BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF THE YAVAPAI COUNTY MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM THROUGH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT J. W. Schalau 1 and M. C. Barnes 2 Program Location Yavapai County covers 8,125 sq. miles in north central Arizona with elevations ranging from 1,900 to 8,000 feet. The current population is 209,000 with most people living in one of two population centers (Prescott/ quad-cities and Cottonwood/ Verde Valley). An Extension office serves each area. Program Background Jeff Schalau has been ANR Agent in Yavapai County since July 1998. His programming efforts are evenly divided between horticulture and natural resources. Master Gardener is the cornerstone of the county’s horticulture programming. Mary Barnes has served as the Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator since 2004. She facilitates communication and tracks volunteer service for the Master Gardener Program. The Yavapai County Master Gardener Program offers one training course each year to 40 applicants. The training course alternates between the two county population centers. What Do Master Gardeners Want from the Program? To provide science-based horticultural information that improves the quality of life in their communities To increase their horticultural knowledge and expertise Flexibility in time and types of volunteer service Social interaction and communication structure Recognition for their efforts To have fun while volunteering The Yavapai County Master Gardener Training Course Texts are the California Master Gardener Handbook (hard copy) and the Arizona Master Gardener Manual on-line. Weekly quizzes are given. Topics of the fourteen 3½ hour sessions are: Basic Botany Climate and Soils Water and Irrigation Vegetable Gardening Turf Care and Maintenance Backyard Fruit Tree Care Plant Propagation and Composting Basic Entomology Planting, Staking, and Pruning Plant Diseases Native Plants and Wildfire Defensible Space IPM and Pesticide Safety Landscape Plant Materials Wildlife and Damage Control Certification Requirements 50 hours approved volunteer service within first year 25 hours of approved volunteer service and 6 hours of Continuing Education each subsequent year to maintain certification Volunteer Service Opportunities Office Phone Lines (Prescott and Cottonwood) Public Event Outreach (Farmer’s Markets, Festivals, Garden Fairs, etc.) Conference Planning/Delivery Museum Outreach: Landscape Maintenance and Information Speakers Bureau Edit/Contribute to Monthly Newsletter Officers/Committees in Master Gardener Association Plant Sales/Nursery Events Master Gardener Association Organized in 2001 Monthly Meetings with Continuing Education and Business Meeting Coordinates Recognition, Annual Picnic, School Programs, Projects, and Activities Networking and Socializing Input for Program Planning (serves as Horticulture Program Advisory Board) 2002 – First Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator Appointed (Beverly Emerson) 2003 –Office/Phone Help Line Coordinators Appointed 2004 – Volunteer Projects Committee Established in MGA 2007 – Mentoring Program Established for New Master Gardeners 2008 – Fundraising initiated: Monsoon Madness Yard Sale 1999 – Master Gardener Web Site Created (electronic reporting, newsletters, course applications, and other resources) 2000 – Arizona Highlands Garden Conference Started (a yearly event that now rotates between four Northern Arizona counties) 2001 – Master Gardener Association (MGA) Organized About the Authors 1 Associate Agent, ANR, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Prescott, Arizona E-mail: jschalau@ag.arizona.edu 2 Yavapai County Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator (unpaid position), University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Prescott, Arizona Master Gardeners providing horticultural information at the Prescott Farmer’s Market. 2007 Yavapai County Master Gardener class photo. Website: cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/mastergardener/ Capacity Building Landmarks Results/Discussion Over a ten year period, Yavapai County Master Gardener volunteer hours per year increased by 550%, number of clients served per year increased by 235% and the number of active Master Gardeners increased by 124%. In addition, the value of Master Gardener service to county communities increased by 771% ($24,868 to $216,541/yr). Formalized volunteer coordination was provided by a volunteer coordinator (a volunteer position) and committees within the Association. These were critical to achieving increased volunteer engagement. Through expanded educational opportunities, recognition, and social interaction, Yavapai County Master Gardeners are more likely to remain engaged and provide science-based horticultural information to their communities. Yavapai County Master Gardeners socializing before a Master Gardener Association meeting. Map of Yavapai County showing the two major population centers.

What Do Master Gardeners Want from the Program?

To provide science-based horticultural information that improves the quality of life in their communities

To increase their horticultural knowledge and expertise

Flexibility in time and types of volunteer service

Social interaction and communication structure

Recognition for their efforts

To have fun while volunteering

The Yavapai County Master Gardener Training Course

Texts are the California Master Gardener Handbook (hard copy) and the Arizona Master Gardener Manual on-line. Weekly quizzes are given. Topics of the fourteen 3½ hour sessions are:

Basic Botany

Climate and Soils

Water and Irrigation

Vegetable Gardening

Turf Care and Maintenance

Backyard Fruit Tree Care

Plant Propagation and Composting

Basic Entomology

Planting, Staking, and Pruning

Plant Diseases

Native Plants and Wildfire Defensible Space

IPM and Pesticide Safety

Landscape Plant Materials

Wildlife and Damage Control

Certification Requirements

50 hours approved volunteer service within first year

25 hours of approved volunteer service and 6 hours of Continuing Education each subsequent year to maintain certification

Volunteer Service Opportunities

Office Phone Lines (Prescott and Cottonwood)

Public Event Outreach (Farmer’s Markets, Festivals, Garden Fairs, etc.)

Conference Planning/Delivery

Museum Outreach: Landscape Maintenance and Information

Speakers Bureau

Edit/Contribute to Monthly Newsletter

Officers/Committees in Master Gardener Association

Plant Sales/Nursery Events

Master Gardener Association

Organized in 2001

Monthly Meetings with Continuing Education and Business Meeting

Coordinates Recognition, Annual Picnic, School Programs, Projects, and Activities

Networking and Socializing

Input for Program Planning (serves as Horticulture Program Advisory Board)

2002 – First Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator Appointed (Beverly Emerson)

2003 –Office/Phone Help Line Coordinators Appointed

2004 – Volunteer Projects Committee Established in MGA

2007 – Mentoring Program Established for New Master Gardeners

2008 – Fundraising initiated: Monsoon Madness Yard Sale

1999 – Master Gardener Web Site Created (electronic reporting, newsletters, course applications, and other resources)

2000 – Arizona Highlands Garden Conference Started (a yearly event that now rotates between four Northern Arizona counties)

2001 – Master Gardener Association (MGA) Organized