On April 24, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published a new rule on digital accessibility under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This rule requires that university web content and mobile apps, including academic course content, be in compliance with certain digital accessibility standards by April 24, 2026 (W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, version 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) Level A and Level AA success criteria and conformance requirements). 

What does this mean for Master Gardeners?

• We will need more time to process webinar recordings to ensure accurate closed captioning and accessible presentation PDFs. This could take up to a week after the event.
• We are prioritizing which resources to remediate. This may lead to some being removed from our website.
• If you post to a Master Gardener social media account, ensure that images have alternative text and videos have accurate captions. You do not need to do anything for content that you are resharing.
• For PowerPoint presentations, check that your fonts and color contrast are accessible.

Maryland Department of Disabilities has a recorded training on social media accessibility which can be watched for continuing education.

The Six Essential Steps for digital accessibility is another good resource.

For plant clinics, our Ask Extension team has designed some handouts to provide additional information for clients sending in questions.

GET NERDY WITH NATURE



The City Nature Challenge is an opportunity to connect with other cities across the nation— and the globe—while documenting wildlife found in your own backyard. Nature is all around us, even in urban areas, and if you look a little harder, you may be surprised by what you find!

During last year’s challenge, Baltimore participants made over 12,000 observations of more than 1,800 species. By making wildlife observations, you are contributing data to scientists and your community, which helps us study and protect local species.

Observations made in the following counties during the City Nature Challenge

will count toward totals for the Baltimore metropolitan area:

• Anne Arundel County
• Baltimore City
• Baltimore County
• Carroll County
• Harford County
• Howard County
• Queen Anne's County

We are inviting land managers and community members to report areas where they observe small holes in the ground with bees actively coming and going. By sharing simple observations—ideally with photos—participants can help document nesting sites, identify the bee species present on their properties, and contribute to research that improves conservation and management guidance for farms and orchards.

Participation is easy, non-invasive, and fully compatible with ongoing agricultural activities. To make observations, participants will need to make an iNaturalist account, join the project, and tag the project in their observation. It is a quick process and will open the door to additional understanding about the biology in their landscape.

Second Wednesday of the month, April-October, 12:00 – 1:00pm, Zoom

Join us for monthly updates from our UME experts on what questions or hot topics you might encounter at your upcoming Ask A Master Gardener Plant Clinics!

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact Stephanie Pully on or before 2 weeks prior to the webinar at pully@umd.edu or (301) 226-7616.

A 4-part webinar series with Extension specialists aimed at new native gardeners to learn how to start, maintain, and grow a native garden. Our webinar series will take place via Zoom. Register for each session you would like to attend, and the information to join the Zoom will be emailed to you the day before the session.

Please note: These sessions will NOT be recorded. Please only sign up if you can attend, and be prepared to take good notes.

Sessions:

• Tuesday, April 7: Designing with Native Plants
• Friday, April 10: Choosing the Right Native Plants
• Tuesday, April 14: Building a Thriving Habitat
• Friday, April 17: Maintaining & Multiplying Your Native Garden

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully on or before 2 weeks prior to the session date at pully@umd.edu or (301) 226-7616.

Wednesday, April 22nd, 10:00 – 11:00am, Zoom

Join UME experts for everything you need to know about turfgrass!

Save the date!

Wednesday, May 27th, 10:00am – 2:00pm, Central Maryland Research and Education Center (Ellicott City, MD)

Learn how to program for adaptive gardening through an engaging presentation and interactive pollinator lesson!

Calling all MGs who volunteer with therapeutic horticulture programs! Join us for a dynamic, hands-on workshop exploring adaptive gardening-an inclusive approach to gardening that ensures people of all abilities can participate, learn, and thrive.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully on or before 2 weeks prior to the session date at pully@umd.edu or (301) 226-7616.

Tickets go on sale April 13, 2026.

Did you miss any of our continuing education webinars last year?

Check out the recordings below! You can always see both upcoming continuing education opportunities and recorded webinars on the State MG Continuing Education webpage.

Lisa Kuder, Native Plants & Landscapes Specialist, is launching a new Natives at Noon webinar series in 2026!

You can find the schedule of webinars for the whole year at the button below:

April 21st | 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Zoom or In-person at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center

Stream restoration projects are reshaping waterways across the country — but are they always the right solution? This expert panel brings together professionals with deep, diverse experience in stream reconstruction to examine the practice from every angle: the science, the outcomes, the economics, and the community impact.

Panelists will explore:

• What stream restoration actually is (and what is isn't)
• Alternatives and complementary approaches
• Community impacts- positive and unintended
• And more!

April 23rd | 6:30PM Speaker | 7:30PM Reception

Chesapeake Bay Trust Green Headquarters: 108 Severn Ave, Annapolis, MD 21403

The vegetable planting calendar has been reformatted and updated with some additional world crops. We are working on getting the Spanish version translated.

The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.