Restoring soil and safer traditional foods for the Ramapough community
Building food sovereignty, sustainability and better health in environmentally-impacted Native Americans
This project partners with the Ramapough Lunaape Turtle Clan to clean and rebuild soil and water so families can grow and eat safer, healthier traditional foods to help prevent chronic disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310870 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our team works with Ramapough community members to test and remediate contaminated soil, water, and plants and to revive traditional food-growing practices. We combine local knowledge and scientific testing, teach sustainable farming and food preservation skills, and create culturally meaningful food programs. Health measures like body mass index and blood pressure will be tracked over time while food and environmental samples are monitored for pollutants. The goal is to strengthen food sovereignty, improve nutrition, and reduce pollution‑related health harms in the community.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Ramapough Lunaape Turtle Clan members and nearby Native American families who rely on local land and cultural foods and are concerned about pollution-related health effects.
Not a fit: People who do not live in or use the affected lands or who have no exposure to local environmental contamination are unlikely to see direct benefits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give community members access to safer traditional foods, better nutrition, and lower risk of chronic diseases tied to pollution exposure.
How similar studies have performed: Community-driven environmental remediation and food sovereignty projects have shown promising improvements in diet and wellbeing, but applying these methods to heavily contaminated tribal lands is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zelikoff, Judith Terry — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Zelikoff, Judith Terry
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.