2024 Webinar Information:
February 14, 2024, 1 pm (ET)
Plant Blindness
Presenter: Marc Frank, Extension Botanist, UF/IFAS Plant Identification and Information Service University of Florida Herbarium (FLAS) Florida Museum of Natural History
Plant blindness is defined as the failure to notice plants in one’s own environment, and it has multiple environmental and social consequences. Marc will introduce the origins of the theory of plant blindness, the factors which contribute to it, and its implications. We’ll examine the environmental, economic, health, and psycho-social benefits of plants. Lastly, we’ll discuss how we, as Extension faculty, Master Gardener Volunteers, and plant lovers, can help to combat plant blindness.
Speaker: Marc Frank, Extension Botanist, UF/IFAS Plant Identification and Information Service
University of Florida Herbarium (FLAS) Florida Museum of Natural History
Marc completed Florida Master Gardener training in Alachua County in 2002 and earned a M.S. in Horticultural Science from the University of Florida in 2005. From 2000 to 2008 he worked part-time as the Assistant Collection Manager and Extension Botanist at the UF Herbarium. Marc managed the nursery at the Singapore Botanic Gardens from 2008 to 2011, and was a Botanist at the Florida Department of Agriculture from 2011 to 2016. In July 2016, he rejoined the staff of the UF Herbarium to manage the UF/IFAS Plant Identification and Information Service. Marc has a particular interest in horticultural taxonomy—the classification and identification of cultivated plants.
_____________________________________________________________
April 10, 2024, 1 pm (ET)
Empowering Master Gardener Volunteers as Community Educators: Survey Summary and Group Discussion
Presenter: Pamela Hargest, University of Maine
_____________________________________________________________
June 12, 2024, 1 pm (ET)
Media Matters: Harnessing New Channels for Engaging Volunteers and the Community
Presenter: Dr. Jacqueline Aenelle, Assistant Professor, Agricultural Communications and Journalism, Department of Communications and Agricultural Education, Kansas State University
_________________________________________________________________
August 14, 2024, 1 pm (ET)
Gen Z: Getting to Know this Generation as Workers, Community Members, and Volunteers
Presenters: Esther McGinnis, NDSU Extension Horticulturist/Associate Professor, Emily How, NDSU Horticulture Agent, and Rachelle Vettern, NDSU Extension Leadership & Volunteer Development Specialist/Professor
__________________________________________________________________
October 9, 2024, 1 pm (ET)
Translating Evaluation into Practical Behavior Change Strategies: Recap of the EMG Coordinator Conference in Santa Fe that happened end of August
Presenter: Colby Silvert, University of Maryland
___________________________________________________________________
December 11, 2024, 1 pm (ET)
Therapeutic Horticulture
Presenter: Leah Diehl, RLA, HTM, Director of Therapeutic Horticulture, Wilmont Gardens at the College of Medicine University of Florida
____________________________________________________________________
As usual, if you have suggestions for topics, speakers, or you have something to share with the Extension Master Gardener Coordinator group, please reach out to:
Ashley D Bachtel-Bodkins abachtel@umd.edu
Anne Yasalonis anneanne@ufl.edu
____________________________________________________________________
2023 Webinar Information:
February 8, 2023
A conversation about diversity in the Master Gardener Program: What’s working?
Presenter: Vanessa Venturini, Rhode Island Extension
This interactive session will be facilitated by Vanessa Venturini, state coordinator in Rhode Island and member of the National Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion National Committee. Vanessa will share successful strategies from Rhode Island which has been making intentional efforts to diversify Extension Master Gardener volunteers for the past 3 years. The majority of this hour will be spent in a national conversation. Please come ready to with ideas of what’s working (and what’s not!) in your state in terms of diversifying your volunteer base.
Link to recording: https://youtu.be/sEVuOgOcZEg?si=HpIHdqzwm7UZzZoi
_________________________________________________
April 12, 2023
National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) Update (https://consumerhort.org/)
Presenters: Sheri Dorn and Natalie Bumgarner
The last few years have convinced the world that plants really do have an impact on human health and well-being. However, there hasn’t been a cohesive teaching or training curriculum developed to support EMG coordinators in incorporating the benefits of plants into their volunteer intern training or continuing education. Well, the wait is over and we want to introduce you to a training handbook chapter along with off-the-shelf teaching and assessment tools that you can use in synchronous or asynchronous teaching format to engage your new or existing EMG volunteers on the topic of the power of plants and people.
Link to recording: https://youtu.be/gCAxttTHXMU?si=o-X7z394Br6-kYUY
Resources:
Accessing Resources: If you missed the link to access the Connecting People and Plant Resources, use this survey link to register and receive the information. In the resource drive, you’ll find the book chapter, training PPT and script, links and QR codes for tools, and a copy of our PPT from yesterday’s presentation.
Copyright Permission: You may use the PPT and the publication versions with no problem. Please do credit the authors on the publications and PPTs. If you’d like to include the chapter content in any of your host university’s printed publications, you’ll need to get permission from the University of Georgia. Check with your publications department to see if they have a form to use. It is a formal request to use the material. Send forms to Sheri Dorn (sdorn@uga.edu).
_________________________________________________
June 14, 2023
Making the Most Out of Qualtrics: Setting up a Monthly Survey and Communications Tool
Presenter: Alyssa Vinson, UF/IFAS Extension
Learn how to develop a cost-effective communication tool that incorporates informal needs assessment, program marketing and Master Gardener Volunteer appreciation using Qualtrics. In 2022, the Manatee County Residential Horticulture program received over 2,000 individual responses and direct engagements with monthly horticulture content, informing future class formation and providing opportunities to thank Master Gardener Volunteers for their efforts.
Link to recording: https://youtu.be/5rakoC2-9DI?si=OjT01Q3oowJfVCQX
_________________________________________________
August 9, 2023
Microaggressions and Implicit Bias as Barriers
Presenters: Anindita Das (Iowa), Melinda Garcia (Oregon), Shreemoyee Ghosh (Florida), Kayla Oberstadt (Wisconsin), Laura Valencia (Florida), Liliana Vega (California)
Implicit bias is inherently found within all of us. Through interactive discussion in a virtual setting, Extension educators will be guided on the topics of implicit bias and microaggressions by members of the NAE4-HYDP Diversity & Inclusion Working Group. Participants will learn to recognize and address implicit biases and microaggressions.
Link to recording: https://youtu.be/n8h8REKXtEg?si=7PSjsCM23wWNOF3B
Resources:
Take a Test (harvard.edu) is a free assessment that does not require a login or collect personally identifiable information. After the initial landing page, click “I wish to proceed” and the user will find a list of implicit bias assessments they may take.
_________________________________________________
October 11, 2023
Generational Volunteering in Your Workplace and Community
Understanding generational characteristics can assist Extension Master Gardener Coordinators in engaging new community members as volunteers. Learn more about these generations and how to use this knowledge to strengthen your skills when working, learning, and volunteering together. Attendees will participate in activities to design programming and recruitment messaging for these volunteers. We look forward to great group conversation and idea sharing.
Presenter: Rachelle Vettern, ND State University Extension
Rachelle is a Professor and the Leadership and Volunteer Development Specialist for North Dakota State University Extension. In her Extension role, she conducts research and provides education for youth and adults in the areas of leadership, ethics, generations, youth development, and volunteer development. She has enjoyed working with many MGC’s on the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee, in the Achieving the Extension Mission through Volunteers Course, and across ND. In her faculty role, she teaches online classes for the Great Plains IDEA Youth Development master’s program.
Link to recording: https://youtu.be/DQr20eLd0NA?si=wtskwdb20E8c5RhL
Resources:
Achieving the Extension Mission Through Volunteers Course Information:
NDSU Extension Educational Lessons to Further Explore the Generations: (Please feel free to use, just give NDSU Extension credit and let me know how you are using them. Thank you!)
“Who is Generation Z? Getting to Know this Generation as Students, Workers and Community Members?”
Access the Educational Lesson materials here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12Z_AapVWJOvS7ZfK-_ZudCoxceGwWf-i?usp=sharing
“Generational Diversity in the Workplace and Community”
Access the educational lesson materials here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ODol3ho5ysdinFgkPe0VCY7lToh_MyxU?usp=drive_link
_________________________________________________
December 13, 2023
From Reporting to Results: Strategies for Making Your Program’s Reports More Useful
Group Discussion
Are you tired of spending hours collecting data that is just used in annual reporting? Do you struggle to make your program’s reports meaningful and useful for your stakeholders?
Let’s wrap up the year with a group discussion! Using jamboard and open discussion, EMG Coordinators will share and discuss the following topics:
- Capture Impacts by Documenting Meaningful Stories
- How are MGV Coordinators Encouraging/Recognizing Powerful Leaders
- How are we increasing diversity in our MGV program and why does that matter?
