The River Region Master Gardener Program is a volunteer development program offered by the LSU AgCenter serving communities in St. Charles, St. John, and St. James Parishes. Volunteers extend the educational arm of the university by providing horticulture-related information to their constituents.

Master Gardener volunteers are extensively trained and provide proven, research-based educational programs to Louisiana residents from across the state. Master Gardeners also hone their leadership and life skills through creative activities while sharing their passion for all things plant-related. Through continuing education and additional training, the River Region Master Gardeners sharpen their skills and tools to make an impact.

Participants in the Louisiana Master Gardener class receive 40+ hours of horticulture training on topics such as botany, plant propagation, entomology, plant pathology, weed science, soils, pesticide safety, lawn care, vegetable & fruit productions, herbaceous plants, & more!

The upcoming class is planned to start on July 15^th and occur once a week on Tuesday evenings starting at 6:00pm until 8:00pm. The class will be held at the Lloyd B. Johnson Law Enforcement Training Facility in LaPlace in St. John the Baptist Parish.

Upon successful completion of the training course and volunteering 40 hours, participants will become Certified Louisiana Master Gardeners.

Examples of Volunteer Opportunities include:

• Giving presentations/demonstrations for civic or school groups
• Distributing LSU AgCenter publications and answering questions at events, such as Farmer's Markets
• Working in demonstration gardens
• Assisting with school or community garden projects
• Fundraising activities
• Assisting with LSU AgCenter Horticulture Educational events
• Volunteer opportunities are not limited to these examples

If you would like to learn more about the Louisiana Master Gardener program, please visit the links to the left. If you would like to register for our upcoming class, you can scan the QR below for a digital registration form. or you can download the attached registration form. Once you submit your form and course fee your registration will be complete. The course fee for the River Region Master Gardener class is $200 dollars which covers the detailed course manual, publications, name badge, and all class supplies for hands-on learning experiences.

The Louisiana Master Gardener Program is administered by the LSU AgCenter and its Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service. The LSU AgCenter is part of the Louisiana State University (LSU) System.