Nancy Urban – Urban soils sealing and desealing

Soil sealing is of major concern because of its numerous effects, especially in urban areas. In this context, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement (LSE/UL-INRAE) is engaged in an experimental approach aiming to develop innovative solutions for desealing soils. One of the objectives is to develop sustainable solutions for rehabilitating urban soils and restoring their functional role within urban ecosystems. A practical illustration of this approach can be found in the “Nancy urban” case study, carried out in the Parc Sainte Marie, where several desealing methods are being tested with the aim of restoring the soil functions and their ability to provide ecosystem services.

The study site is located in an urban park in Nancy. Over time, part of the park’s soils have been sealed. To test the ability of desealed soils to revert to a multifunctional state, one of the park’s alleys was desealed in January 2022 (research project DESSERT). Four desealing methods of contrasted intensities are currently being tested and compared to a control natural unsealed soil next to the experimental site.

Objectives

Compare the results of the 4 desealing methods, demonstrate the feasibility or reversing sealed soils to a multi-functional state depending on the future land use

Local focus

Urban soils, (de)sealing, artificialisation, soil functions, ecosystem services, biogeochemical cycles, soil engineering, urban agriculture, urban planning

Media