THE UPPER VALLEY SUPER COMPOST PROJECT
Growing Social and Soil Resilience
The Upper Valley Super Compost Project (UVSCP) is an innovative school composting and food systems initiative connecting students, cafeterias, farms, and communities to meaningfully reduce and divert wasted food. We help K-12 schools in the Upper Valley to face their waste, recycle food scraps on site, and become stewards of community soil.
Super Compost systems are collaboratively developed with schools and communities to support effective food scrap recycling, student learning and leadership, real-world problem solving, reinvestment in school staff, and the development of social and soil resilience.
Students are excited about this work and proud of their rural education and leadership. Working collaboratively in this way builds trust, creates relationships across political and cultural differences, and opens conversations about food security, food rescue, climate action,
Schools can participate as both network and non-network members. Individuals can join to volunteer and learn about events and workshops. Visit our Join page for more!
Tending community ground
Super Compost communities extend beyond school grounds and connect students to the social and ecological ecosystem around them.
Embedded by practice in their surrounding communities, our sites support people to address problems together. Making compost, like growing or preparing food together, is an opportunity to transcend political and cultural differences and be neighbors. Super Compost communities are tending this ground and growing ties for a more cooperative future.
Securing healthy soil
Soil health is the superhero of community security. Healthy soil leads to nourishment, food security, and economic stability for communities. When soil is rich and alive, it fosters biodiversity, prevents erosion, and helps retain water, making communities more resilient against floods and droughts. In turn, thriving ecosystems support local economies, stabilize food supply chains, and reduce poverty, increasing our chances to thrive. We are investing in soil to fortify our neighborhoods and a secure future for generations to come.
Replicable by design.
UVSCP is designed with replicability in mind. Our pilot of composting sites at 24 regional schools will develop a toolkit of resources and templates other communities can use to implement similar initiatives elsewhere.
Seeing is Believing
Come see for yourself! Tour a working system and hear from the students, teachers, and volunteers who sustain it. To join an upcoming tour or schedule a visit, email us or visit the UVSCP website. At our website you can also view a 3 minute video featuring UVSCP project director Cat Buxton, a leader in community-based organics management in Vermont.