Driving Markets through Education and Collaboration

We are thrilled to announce an exciting collaboration between the US Composting Council (USCC) and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). This partnership marks a significant step towards increasing education and awareness of compost within the landscape architect space. The dedication of the USCC's Market Development Committee and USCC Staff have been instrumental in making this collaboration possible.

The USCC's involvement with ASLA will begin with our participation in an ASLA online continuing education event. During this event, we will shed light on compost standards and the fundamentals of compost specification. This webinar aims to provide landscape architects with the knowledge and tools they need to incorporate compost effectively into their projects. We believe this educational opportunity will contribute to the broader mission of the USCC, advancing compost manufacturing, compost utilization, and organics recycling to benefit our members, society, and the environment.

In line with our educational efforts, the learning objectives of the ASLA webinar will help attendees:

1. Comprehend the rationale behind the creation of the STA Program and the effectiveness of the labs that participate in it, representing the development of a national testing initiative.
2. Gain proficiency in the interpretation of compost testing data, as presented on a STA Compost Technical Data Sheet (CTDS).
3. Examine fundamental methodologies and specification language used in the process of specifying compost for in-place soil amendment applications.

This collaboration between the USCC and ASLA is the result of dedication and action items initiated by our Market Development Committee. Our partnership with ASLA will offer unique opportunities for our organization, allowing us to engage directly with ASLA's membership, state chapters, committees, and professional practice networks. Together, we will work on shared initiatives and educational opportunities that provide expertise on compost utilization in landscape architecture.

We eagerly anticipate connecting with landscape architects and allied professionals at the ASLA 2023 Conference on Landscape Architecture. Likewise, we look forward to hosting ASLA members at COMPOST2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. By joining forces with ASLA, we are taking significant strides towards advancing compost utilization in landscape architecture, promoting a more sustainable and equitable world through landscape design.

MDC ASLA subcommittee members are Allison Forstmann, Charles Duprey, Ron Alexander, and Kelly Schoonmaker and Matt Ball.