Importance

Louisiana has an estimated 627,300 home gardens with a projected annual value of more than $327 million (2018 Louisiana Summary). There are also countless home landscapes requiring maintenance and development that relates to an ever- increasing need by consumers for horticulture information, training and timely access to the LSU AgCenter. The Louisiana Master Gardener (LMG) Program provides a network of volunteer support that strengthens and expands the capacity of the LSU AgCenter’s Cooperative Extension Service to effectively meet the educational needs of home gardeners in Louisiana. The program follows traditional Master Gardener format patterned after that of most states where volunteers complete the standardized LMG training course and return 40 hours of volunteer service the first year and 20 hours each year thereafter as gardening educators. The Louisiana Master Gardener program is administered and coordinated by LSU AgCenter Extension faculty who provide training and support to Master Gardener volunteer education and service projects that meet local parish needs.

LMG Graduates & Registered Volunteers per LMG Program

LMG Program	Graduates	# Registered Volunteers
Ascension	0	67
Atchafalaya	0	2
Beauregard	11	39
Cameron	0	12
Cenla	0	60
Darbonne	0	12
Delta	0	4
EBR	57	270
Feliciana	0	37
Grant/LaSalle	11	19
Lafayette	0	326
LaTerre	12	79
Livingston	0	12
Natchitoches	0	20
North Central	0	55
Northeast	0	97
Northwest	32	225
MGGNO	0	266
Piney Hills	0	43
Pointe Coupee	0	26
River Region	0	26
River Ridge	0	11
Sabine	0	29
Southwest	12	25
St. Tammany	24	269
Tangipahoa	0	51
Washington	0	15
Westside	0	24
Winn	13	12
Totals	172	2133

Dynamics

The Louisiana Master Gardener program was started in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1994 as a means of extending the educational outreach of the LSU AgCenter's Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service. This pilot program was so successful that Master Gardener programs were started in 1998 in all the major metropolitan areas of Louisiana. Now in its 22^nd year statewide, there are 29 Louisiana Master Gardener volunteer training programs to reach participants throughout Louisiana. This LSU AgCenter signature program interacts with Habitat for Humanity, garden clubs and foundations, parish beautification programs, local farmers markets, school and community gardening programs, food banks, community and faith-based organizations, local master gardener associations, and Master Gardener programs in other states. In 2020, LMG volunteer efforts came to an abrupt halt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers completed most of their volunteer service hours individually or in small groups where adequate social distancing could be practiced. Online opportunities for volunteer service and continuing education increased in 2020 to maintain some semblance of routine activities.

Volunteer Hours per Activity

Activity	Total Hours
4-H and Other Youth Activities	1,536
Civic and Community Activities	23,687
Extension Activities	7,217
LMG Teaching Activities	2,399
Continuing Education	557
Meetings – Business and Administrative	4,253
Other Activity	139
Total Volunteer Hours Reported	39,788

Impact

The increased need for consumer horticulture information and enhanced accessibility to the LSU AgCenter has proven that highly trained LMG volunteers presenting researched based information are recognized in their community as an important and critical resource for gardening education. In 2020, the Louisiana Master Gardener Program trained 172 new volunteers that increased the active number of LMG volunteers statewide to over 1,300. These volunteers donated 39,788 hours of their time to Extension horticulture education and service. The reduced number of volunteer service hours is directly related limitations enacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the efforts of these volunteers, residents in Louisiana were provided research-based, consumer horticulture information and training. Additionally, volunteers continued their education by completing over 16,000 continuing education units (CEUs) in 2020.

LMG Program Impact/5 Year Average

Year	Active Volunteers (Reporting)	Mass Contacts	Service Hours	Impact $
2016	1,246	1,993,360	75,164	1,977,381
2017	1,253	1,943,060	80,380	2,167,578
2018	1,410	2,333,021	77,035	2,220,452
2019	1,564	2,550,036	84,304	2,477,198
2020	1,318	1,751,409	39,788	1,203,143
5 Year Average	1,358	2,144,177	71,334	2,009,150

LMG Volunteer Contribution

	Contribution
Louisiana Master Gardeners Trained in 2020	172
LMGs Returning from Previous Years (# Reporting)	1,146
Active LMGs (# Registered in LMG Reporting Site)	2,133
Volunteer Retention (#Reporting/#Registered)	54%
Volunteer Service Hours for 2020	39,788
Average Individual LMG Hours	34
Value of Volunteer Hours @ $27.20/hr	$1,082,233
Total Volunteer Contacts (Mass Contacts)	1,751,409
Average LMG Contacts (Mass Contacts)	1,532
CEU Hours for 2020	16,047
Average Individual CEU (6 hrs per LMG required)	14
LMG Mileage for 2020 (All activities)	182,590
Value of LMG Mileage @ $.54 (All activities)	$98,598
Unreimbursed LMG Volunteer Expenses (All activities)	$22,312
Total LMG Volunteer Value for 2020	$1,203,143