Augustin Aguilar, an employee at the UCCE Elkus Ranch Environmental Education Center, has been recognized by the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) with the Nature Champion Award. The award acknowledges Aguilar’s role in building and implementing an Aerobic Static Pile (ASP) composting system at Elkus Ranch.
The ASP composting system was developed to manage the large amounts of manure and bedding produced by the ranch’s animals each week. By using perforated pipes to periodically blow air into the compost pile, this method reduces labor needs because it eliminates regular mechanical turning. Both Augustin Aguilar and Amy Bono, Ranch Coordinator, highlighted that the new system has led to better compost quality.
Funding for this project was made possible through collaboration between Doug Millar, Conservation Technical Advisor at San Mateo RCD, Jack Steinmann from San Mateo County Sustainability, and other partners. The initiative is notable as it is the first project funded under California Assembly Bill 2346. This legislation broadens what local jurisdictions can count toward state requirements for purchasing recovered organic waste products such as compost.
At a ceremony on December 12th, members of San Mateo RCD and staff from UCCE Elkus Ranch gathered to recognize Aguilar’s contributions. According to organizers: “The RCD created the Nature Champion Award to recognize such individuals.”
