Dan Lizmore is the Landscaping Supervisor at the Western Fair District (WFD), where he goes above and beyond by introducing sustainable practices, native plantings, and pollinator-friendly landscapes to the WFD. He started The Wormery in 2020 after seeing the potential to turn the green waste of the WFD into compost that can then be reused on the grounds, as well as in food gardens. This visionary project, born out of Dan’s own passion for gardening and the community, has experienced remarkable growth and has formed valuable partnerships with numerous local organizations, along with 70 tons of food waste being converted into fertilizer every year. Dan and his team are deeply committed to the concept of a circular economy, where they grow, produce, and compost to create a sustainable ecosystem right within the WFD.
At the Wormery, all green waste collected from the WFD is fed to the hardworking worms who play a very important role: transforming green waste into castings, which are highly nutritious for the soil. These castings are used as fertilizer on the WFD grounds and garden beds with great success. Some of these gardens are even run in collaboration with community partners such as Growing Chefs! Ontario! 
They work together to grow produce, which gets donated to people in need within the London community. They also work with Terra Optima Labs, another incubator business located in the Grove to produce Vermichar, a product that is mixed with biochar and turned into a very nutrient rich fertilizer using the Wormery’s worm castings.
Looking ahead, Dan envisions creating stronger partnerships with schools to educate the next generation about agriculture, composting, and sustainable practices. He is also excited to continue building thriving partnerships with other organizations also committed to improving the London community. Dan and the Wormery’s dedication to community engagement and sustainability continues to grow, showing no signs of slowing down!
