Bay-Wise Landscape Management Program Name of audience/group you are presenting to Date Name of Presenter Contact Email (optional) Please feel free to change the title of your presentation. Fill in the name of the group you are presenting to, the date, and your name. Providing a contact email is optional.
Before I begin the presentation, let’s understand exactly who Master Gardeners are and how we fit into the University of Maryland system. The organizational flow chart we’ll walk through represents how the UME Master Gardener program fits into the larger University of Maryland system. The University of Maryland is the state’s flagship land-grant institution. It has 13 different Colleges and Schools. (click to show the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources logo) One college is the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) has three parts: Academics, Research, and Extension. Campus faculty in the College of AGNR spend their time teaching college students (Academics) and conducting Research. Also housed within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is University of Maryland Extension, an outreach branch of the university. (click to show the UME logo) University of Maryland Extension field faculty (and some campus faculty) serve Maryland through outreach and education programs (Extension). University of Maryland Extension has over thirty different outreach and educational programs spanning across Maryland. In order to reach as many people as possible, there is a local Extension office in every county in Maryland. As part of the outrearch efforts, University of Maryland faculty often teach volunteers, who can then share their new knowledge locally in their communities. One volunteer education program where this happens is the UME Master Gardener program. (click to show the UME + MG logo) This program is supported by University of Maryland Extension and its mission is to educate Maryland residents about safe, effective, and sustainable horticultural practices.
UME Master Gardener volunteers are typically involved in projects focusing on one of six main topic areas. Additional focus areas (e.g., Therapeutic Horticulture) do exist. The Bay-Wise Master Gardener program is one of the volunteer training programs administered through University of Maryland Extension. This program focuses on better water and soil quality though smarter gardening. Other Master Gardener programs include: Ask a Master Gardener Plant Clinic: Outreach education about plant and pest problems. Residents get their questions answered at plant clinics typically held at libraries and farmers markets. Grow It Eat It: Teaching and promoting backyard and community food production. This also includes demonstration gardens, Grow It Eat It Preserve It, and produce donations to food banks. Pollinators: Education around integrated pest management (IPM), pollinators, and natural enemies. Composting: Also known as "Urban Nutrient Management" which includes education about backyard/community composting, soil testing and improvement, and fertilizer use. Native Plants: Education and project work around native plants and invasive plants. Extension is also well known for some of it’s other premier volunteer training programs, including the Maryland Master Naturalists and the Maryland 4-H Volunteers.
Resources extension.umd.edu/hgic extension.umd.edu/learn/ask-gardening marylandgrows.umd.edu extension.umd.edu/mg [This slide should be second to last in the presentation to remind/tell people about resources they can use.] RESOURCES The Home & Garden Information Center develops and delivers science-based, sustainable gardening and integrated pest management education for better human and environmental health. Use their free Ask an Expert service to submit a plant or pest question to their Certified Professional Horticulturalists. Follow their blog at marylandgrows.umd.edu. UME Master Gardener volunteers reach thousands of Maryland residents each year with their classes and events. To learn about the classes and events in your area, go to the Master Gardener website and click on Local Programs. You may also be interested in ordering the Maryland Master Gardener Handbook. It has over 600 pages of information covering a wide variety of horticultural topics. Bay-Wise is one of the six main topic areas in the UME Master Gardener program. A number of Master Gardener volunteers teach and promote Bay-Wise best practices. Take a class Get your landscape Bay-Wise certified extension.umd.edu/baywise
[Closing slide] Thank you! Presentation slides originally created by Jon Traunfeld, Extension Specialist, UME; 2014; revised 2/15/15; revised 12/19/16; revised by Beth Bukowski 01/18/2018; revised by Alicia Bembenek 01/25/18, 3/30/18