Four years ago, Naturcycle launched a research project in Boston to study and optimize our urban agriculture green roof media blend. This multi-year study looked at critical measures for plant health and crop success, like moisture management, pH, and more. A few weeks ago, Naturcycle founder and president Charles Duprey presented on this study at Cities Alive in Brooklyn.
An excerpt from the report:
“Urban and rooftop farming has emerged as a sustainable strategy to meet the growing demand for local, fresh produce in densely populated areas. Green roof media play a critical role in these systems, influencing crop performance, water retention, energy use, and the overall sustainability of urban agriculture. This report presents a collaborative research study between Naturcycle, LLC and the Boston Medical Center (BMC) Rooftop Farm. Established in 2017 by Somerville-based Recover Green Roofs, the BMC Rooftop Farm spans 2,658 square feet and produces more than 30 crop varieties. In addition to supplying fresh produce to patients, cafeterias, the Demonstration Kitchen, and the Preventive Food Pantry, the farm advances BMC’s sustainability goals by reducing stormwater runoff, expanding green space, and lowering energy use, including transportation-related costs. Naturcycle, LLC specializes in compost, engineered soils, and green roof media, with a mission to provide high-quality, sustainable materials that enhance landscapes and green infrastructure projects. The objective of this research project was to evaluate how different green roof media influence crop cultivation and overall system efficiency. By comparing crop yields, soil compaction, soil chemistry, and moisture dynamics across three consecutive trial years, this report provides clear, data-driven insights that underscore the importance of selecting an appropriate growth medium for optimal plant growth in a real-world rooftop farm setting.”
Special thanks to Dr. Tera Lewandowski, Higher Ground Farms, Sara Hastings, Xindy Wu, Lauren Hall MPH, Ben Flanner of Brooklyn Grange and Recover Green Roofs for their participation in making this research project a success.
Previous posts about this study can be found here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
