Sitka Community Compost Pilot Project

The Sitka Community Compost project has been many years in the making. In 1997, the Sitka Tribe coducted a pilot study to determine the feasibility of processing locally-produced wood chips and fish waste into compost.

The fish procesors in Sitka grind the bones and viscera byproduct and pump it into the Sitka Channel, where it dissipates. Sitka Tribe sought to mix the fish waste with wood chips from a regional wood mill to create compost.

Working with environmental consultant Larry Sasser of E&A Consultants of Bothell, WA, the Tribe settled on aerated static pile technology for composting:

Laying a base of wood chips on the aeration piping.

Totes of whole fish are added to the pile.

Whole fish and wood chips will make compost!

Turning the pile lets off heat and helps homogenize the mixture.

Click Here for More Information on the Sitka Tribe's Fish Waste Composting Project.

Click here to view E&A Consultant's final report on Sitka Tribe of Alaska's Fish Wate Composting Feasibility Project (1.58 M PDF File)

Unfortunately for the project (but good for Sitka), there is no timber being cut locally and no large sawmills, so wood chips would have to be shipped to Sitka at a considerable cost. The Tribe remained interested in composting, however..

In the spring of 2002, we began meeting with a group of Sitkan who were interested in a large scale compost project for a number of reasons. Included in the group were gardeners, recycling advocates, city workers, and compost advocates. They all were interested in seeing something happen on a large scale in Sitka.

This initiative was all we needed to get back to work on compost. We began looking for the two basic neccessities for such a project: a piece of land and a large piece of equipment. The piece of land soon became obvious: there was plenty of room adjacent the Sitka Community Garden at the junior high school. Then, while working with the new city recycling coordinator, we learned of an older-model backhoe that would be perfect for the job. The City planned to sell the machine, but promised to hold onto it while we got our act together.

We finally worked out an arrangement that was acceptable to both the Sitka Tribal Council and the City Assembly. The City leased the backhoe to Sitka Tribe for one dollar per year. This relationship has worked very well and in the Spring of 2004, we gave away about 100 cubic yards of compost to community members. The compost was also used to supplement some of the City's landscaping projects that spring.

Passive aeration through perforated PVC allows more air circulation.

John Deere Backhoe donated by the City of Sitka for composting operations.

Wood chips are mixed with vegetable waste from homes and grocery stores.

Here is about 60 cubic yards of material diverted from the landfill for reuse.

Through public education, we have gotten people enthusiastic about composting their own organic waste. Organic waste comprises somewhere near 30% of America's trash. Somehow, we need tolearn how to reuse this stuff because it does no one any good rotting in a landfill.

In Sitka, about 90% of all household refuse is shipped to a landfill in Eastern Washington state. This is very costly and citizens are eager to reduce the amount of waste shipped off-island. If projects like this one can be developed into full-scale facilities, we can cut costs and create much-needed soil in the process.

Resource Protection Home Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Traditional Foods Program Traditional Territories Project Indian General Assistance Program (GAP) Native American Lands Environental Mitigation Program (NALEMP) Slideshow	The Sitka Community Compost project has been many years in the making. In 1997, the Sitka Tribe coducted a pilot study to determine the feasibility of processing locally-produced wood chips and fish waste into compost. The fish procesors in Sitka grind the bones and viscera byproduct and pump it into the Sitka Channel, where it dissipates. Sitka Tribe sought to mix the fish waste with wood chips from a regional wood mill to create compost. Working with environmental consultant Larry Sasser of E&A Consultants of Bothell, WA, the Tribe settled on aerated static pile technology for composting:
	Laying a base of wood chips on the aeration piping.	Totes of whole fish are added to the pile.
	Laying a base of wood chips on the aeration piping.	Totes of whole fish are added to the pile.

	Whole fish and wood chips will make compost!	Turning the pile lets off heat and helps homogenize the mixture.

	Click Here for More Information on the Sitka Tribe's Fish Waste Composting Project. Click here to view E&A Consultant's final report on Sitka Tribe of Alaska's Fish Wate Composting Feasibility Project (1.58 M PDF File)

	Unfortunately for the project (but good for Sitka), there is no timber being cut locally and no large sawmills, so wood chips would have to be shipped to Sitka at a considerable cost. The Tribe remained interested in composting, however.. In the spring of 2002, we began meeting with a group of Sitkan who were interested in a large scale compost project for a number of reasons. Included in the group were gardeners, recycling advocates, city workers, and compost advocates. They all were interested in seeing something happen on a large scale in Sitka. This initiative was all we needed to get back to work on compost. We began looking for the two basic neccessities for such a project: a piece of land and a large piece of equipment. The piece of land soon became obvious: there was plenty of room adjacent the Sitka Community Garden at the junior high school. Then, while working with the new city recycling coordinator, we learned of an older-model backhoe that would be perfect for the job. The City planned to sell the machine, but promised to hold onto it while we got our act together. We finally worked out an arrangement that was acceptable to both the Sitka Tribal Council and the City Assembly. The City leased the backhoe to Sitka Tribe for one dollar per year. This relationship has worked very well and in the Spring of 2004, we gave away about 100 cubic yards of compost to community members. The compost was also used to supplement some of the City's landscaping projects that spring.

	Passive aeration through perforated PVC allows more air circulation.	John Deere Backhoe donated by the City of Sitka for composting operations.

	Wood chips are mixed with vegetable waste from homes and grocery stores.	Here is about 60 cubic yards of material diverted from the landfill for reuse.

	Through public education, we have gotten people enthusiastic about composting their own organic waste. Organic waste comprises somewhere near 30% of America's trash. Somehow, we need tolearn how to reuse this stuff because it does no one any good rotting in a landfill. In Sitka, about 90% of all household refuse is shipped to a landfill in Eastern Washington state. This is very costly and citizens are eager to reduce the amount of waste shipped off-island. If projects like this one can be developed into full-scale facilities, we can cut costs and create much-needed soil in the process.