Centre for Applied Ecological Remediation

About the Organization

Organization category

Public Charity

Country / State

United States / California

Mission

Nature-Based Remediation
Our mission is to advance research and application of ecological remediation to equitably address pollution, promote public health, provide education and workforce development, and build climate resilience.

Programs or services

Ecological Remediation Research, Applied Ecological Remediation, Education, Workforce Training & Certification, Interweaving Knowledge Systems

Detailed programs

Ecological Remediation of Soils

Furthering research into bioregionally adapted methods and ecologically informed approaches for soil pollution remediation methods to treat heavy metals, organic contaminants, PAHs, TPH, hydrocarbons, VOCs, PFAS/PFOA, and more. Our phytomycoremediation methodology is the result of a first-of-its-kind field implementation study (opens in new tab).

Ecological Remediation of Waters

Furthering research into approaches for water filtration, contaminant sequestration and degradation through biomaterials and whole-ecosystem interventions.

Mycological Research

Researching fungi, their ecosystem roles and relationships, and R&D of various mycoremediation approaches for treatment of soil contamination and water pollution.

Botanical Research

Identifying native phytoaccumulators (opens in new tab), understanding their relationships with fungi, R&D of phytoremediation methods.

Circular Materials Program

Furthering the state-of-the-art of upcycling interventions at multiple stages of fate and transport of hazardous materials.

Community Soil Remediation

We offer free and subsidized soil testing, remediation planning, and implementation support for communities struggling with soil pollution. We’ve partnered with organizations including: Orange County Environmental Justice, Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, Communities for Better Environment, Watts Labor Action Community Action Committee, Neighborship, Laboratory for Indigenous Knowledge Systems, UCLA, USC, Resilient Palisades, DTSC and more.

Post-Fire Remediation of Public Sites

With funding from FireAid, we are implementing ecological remediation to support recovery from the 2025 fires on several public sites.

Residential Post-Fire Remediation

With funding from FireAid, we are offering free full service bioremediation to 50 homes in Altadena and Pacific Palisades to address soil contaminants from the fires.

Ecological Remediation Community Education Programming

We participate in and host educational events, offering accessible and nuanced explanations and toolkits for navigating the complex nature of pollution remediation - guiding participants and community members along a journey of understanding that covers hazard assessment and risk mitigation, the pros and cons of bioremediation approaches, and decision frameworks for finding the best remediation approaches that suit their needs. We then provide education and training around bioremediation methods and an Ecological Remediation approach.

Youth Workforce Development Programs

In partnership with local school districts and environmental organizations including LAUSD and Friends of LA River, we offer a career training program with STEM and Environmental Science, Public Health, and Environmental Toxicology content to high school students and youth.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge

We share knowledge, develop research and application pathways, and build communit

Target Audience

Students, Victims of disaster|,People living in urban areas|, General population

Geographic Focus

United States

Current projects

FireAidLA

For communites affected by the 2025 Southern California fires, CAER will provide soil remediation using myco-and phytoremediation, contaminant testing to confirm remediation progress, remediation lab setup and operations for inoculum production, community education and outreach, workforce training, and related support.

Organization goals

Over the next three years, CAER aims to remediate 100+ contaminated sites, train 500+ youth and community practitioners, expand access to free and low-cost soil testing, publish implementation guidance, and generate field evidence that advances ecological remediation. Over the next decade, we envision ecological remediation becoming widely adopted in practice and public policy, resulting in healthier soils, more people engaged in restoration work in their communities, and fewer families living near unaddressed contamination. We evaluate environmental outcomes through contaminant reduction, soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem recovery; workforce outcomes through participation, certifications, and career pathways; and systems-level outcomes through publications, partnerships, policy engagement, and replication of our model. Ongoing research and community relationships inform how we refine our programs, and continuous evaluation strengthens the evidence base for the entire field.

Leadership

Executive Director & Founder: Danielle Stevenson, PhD
Operations Manage & Co-founder: Shanhuan Manton
Lab & Field Manager, Co-Founder: James Oliver

Strategic priorities

Over the next three years, CAER aims to remediate 100+ contaminated sites, train 500+ youth and community practitioners, expand access to free and low-cost soil testing, publish implementation guidance, and generate field evidence that advances ecological remediation.

Funding Needs

Grant categories you're seeking

Climate Change, Disaster Relief, Environment and Conservation, Farming and Agriculture, Operating Support, Research and Evaluation, Workforce

Funding needs

Grants, major gifts, and individual donors for research, programs, and general operations in order to retain talent and increase capacity.

Impact & Recognition

Success stories

In under two years, we launched 60+ field pilots, began free post-fire programs for 50+ residential and public sites, and trained 150+ youth and local practitioners.

Major funders

1. FireAid/ Annenberg Foundation
2. UCLA Urban Soils Social Impact Collaborative
3. GreaterGood

Partnerships & Collaborations

Physicians for Social Responsibility LA, Communities for a Better Environment, Friends of the LA River, UCLA, UC Irvine, LA County Parks, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, the Laboratory for Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Orange County Environmental Justice

Website & Social Media