The Presidio Trust Compost and Regeneration program transforms grass clippings, wood chips, manure, and brush into a replenishing soil amendment that nurtures park landscapes.

The program reduces waste, lowers disposal costs, lessens the use of pesticides, and results in a healthier Presidio. Many program activities are completed at the Presidio Native Plant Nursery, in partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service.

What Do “Compost and Regeneration” Mean?

Composting speeds up nature’s decomposition process for organic debris. It is a form of recycling where nutrients are recycled rather than paper or aluminum. Regeneration means capturing the living vitality in organic waste to create a useful and beneficial substance. Rather than seeing organic debris as waste, it is a resource.

Transforming “Waste”

Working closely with gardening crews, partners, and park tenants, grass clippings from the Presidio Golf Course, horse manure from the Park Police stables, tree trimmings, brush, and weeds that otherwise would have been destined for landfills are transported to the Presidio’s on-site Compost and Regeneration center. Here, the “waste” is transformed into compost, a nourishing soil amendment. More than 3,000 cubic yards of organic debris are diverted from the waste stream and processed on-site each year.

Healthy Park Landscapes

Compost is used throughout the Presidio. It is incorporated in the potting mixture at the Presidio Native Plant Nursery, where more than 60,000 seedlings are grown each year. It nurtures young trees planted as part of Presidio reforestation efforts, replenishes landscapes around homes and workplaces, and heals ball fields.

Presidio Golf Course applies an aqueous solution called “compost tea” to grow healthy greens and reduce pests. Compost has also made it possible to significantly reduce the application of fertilizer and pesticides.

Reaching Out

Through partnerships with the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, children from around the Bay Area participate in sifting, turning, and making compost piles.

The Compost and Regeneration Program serves as a model for other composting programs within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and San Francisco. The program was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with its 2003 Environmental Achievement Award.

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Compost and Regeneration efforts are linked closely with another sustainability initiative – Integrated Pest Management (IPM).