Environmental Horticulture

Issue:
Overuse and misuse of pesticides and fertilizers by home gardeners is a major source of water and soil pollution.

Actions:

UME's Home and Garden Information Center is recognized as a successful model for efficiently delivering environmental horticulture and pest management information to Maryland residents.
Answer 40,000 telephone calls and e-mail questions each year regarding garden, lawn, landscape and household pest problems.
Education of public through on-line and printed fact sheets and a diagnostic web site that allows residents to identify and solve garden, landscape and pest problems.

Impacts:

Two-thirds of residents who use the service choose alternatives to chemical pesticides to manage pest problems.
Over 90% of clients rate the service "very high" and would recommend it to friends and neighbors.
Over 250 Master Gardeners are trained each year by HGICf aculty. These volunteers then work in their communities to help local residents accurately identify and solve pest problems and reduce unnecessary pesticide and fertilizer use.

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For more information, contact Dr Nick Place

Last updated: 11/13/2009