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- Author or Editor: Kathleen C. Ruppert x
Most college professors spend little time helping youth (kindergarten to 12th grade) learn about horticulture, and the elementary and secondary schools seem to have created a dividing line between scientific concepts and practical life-long skills. Biology classes continue to emphasize the chemical processes of photosynthesis and deemphasize the nurturing, caring, dependability, responsibility, sense of accomplishment, and other life-long skills that can be obtained from growing plants. However, retail garden centers and chain stores are increasingly offering books and supplies on gardening and related activities for children. Seed companies market and package seeds just for children. Botanical gardens and arboretums are including youth horticultural activities as part of their on-going educational programs. The involvement of university educators in horticultural youth education can assist the “trickle up” theory to the parents of children along with affecting future voters. Take the first step to see what classroom horticultural materials are available in your state. Currently many teachers have an interest in learning more about horticulture but need educational materials. In addition, there is a large number of volunteers interested in this endeavor. Do your part and help develop accurate horticultural materials for these instructors to use in formal and informal educational settings.
The Master Gardener Program in Florida began in 1979 with the three pilot counties of Brevard, Dade and Manatee. Today, 48 of the state's 67 counties manage this volunteer program. Data will be reported as to how many volunteers have been trained and the hours they volunteered each year, along with the percentage of time agents or program assistants estimate they devoted to the program each year since 1989. The activities of the volunteers for each year will also be depicted. These indicate a change in need by county agents over the years for the services of their volunteers.
In his State of the Union Address (1990), President Bush proposed planting a billion trees annually for the next 10 years. Organizations such as Global ReLeaf are planning to plant 400 to 600 million trees by the year 2000. A review of science education periodicals and general information available on tree planting and care reveal little directed to children. Science education tends to focus on the nature, not the handling of trees, and where planting ideas are suggested, they tend to be about growing trees from seed. To determine the level of landscape tree care knowledge of 4th–6th graders, a questionnaire addressing how trees grow, site and tree selection, proper planting, and other areas was administered by 4-H agents and Univ. of Florida students throughout the state during five camps, involving 211 children during the summer of 1995. The questionnaire was revised with additional topics such as irrigation and mulching added and administered during three 4-H camps involving 77 4th–6th graders. Answers to these questionnaires were used to develop materials targeted for this age group and their teachers.
The Florida Master Gardener program volunteered more than 730,865 service hours to the Florida Cooperative Extension Service from 1991 through 1996, valued as a net in-kind donation of $4,615,395. Started in 1979, this program has grown consistently, affecting Floridians in all walks of life. Agents in 47 counties devoted an average of 29% of their time to capitalize on this volunteer knowledge and expertise. An overview of Florida's Master Gardener program provides a synopsis of the many components that make this volunteer program a success including past trends and current areas of review to prepare the program for the next millennium.