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Master Gardeners reach the community with the information they need
| Name | F. Brian Smith | | Situation | The majority of questions that the Charleston County Extension Office receives is related to lawn care. With approximately 600,000 residents
in the Charleston area, the amount of calls can be overwhelming to a much
reduced Charleston County Extension Staff. The Master Gardener program is a volunteer training program administered by the Clemson University
Cooperative Extension Service. The program is divided into two parts: instruction and service. Volunteers receive at least 40 hours of horticultural training. After successfully completing the instructional program, participants receive the title of "Master Gardener" and are then expected to donate at least 40 hours of service to complete the last part of the program. One of the ways volunteers can get their service hours is by assisting the Extension staff with questions from residents on lawn care. | | Response | Charleston County Master Gardeners answer the vast majority of the questions residents in the Charleston area have. Subjects vary from the way to select the right lawn grass for their landscape, to managing pest responsibly in the home landscape. By offering classes on landscape care,
answering questions at local farmers markets, making presentations to groups and answering home gardening questions by callers to the extension office, Master Gardeners give the residents the information they need. This information helps residents make wise decisions about their landscapes. | | Impact | During the period of April 1, 2004-March 31, 2005, over 100 Master Gardeners volunteered almost 15,000 hours to answer questions and help local residents get the information they needed to manage their landscapes in an environmentally friendly manner. This volunteer effort by Master Gardeners was equal to almost $300,000*. During this time period, the Master Gardeners provided information and answers to over 16,000 area residents. Consequently, the Charleston area residents received a valuable service at minimal cost that could have been a $300,000 tax bill if provided by local or state government staff.
* Derived by multiplying the value of volunteer time as determined by The Independent Sector for 2004. |
Last update5/16/2008
This website is maintained by Amy West.
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