The National Capital Region Organics Task Force is a group of government, public interest, institutional and business representatives working to expand recovery, full capture and utilization of organic materials in the metropolitan Washington, DC region.
The Task Force is chaired by:
- Brenda Platt, Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR)
- John Snarr, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)
The Task Force meets quarterly. To view agendas, presentations, and other documents from past meetings click the following MWCOG Webpage.
To join the Task Force: please contact Brenda Platt at [email protected].
Current Initiatives:
- Development of a Regional Master Composter Training Program: Under ILSR’s leadership, the Task Force supports the development of a Master Composter Training Program in the DC Metropolitan Area. The Task Force embraced the idea of developing a training program following its September 24, 2012 meeting, which featured presentations from other model programs throughout the country. Since then ILSR has been identifying model Master Composter programs around the country and soliciting information to determine the best features of the best programs. ILSR and ECO City Farms have developed a partnership to create a regional “train-the-trainer” program, Neighborhood Soil Rebuilders. If you are interested in supporting the project, please contact Linda Bilsens at [email protected].
- Promoting Compost-Amended Soils and Compost Related Products as Stormwater Management and Erosion Control Best Management Practices (BMPs): Organic matter is vital to healthy soils and amending soil with compost is the best way to increase the organic matter in soil. The Organics Task Force has agreed to support minimum soil quality and depth standards in Washington, DC and the Chesapeake Bay watershed, based on the Washington state’s Soils for Salmon project. To join an ad hoc committee supporting the adoption of policies and standards that promote compost-amended soils as watershed protection, email Linda Bilsens at [email protected].
