive & Scientific Director of the Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation, an LA-based non-profit researching ecological approaches to remediation. As previous Head of R&D for Hiro Technologies, she explored fungal plastic degradation. Danielle serves on the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council's Phytotechnologies team and the Board of Corenewal. 

Learn more about her work here: www.danielle-stevenson.com and https://caer.earth and connect at: linkedin.com/in/danielle-stevenson.


The Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation (CAER) is a nonprofit organization advancing research and implementation of nature-based approaches to contaminated soil, water, and waste cleanup. CAER develops, tests, and deploys ecological remediation approaches that combine fungi, plants, microbes, and community engagement to restore polluted environments while improving environmental and climate health outcomes. Through applied research, pilot projects, workforce development, and public education, CAER works to make effective, accessible, and equitable remediation solutions available to communities disproportionately impacted by pollution.

Funding for this talk made possible in part by Edison International.

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▶ Live Participation & Recording Replay Access: This talk will be held online and recorded. Registered attendees will receive access to a recording of the talk after the live event.