Education

Leaves - Nature's Treasures program has a strong educational component. The target audience is not limited to property owners, but also includes landscape professionals, property managers, land caretakers and students. A series of free demonstrations will offer residents an opportunity to get hands-on experience shredding and composting leaves. The instructions will be given by the Parks and Recreation grounds maintenance crew and a Master Composter who is a member of the Conservation Commission staff. These workshops will be enhanced with educational presentations regarding the benefits of recycling and reusing leaves.

School Educational Program

An educational program for schools focuses on composting with emphasis on decomposition and nutrient release. Each class learns about recycling in nature and how each student can mimic the process by helping to put together and run a successful compost operation at school and in their backyards. Informative displays in cafeterias encourage them to compost leftovers of fruits and vegetables. Second grade students put together and maintain a worm bin in their classroom. Students learn how to use leftovers to feed the worms. This new responsibility teaches how to recycle food and how nature circulates nutrients.

Fairchild Challenge

Town of Greenwich is an official participant of the Fairchild Challenge national initiatives. The elementary schools students in spring will undertake the "From Leaf to Compost" challenge which will encourage them to research leaf and compost connections and express them through a creative design displayed on a t-shirt, bookmark or a poster.

Property owners will have an opportunity to sign-up individually or jointly with neighbors, for a coaching program run by local graduates of the UCONN Master Composter program. The coaches will follow up with the participants and assist them with problem solving, monitor their efforts and measure progress. In addition, a variety of composting resources will be made widely available including an educational website, YouTube presentations and brochures.