County Press Releases

Wendy West (530) 621-5533 2013-08-06 UCCE As a gardener in Lake Tahoe, have you aspired to learn more about high elevation gardening and landscaping?  Have you wanted to encourage other gardeners by sharing science-based, sustainable gardening and landscaping information?  Here is your chance --- training to become a Lake Tahoe Master Gardener will begin Friday, September 6, 2013 in South Lake Tahoe!  The training continues for 12 weeks each Friday from 1:00 – 5:30 p.m. through Friday, November 22, 2013.  Tahoe Basin community members, from both Nevada and California, are encouraged to apply to be part of this exciting program.

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) – Central Sierra, in partnership with the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, is offering this year’s Lake Tahoe Master Gardener volunteer training. Upon completion of the 50-hour training course, certified Lake Tahoe Master Gardeners will provide the community with research-based information about home horticulture and gardening.  The training will consist of core programs in horticulture and botany, native plants, soils, irrigation, pest management, plant nutrition, diseases, soil health, forest health, wildfire defensible space considerations plus additional topics specific to the Lake Tahoe Basin. Once certified, Master Gardeners volunteer 50 hours during their first year of service and 25 hours in subsequent years. Volunteer activities include answering questions via email, phone and at events such as the Farmers Market; developing and teaching workshops and classes; one-on-one consultations; writing articles in the local paper or for online media; as well as other outreach and educational opportunities.

There are UC Master Gardener Programs in 44 counties in California with more than 5000 Certified Master Gardeners, volunteering over 258,000 hours annually. UCCE Master Gardeners come from all walks of life and have: a basic knowledge of landscape and food gardening; an interest in increasing their horticultural knowledge and skills; and, a desire to volunteer in their community to share what they have learned and teach gardening skills.

The application is available online at: http://ucanr.edu/ltmgapplication and is due by August 14, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. If you have questions about the application process, please call (530) 621-5528. Interviews with applicants will be held in South Lake Tahoe between August 21 – 23, 2013 and will last approximately one-half hour.  More information about the program can be accessed at http://ucanr.edu/ltmg training info page or by calling Wendy West, Program Coordinator, at (530) 621-5533.