Master Gardeners Kick-Off Training at the Botanical Gardens

An enthusiastic class of 29 prospective Master Gardeners gathered at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens (MCBG) last Thursday to kick off the county’s annual training.

Trainees from Fort Bragg, Mendocino, Albion and Little River and as far away as Dos Rios, Willits, Calpella, Redwood Valley, Comptche, Booneville Philo, Yorkville and Point Arena settled in for the rigorous university-designed course. Its completion will earn them Master Gardener (MG) certification by University of California Community Extension (UCCE).

State Master Gardener Coordinator Pamela Geisel lauded the partnership between UCCE and MCBG during a visit in October. Trainees here have a living laboratory to complement lectures by visiting UCCE faculty, senior garden staff and local professionals. As graduates, they have a home base from which to teach public classes, provide a hotline for garden questions and manage public access to the Master Gardener Library. They provide a presence in the garden to enhance its role as a place for teaching and learning by visitors of all ages. Graduates also contribute to a variety of garden-related school and community activities on the coast and through inland organizations.

Upon graduation in May, the trainees will join a statewide corps of more than 5,500 active volunteers in 44 counties. Their mission is to offer encouragement and advice to backyard and community gardeners in the use of science-based practices that lead to gardening success while protecting human health and that of the environment.

Submitted by: Wendy Roberts, Master Gardener Coordinator
Photo by Kate Lee