Turning Landscaping Waste Into Useful Resources
Recently, our landscaping team took part in hands-on training on how to use the island’s kilns, led by Cookswell Jikos. Teddy Kinyanjui joined us on Fregate for several days, sharing both knowledge and practical skills on how to safely and effectively operate the systems we use to process landscaping waste.
Fregate operates two different kilns, each with a specific purpose. The larger kiln is used to produce biochar from materials such as coconut husks and garden clippings. Once prepared and charged, the biochar is added to soils to improve water retention, help hold nutrients, and reduce leaching during the wet season. It plays an important role in supporting healthier gardens and landscapes across the island.
The smaller kiln allows us to produce several useful products at different stages of the process. These include charcoal for cooking, wood vinegar used in organic farming as a natural insect deterrent, and tar, which has traditional uses in sealing and protecting wood and other materials. Learning how to manage each stage correctly was a key part of the training.
This practical knowledge helps us make better use of materials that would otherwise go to waste. By turning landscaping by-products into resources for agriculture, maintenance, and future guest-related uses, the kilns support our Waste to Wealth approach and help close the loop on island operations.
Training like this ensures that the systems we have in place are used safely, efficiently, and to their full potential, while continuing to build skills within the island team.
Photos by Aleksandra Kolmaer
