Urban tree researcher awarded 2025 Viking Bursary
Aakash Basi is a PhD candidate in Physical Geography. His project titled: "Development of neosoils for ecological remediation of legacy pollutants" will receive £2,000 from the RFS bursary.
Aakash Basi of the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) has been awarded the RFS Viking Bursary, a £2,000 grant that will support his PhD research on the management of urban trees and woodlands.
Specifically, the project investigates how trees and woodlands can enhance phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils while simultaneously supporting soil microbial biodiversity.
Aakash commented: “There is increasing recognition of the social-ecological importance of small urban green spaces and the role that small urban forests play in enhancing our cities and towns whilst mitigating the negative environmental effects of pollution and urban heat islands.
“However, many of our small urban spaces that could be utilised for urban forestry suffer from legacy pollution from industrialisation. Traditional remediation methods, such as soil washing and chelate-assisted extraction, while effective, are costly, disruptive and often reduce microbial diversity through chemical disturbance. In contrast, phytoremediation offers a low-impact, sustainable alternative more suitable for integration into woodland and forest edge and urban green space management.”
The project will use greenhouse trials to assess the effectiveness of Salix spp. (willow) to remediate heavy metal contamination in combination with known hyperaccumulators in mixed planting systems. Key metrics include plant growth, changes in soil microbial diversity, root exudate analysis and the uptake and residual levels of heavy metals in both soil and plant tissues. The trials will compare multi-species systems to monoculture systems, aiming to understand the interactions between plant diversity, soil health and pollutant remediation.
A particular focus will be placed on how Salix species, known for their rapid growth, tolerance to poor soils and ecological compatibility with UK woodlands, can be strategically used in urban forestry planting schemes. The project explores how integrating these species into brownfield sites, especially those impacted by past industrial land use or mining, could support ecological restoration goals while delivering environmental services.
Aakash added: “I am incredibly grateful for this funding support, which will allow me to explore innovative, sustainable approaches to remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils using urban trees and mixed planting systems. The Viking Bursary will provide a vital opportunity to deepen our understanding of how urban forestry can not only restore polluted landscapes but also support soil biodiversity and long-term ecological resilience in our towns and cities.”
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