The Landscape for the Lakes Campaign aims to build awareness about the value and application of compost to improve soil health and function and ultimately to improve downstream water quality. This Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)-funded Campaign uses existing research to build understanding about the use of compost by land-based industries in the state.
The benefits of compost are numerous and varied:
- Improves the soil structure, porosity, and density, thus creating a better plant root environment. Increases infiltration and permeability of heavy soils, thus reducing erosion and runoff.
- Improves water holding capacity, thus reducing water loss and leaching in sandy soils.
- Supplies a variety of macro and micronutrients.
- May control or suppress certain soilborne plant pathogens.
- Supplies significant quantities of organic matter.
- Improves cation exchange capacity of soils and growing media, thus improving their ability to hold nutrients for plant use.
- Supplies beneficial microorganisms to soils and growing media.
- Improves and stabilizes soil pH.
- Can bind and degrade specific pollutants, such as lead in contaminated soils.
- Keeps organic materials in the nutrient cycle.
U.S. Composting Council, 2015
LANDSCAPE FOR THE LAKES RESOURCES
The resources below provide detailed information about the composting process, compost as a soil amendment, the application of compost to rebuild soils, reduce erosion, revegetate the landscape, and much more.
Professional Composters
Professional Users
Residential Users