The Carbon Project

As climate change accelerates and the health of our land and communities hangs in the balance, composting and soil regeneration can be powerful entry points for change. The Carbon Project was designed to nurture communities of practice in composting and land stewardship, fostering not just better soil, but stronger local networks, scientific insight, and durable pathways to resilience.

 

A Growing Movement for Living Soils
Adapted from the pioneering Marin Carbon Project, the Carbon Project strengthens communities of practice across California and the western U.S. — connecting ranchers, farmers, Indigenous leaders, educators, scientists, and advocates with the tools they need to build living soil systems.

Through this support, communities of practice are able to:

• Develop and implement soil health strategies that work for their context
• Access matching funds and technical guidance
• Coordinate across organizations and regions
• Cultivate local economic and environmental health
• Shape policies and narratives around land, carbon, and climate

Whether in rangelands or schoolyards, the result is the same: regenerative change that starts in the soil and grows outward, restoring ecosystems and communities in tandem.

 

Why This Matters
In arid and semi-arid landscapes, organic matter is disappearing from the soil while synthetic inputs and extractive practices continue to harm people and the planet. Compost is a low-cost, high-impact intervention that can:

1. Restore soil carbon and fertility
2. Improve water retention and drought resilience
3. Reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers
4. Support microbial health and long-term soil function
5. Create local jobs and build circular economies

When matched with knowledge, support, and relationships, compost becomes a force for long-term regeneration.

 

Fueling Long-Term Change
The Carbon Project was made possible by the foundational generosity of the Jena & Michael King Foundation, and sustained by visionary donors including:

• John Wick & Peggy Rathmann
• The Rathmann Family Foundation
• One Earth
• The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
• Rahr Foundation
• Community Foundation for San Benito County
• Mental Wellness Foundation