communities
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We are community educators
Read about Extension Master Gardeners in the news around Washington state.
It is my privilege to welcome you to the inaugural WSU Extension Master Gardener Program annual impact report. 2022 was a year of growth and achievement, and I am proud to share some of the points of pride in our work.
As a Land Grant University, Washington State University (WSU) has responsibilities to teach, research, and extend knowledge to all people. The Extension Master Gardener Program, launched in 1973 by WSU, is one way that land-grant universities fulfill those purposes. The success of the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program has led to the replication of the program across the United States and internationally with over 100,000 master gardeners serving their communities.
Since 1973 the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program has provided horticultural and environmental stewardship education, resources, and support to communities across Washington. From teaching communities about research-based landscaping practices for their yards and neighborhoods that help people protect themselves and others against potential loss due to wildfire, to engaging with communities about best practices for growing food, protecting pollinators, and reducing water waste in landscapes, extension master gardeners make real differences in the communities they serve.
Our Program is uniquely positioned, and our trained volunteers are well equipped to help communities address the challenges that matter most: food security, climate change, water conservation, wildfires, soil health, pollinators, plant biodiversity, and nearby nature. Extension Master Gardeners understand the health and wellness benefits derived through gardening, being in nature, and bringing the community together. Extension volunteers give their time to share those benefits with Washington residents.
Looking ahead we continue to strengthen our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We want to ensure that our program offerings are recognized, accessible and welcoming to all. To that end we are developing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training opportunities for staff and volunteers and are engaging in committee work to identify barriers, define areas of opportunity, and make recommendations for a more diverse and inclusive future.
Cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973, the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program empowers and sustains diverse communities with relevant, unbiased, research-based horticultural and environmental stewardship education.
Thank you for your contributions. I am constantly amazed and in awe of all that extension master gardeners accomplish. Each of you inspire me, challenge me, and support me. I will forever be grateful and humbled by my experiences working with the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program.
Jennifer Marquis
Statewide Program Leader
2022 by the numbers
- 2,848 Certified volunteers
- 599 new volunteers trained
- 16,728 hours learning to be a WSU Master Gardener
- Volunteers gave 250,400 hours of their time to WSU and the communities served
- Volunteers earned 31,948 hours of continuing education
- 3,335 plant clinics offered across the state answered 11,600 questions
- 3,327 residents learned about soil health
- 2,636 residents learned about pollinators
- 5,403 residents learned about vegetable gardening
- 3,343 residents learned about water conservation and water quality
- 3,126 residents learned about ecosystem biodiversity
- 748 residents learned about climate change
- 4,865 residents learned about the health benefits of being in and around plants and nature
- 119 residents learned about wildfire preparedness
