by Nicholas Patrinos
Times Photo EditorWhat the heck is phytoremediation? According to Lou Licht, the owner of Ecolotree of North Liberty, Iowa, “It is the use of plants in engineered systems on regulated sites to speed contamination capture or clean up.”

In November, at the MATC Oak Creek Campus parking L-Lot, 20 donated poplar trees were planted to demonstrate the ecological ability to clean and rejuvenate the soil, says Student Services Vice President Theresa Barry.

“The trees do the work,” says Licht. “The poplar trees can cleanup brownfields, contaminated fuel spills, arsenic and other chemicals.

Contaminated soils in these sites have been cleaned, which makes them able to be enjoyed.

This again helps to clean the air and stops the spread of contamination and pollutants in groundwaters. The poplar trees grow extremely fast,” Licht explains.

The trees were planted by Lou Licht of Ecolotree with the help of volunteers, led by Oak Creek Vice President John Stilp.

Dan Clark, Steve Frankiewicz and Dan Flakowski were among those helping get the young trees in the ground.

For more information, go to the website Ecolotree.com.