As part of the 16th @biennaledelyon Grace Denis was invited by Veduta, the program galvanizing links between art, the city, and people through exchanges in fifteen territories across Lyon, to work on the history of local soil and establishment of an urban farm constructed in Pierre-Bénite. Research of predominant agricultural histories revealed two endemic species tethered to the town's history; Batavia, a large leafy lettuce, and a namesake melon. However, an on-site investigation of the prevalence of the two species revealed that they had likely been rendered extinct. What to Keep? Preservations in Pierre-Bénite is an examination of local terroir, ruminating upon urbanization and the subsequent threats it posits to the extinction of local species. What happens when an endemic species goes extinct, and what does this loss signify? How to cope with the loss imbued into increasing urbanization of previously rich agricultural contexts? Local archives provided aerial views of the disintegration of land used for cultivation, conveying an increasing disappearance of arable land, replaced by industrial and urban structures. A report was released exposing toxicity in soils from fluoropolymers, known as forever chemicals for the inability to naturally break down, seeping from a neighboring factory. The report halted consumption of produce onsite, generating a haunting armature of potential abundance. Upon an initial visit, the vision of a terrain saturated with ripe vegetables unavailable for consumption, and rather, watered for testing, prompted reflections on loss tethered to realities of chemical waste, with the garden in a juxtaposed stagnancy. Taking the notion of preservation as a metaphor, the workshops examined the act of preserving as a catalyst to discuss resilience, working in a public kitchen to create a preserve made out of melon, in homage to the lost species. They took the form of convivial research-action, inviting inhabitants to reflect on consumption, culminating in cooking together for the finissage of an exhibition by Veduta and local school, with a menu constructed with local children. Special thanks to Adeline Lepine and all participants.