(Seattle, WA, February 20, 2003) -- At the 2003 Northwest Flower and Garden Show, Edenspace Systems Corporation today announced the results of a homeowner study on use of an unusual arsenic-extracting fern to clean the soil in yards and gardens. More than two dozen volunteers in the Washington, D.C. area participated in the study, which was arranged by the National Capital Area Federation of Garden Clubs (NCAFGC) and Edenspace, with support from the American Horticultural Society (AHS).

Following an introductory meeting in April 2002 at AHS headquarters, each volunteer was given three edenfern™ "Victory" ferns to plant and nurture for the summer. Suggested locations included areas near pressure-treated lumber in decks, fences, and retaining walls. Unsealed lumber can leach arsenic from a preservative called CCA into the surrounding soil. Volunteers sampled soil at the beginning of the study, and sampled the plants in September, to check arsenic levels.

Results were dramatic. While most plants take up only small amounts of arsenic, the study ferns concentrated 48 times as much arsenic as the soil they grew in, with a high of 165. In other words, during a single growing season the average fern cleaned almost fifty times its weight of soil. The twenty-six gardeners achieved these results despite a hot, dry summer in the Washington area that took its toll on local trees and shrubs.

More than 15% of the soil samples had arsenic concentrations above 20 parts per million (ppm), a regulatory guideline in parts of the Washington, D.C. area. The average soil concentration was 12 ppm, with a high of 65 ppm. By way of contrast, the residential soil arsenic limit in Florida is only 0.7 ppm. The soil results indicate that arsenic contamination may be a common environmental challenge in residential yards and gardens.

Arsenic causes cancer, mutations and birth defects and also has been associated with the development of diabetes. The element was once widely used in insecticides in farming, gardening and ranching, and is still used as a component of wood preservatives in lumber and furniture. In some parts of the world, arsenic occurs naturally in groundwater. Decades after arsenic is introduced into the environment, soil concentrations can be greater than 600 mg/kg. Because of its toxicity to humans, farm animals and household pets, the stability of its compounds in soil and groundwater, its once widespread use, and the lack of cost-effective remediation techniques, arsenic today constitutes a significant public health challenge.

Bruce W. Ferguson, Edenspace's president, was pleased with the results of the study. "I'd like to thank AHS and the Garden Club," he said, "and especially the study volunteers, who demonstrated a new way that gardeners can improve health and property values in their neighborhoods."

Dr. H. Marc Cathey, president emeritus of AHS and a member of Edenspace's board of directors, said "Plants play a vital role in cleaning our air, water and soil. Now we're discovering how gardeners can join in."

Betty Mosher, president of the NCAFGC, was instrumental in signing up the study participants. "From the very beginning, our members seemed aware of the significance of this important environmental study and willingly volunteered."

Katy Moss Warner, president of AHS, hosted meetings of the gardeners at AHS's historic River Farm headquarters and has had the ferns planted at River Farm for public display. "This study showcased gardeners as environmental caretakers, "she noted. "It's yet another way that River Farm can serve as an educational model for the American gardener."

The arsenic-extracting capabilities of the edenfern™ were discovered by a team of researchers led by Dr. Lena Ma of the University of Florida, which has patented the discovery. Edenspace has licensed use of the plant from the University to enable cost-effective commercial cleanup of arsenic from soil and water using the fern.

Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Edenspace Systems Corporation is a leader in the use of live plants to improve human health. Its proprietary techniques employ plants to concentrate and remove lead, arsenic, radionuclides, chlorides (salts), hydrocarbons, and other minerals from water and soil. With expertise in plant science, soil science, genetics and agronomy, Edenspace is developing new markets for the restoration and enrichment of our surroundings.

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Note to Editors: For a JPEG photo showing edenfern™ "Victory" growing near pressure-treated lumber, please contact Ms. Zdimal. To learn more about Edenspace Systems Corporation, as well as to review other recent news releases, please visit our web site at www.edenspace.com.