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Impact Report

For plan Plant Management Systems: Urban Horticulture (Sandoval County)
Date October 7, 2009, 10:22 pm
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report SUMMARY 2009 Sandoval County trained volunteer Master Gardeners have provided science-based horticultural education and information to citizens. Today a network of over 100 volunteers provide advice on practices that help protect the environment and foster community stewardship. The Agent needed to respond to the growing number of requests from the urban and suburban public for advice and information on home gardens and landscapes. Extension created the Master Gardener Program to utilize university-trained volunteers as field educators. Volunteers receive between 40 plus hours of specialized horticultural education from NMSU specialists and other experts. In return, they volunteer to provide horticultural instruction and answer questions from the public. They also write horticultural articles and columns that appear in local media, including the state's largest newspapers and provide numerous public workshops and seminars. Sandoval County Master Gardener programs are active in the county. There are more than 100 active Master Gardener volunteers working on behalf of Sandoval County, contributing more than 5,000 hours of volunteer effort toward Extension projects and focusing on the following educational priorities: 1) water conservation, 2) protection of water quality, 3) reduction of the economic and ecological damage by invasive species, 4) increasing the application of sustainable management poractices to home and public landscapes, 5) increasing local knowledge of the economic and ecological value of home and public landscapes and 6) promoting increased health and well-being through gardening. The time contributed by these volunteers is valued at over $100,000. Master Gardener volunteers each give an average of 62 hours of volunteer service during the year, each assisting over 60 people and in total serving over 20,000 people with science-based horticultural information and programs. They also educate over 2,000 children each year. SANDOVAL COUNTY PLANT CLINICS PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE Master Gardener volunteers in Sandoval County work one-on-one with community residents and the green industry to provide assistance with plant problems and treatment recommendations, as well as education on sustainable gardening methods. There is an ongoing need among residents for knowledge about sound horticulture practices such as sustainable landscaping, water conservation and water quality protection, integrated pest management, and control of invasive species. Adoption of these practices by home gardeners can lead to increased economic and ecological value of home and public landscapes and improved health and well-being through horticulture. Many need one-on-one assistance to identify plant problems and obtain treatment recommendations. Commercial pesticide applicators and green industry personnel also use extension staff assistance and Plant Clinic resources. The Sandoval County Master Gardener Plant Clinic provides assistance to community residents and green industry personnel on an individual basis to assist them with gardening problems and provide horticulture education. Clients can access Extension staff, master Gardener Volunteers, and Plant Clinic resources by visiting in person March through October or via phone and email year-round. Plant clinic resources include books, fact sheets, publications and videos on plant identification, pests and diseases, weeds, landscape trees and shrubs, perennials, grasses and groundcovers, native plants, greenhouses, plant propagation, and many other horticulture topics. Services provided include plant and weed identification, plant problem diagnosis, advice on horticulture methods and practices, and pest management recommendations. An average of 200 people use Plant clinic services each year. Clientele visiting the Master Gardener Plant Clinic in 2009 were surveyed for changes in knowledge and practices as a result of information and advice from Extension staff and volunteers. 99 percent reported increased knowledge and horticulture issues and 97 percent reported intent to change gardening practices. SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE GARDENING Master Gardener volunteers in Sandoval County are teaching home horticulturists sustainable landscape practices that help save water and protect the environment. There is an ongoing need among residents for knowledge about sound horticulture practices such as sustainable landscaping, water conservation and water quality protection, integreated pest management, and control of invasive species. Adoption of these practices by home gardeners can lead to increased economic and ecological value of home landscapes and improved health and well-being through horticulture. For some people the preferred method of attaining knowledge is to attend classes. In 2009 a variety of classes covering multiple aspects of home horticculture have been offered by Sandoval County Master Gardeners. Teaching emphasis was placed on water conservation, protection of water quality, reduction of economic and ecological damage by invasive species, increased applicatio of sustainable management practices to home and public landsclapes, increased public awareness of the value of home and public landscapes, and improved health and wellness through gardening. A combination of lecture, demonstrations and hands-on teaching activities were provided. According to evaluations administered at the end of each class, 98 percent of the attendees reported an increase in knowledge, 60 percent reported a personal benefit from the classes, and 98 percent reported an intent to change their gardening practices. Courses included SW Gardening Series; 7 - 2 hour courses Gardening with the Masters - 9 - 1 1/2 hour classes Cabezon Horticulture Series - 6 - 2 hour classes meadowlark Senior Center - 10 - 2 hour classes Urban Tree workshop - 1 - 4 hour class Pruning - 5 - 2 hour classes An average of 500 residents attended classes this past year at each class. Attendees were provided with numerous free handouts and offered the opportunity to get questions answered. SANDOVAL COUNTY WATERWISE DEMONSTRATION GARDEN AWARDED 2009 INTERNATIONAL MASTER GARDENER SEARCH FOR EXCELLENCE AWARD The Sandoval County Extension and Master Gardeners in cooperation with the Rio Rancho WaterWise Demonstration Garden was awarded the 2009 Search for Excellence Award at the International Master Gardener Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada March 23, 2009. The International Master Gardener, Search for Excellence is the recognition program of Master Gardener volunteer work throughout the United States and Canada. Search for Excellence has seven categories in which Master Gardeners can demonstrate their outstanding contributions to their communities. The Award shows that significant learning took place, whether by the Master Gardeners or the general public they were involved with. All volunteer projects done are significant to their communities, but not all are Search for Excellence projects. The Search for Excellence is designed to recognize outstanding group projects, not an individual who does outstanding work. The award was received by Rudy Benavidez, Program Director, Sandoval County Cooperative Extension and Linda Poe, Sandoval County Master Gardener. HGTV PROGRAM FEATURES SANDOVAL COUNTY GARDENING EVENTS The national television program ‘Gardening by the Yard’ hosted by Paul James visited Sandoval County and filmed several points of interest. He discovered what he wanted to visit through the Sandoval County Extension website. He contacted the County Agent, came to New Mexico and along with his crew filmed the Rio Rancho WaterWise garden because of the unique garden design. He also selected High County Gardens in Bernalillo, NM because of the xeriscape plants shipped nationwide. He discovered a vineyard and Anasazi Fields Winery which is partly owned and managed by a master gardener. He expressed to the County Agent that he really enjoyed his visit and what he saw in Sandoval County and would like to do a follow-up in the near future. The program aired in May, 2009.