Hello Melissa,

Welcome to our quarterly newsletter! We’re excited to share highlights from the recent 2024 Annual Coordinator meeting, where it was a pleasure to connect in person with coordinators, volunteer leaders, and advisors. The value of the conversations and connections made during this event cannot be overstated. A standout moment was the insightful panel presentation featuring program leaders Judy McClure, Randy Musser, and Jill Tyler, which explored governance boards and effective program management strategies. Their discussion showcased innovative approaches to volunteer engagement, generated ideas for new support resources, and celebrated the unique perspectives within our community. We look forward to continuing this momentum in the coming year. Post-meeting, both virtual and in-person interactions continue to foster meaningful relationships that enhance our program's impact and engagement opportunities. Please plan to join us in fall 2025 for this enriching meeting, date and location information is still to be determined!

Warm regards,

Missy Gable

Director

Statewide Office Reorganization Update

What a difference a year makes! Introducing our expanded and talented team of nine (soon to be ten) statewide personnel was incredibly fulfilling at our 2024 Annual Coordinator meeting. Since last year’s in-person gathering, we have experienced a remarkable 150% growth, adding valuable expertise, strengthening connections to county programs, and enhancing deliverables.

This growth signifies immediate improvements and lays the foundation for a more stable future for the UC Master Gardener Program. A key aspect of our expansion has been the establishment of permanent positions within the UC ANR central budget. We have increased our permanent employee allocations from one in FY 2013/14 to six in FY 2023/24.

We are excited to welcome our newest team members, Kristian Salgado and Katherine Uhde, who will serve as Regional Operations Specialists. This new role was created to enhance the connection between county programs and the statewide office.

Read more about the Regional Operations Specialists and their roles here.

2024 Annual Coordinator Recap

We were pleased to welcome 39 program leaders representing 37 counties at this year's Annual Program Coordinator Meeting. The meeting was held at the UC ANR Second Street building in Davis, Calif., providing an opportunity for attendees to meet with Davis-based colleagues in IT, Development, Disability Services, Strategic Communications, and more. This year's meeting featured training on mental health awareness and early intervention by Dr. Carolyn Dewa of UC Davis, coordinator round table discussions, and a fabulous panel on volunteer leadership structures. You can find out more about our 2024 Annual Program Coordinator Meeting, including details on speakers, community-generated playlists, headshots, resources, and more.

IWP Website Migration: Key Takeaways and Support

Recently, UC ANR IT Training and Development Specialist, Stephen Dampier, hosted a webinar specifically for the UC Master Gardener Program. The goal was to ensure that all our program sites are ready for the upcoming migration. Several important takeaways emerged that will impact how our websites function moving forward.

Key takeaways:

• All volunteers currently producing content in Site Builder and/or Blogs must complete and submit a Contingent Worker form. This will grant them access to UC Path, email, and other UC ANR systems, ensuring they have the necessary tools to continue their work.

• Data Stores will not be migrated to the new platform as the technology is incompatible with Drupal. UC ANR IT recommends setting up databases in AirTable as an alternative.

• The current method of publishing and distributing newsletters through the website will no longer be supported. Be sure to download your subscriber lists and import them into an alternative email marketing platform, such as Constant Contact or Mailchimp.

For more information, visit the IWP FAQ webpage.

Site Builder Cleanup: Office Hours

Stephen Dampier of UC ANR IT has Zoom "office hours" every Tuesday and Thursday from 3-4 p.m. to answer questions from Site Builder editors about cleanup (volunteers are welcome to attend): ucanr.zoom.us/j/97937501529?pwd=Zm1PaGRuc0htcnVZbmZQaGcya3oxQT09

2024 Annual UC Master Gardener Program Reappointment

We are thrilled to report that all UC Master Gardener Programs have now been billed for the Active and Limited Active volunteers on their rosters (on the billing date). Reappointment numbers indicate that the UC Master Gardener Program volunteer community grew by 8% in 2023/24 to 6,328 active volunteers. With support from program leaders like you, these volunteers contributed more than 430,000 hours in school and community gardens, libraries, and research plots across the state. Thank you for all you do to grow gardeners and impact!

Read on for a few reminders about post-reappointment action. 

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday isn't just another day on the calendar - it's a powerful opportunity for UC Master Gardener programs across California. Last year alone, this global day of giving generated over $3.1 billion for nonprofits (Giving Tuesday Data Commons). This represents a crucial chance for programs like ours to fund educational projects, community gardens, and vital resources that serve our communities.

Success on Giving Tuesday starts with preparation, and we've got everything you need to succeed:

• The Scoop Newsletter: Regular Giving Tuesday updates and tips.
• The Giving Tuesday Toolkit: Complete with customizable graphics, pre-written posts, and step-by-step campaign guides. Released in mid-November via The Scoop.
• Latest Rooted in Marketing Issue: Packed with strategies for personalizing your campaign to attract more local donors.

Your community is ready to support your mission—let's make sure they know how to help. If you have questions about Giving Tuesday, please contact Emily Delk, Director of Annual Giving & Donor Stewardship, at eddelk@ucanr.edu.

Evaluation News

We've had an incredibly busy few months in evaluation! The program launched the first statewide demographic survey and finished year seven of its statewide evaluation.

Volunteer Demographic Survey

Thank you for taking the time to socialize the Volunteer Demographic Survey to volunteers. Because of your effort, we received a 70% response rate! This is 40-50% higher than the average volunteer survey response.If you missed the volunteer demographic webinar, the recording is available. The statewide office is currently analyzing the data, and county reports will be made available in November. Feel free to reach out to Jocelyn at jmmobley@ucanr.edu if you have questions regarding the data.

Statewide Evaluation Program Year 23-24

The UC Master Gardener Program just finished year seven of statewide evaluation. 69 more public education events were submitted than last year, for a total of 390 public education events - but we received 323 fewer survey responses compared to the 2022-23 program year. Please continue to socialize the survey at educational events to encourage participants to respond to the survey.

The 2023-34 behavior change data is consistent with last year, and provides valuable insight to the meaningful impact UC Master Gardeners are making every day. According to respondents who completed the survey:

• Worm composting increased by 8% for a total of 25% of survey respondents reporting they started or improved their practices of worm composting.
• Using finished compost as soil amendment decreased 8% to 50% of survey respondents who reported either starting or increasing this behavior change after attending a relevant public education event.
• Every other behavior change metric was consistent and had no more than a ±5% change.

Full reports with data visualizations can be found in BOX: https://ucdavis.box.com/s/g98ss1aou191oh2cunci38dx7pd4romj

Invasive Species Scouts: Tracking Invasive Tree-of-Heaven 

The first statewide project of its kind, UC Master Gardener Invasive Species Scouts are serving as citizen scientists in collaboration with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to monitor and prevent the spread of specific invasive species. Over the past seven months, scouts have been actively scouting and reporting locations of invasive Tree-of-Heaven throughout California.

UC Master Gardeners are building a database to help aid CDFA and researchers in developing action plans for the monitoring and eradication of this species. Trained to identify Tree-of-Heaven through its seeds, leaves, bark, and flowers, scouts conduct field observations, where they photograph and report tree locations using an online tool. We are proud to report more than 300 active scouts have mapped over 2,200 data points and an estimated 30,000 trees across California! 

The ongoing effort to identify and report Tree-of-Heaven is vital for protecting California's ecosystems. Through this unique partnership with the CDFA, UC Master Gardeners have greatly enhanced the state’s ability to monitor and respond to this threat. 

Photo Credit: Kathy Ikeda, UC Master Gardener of San Joaquin County

Welcome New County Coordinators

Please join us in extending a heartfelt welcome to the newest members of our coordinator community!

Jessica Sandoval joined the UC Master Gardener Program of Napa County last spring, she previously held the UCCE Napa Office Manager role and brings valuable knowledge and deep familiarity with UCCE to her new role. We’re excited to have her on board and look forward to achieving great things together! Email: jssandoval@ucanr.edu

Haley O’Mara is stepping into the role of program coordinator for the UC Master Gardener Programs of El Dorado County and Lake Tahoe Basin. Haley’s strong passion for education and environmental conservation will undoubtedly make her a fantastic asset to our team and community. Email: homara@ucanr.edu

Karyna Barrera has joined the UC Master Gardener Program as the Community Outreach Coordinator for UCCE Colusa County. Karyna supports both youth and adult outreach programs, including coordinating the UC Master Gardener Program. We’re thrilled to have her expertise to support and sustain communities across Colusa County. Email: karbarrera@ucanr.edu

As we welcome these amazing individuals, we want to share that we have several positions currently open with interviews underway in Imperial and Placer/Nevada Counties, and open recruitments in Amador and Santa Clara (coming soon.) Do you know someone who might be interested in working with volunteers to accomplish impactful outcomes together? If so, please share these opportunities.

The strength of our coordinator community lies in the collegial support we provide one another. By sharing our experiences, knowledge, and encouragement, we can foster an environment where everyone thrives and contributes to our collective success. Your efforts and collaboration make our program truly exceptional! 

Requesting Presentations from UC IPM 

Are you training a new cohort of UC Master Gardener volunteers in 2025, or do you want to provide a continuing education class for existing UC Master Gardeners? The UC IPM Urban & Community team are available to present on IPM, pesticides, vertebrate pests, weeds, and invasive species– free of charge!

UC IPM has a new system for requesting staff to present. Please complete UC IPM's online survey with as much information as possible for Zoom or in-person presentations. (Note: Survey requests for presentations are submitted only to the Davis-based UC IPM staff. If you have a local IC IPM Advisor in your county, please ask them directly.)

Quick Tips Restocked

UC IPM Quick Tips cards are back in stock! Several popular English titles, including Ants, Aphids, Powdery Mildew, and Beneficial Predators. Quick Tips titles in Spanish are currently being updated and will be back in stock soon. Recently updated cards have a green design. If you have Quick Tips in the old blue design, you may want to consider recycling them and ordering new ones. To order free Quick Tips cards for your program, visit ucanr.edu/sites/QTorders.

Upcoming Training & Events:

Web: mgcoord.ucanr.edu/Events

Coordinator Webinar: Conflict Resolution

Wednesday, December 5, 2024, 12– 1 pm

Zoom link: ucanr.zoom.us/j/92310004218?pwd=pzjvM83MhlnbhlnfPi2OBHZUXnFioF.1

Office Hours:

UC Master Gardener Marketing & Communications Office Hours

Every Tuesday, 11 am -12 pm, Zoom link:

ucanr.zoom.us/j/93698902316?pwd=cVpBVDJIS0JSTld1NytmUXNYRzhKQT09

UC ANR Social Media

Wednesday, 11 am -12 pm, Zoom link:

ucanr.zoom.us/j/91408257262?pwd=dXl0a1RZbW5nR054OXcxYUVqckZtdz09 

Site Builder and Blog Clean-Up Session Office Hours (Virtual, UC ANR)

Every Tuesday and Thursday from 3-4 pm, Zoom link: 

https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/97937501529?pwd=Zm1PaGRuc0htcnVZbmZQaGcya3oxQT09

Director Office Hours: Admin and Policy Support with Missy Gable

Every Friday, 9 am - 10 am, Zoom link:

https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/98021015391wd=CFAeiJZf5ionWPcVvAbKbADmmdPxoH.1

Recorded Webinars:

Volunteer Communicator Orientation

https://youtu.be/XutHQatDGmg?si=Z0XttoBzNQC11VPu (Oct. 2024)

Volunteer Demographic Data Survey

https://youtu.be/mbvlCfhGFxE (Sept. 2024)

Social Media Accessibility Guidelines

https://youtu.be/d1XAnZCcHyU (Aug. 2024)

Newsletter Best Practices

https://youtu.be/9uEOFPC2WvU (July 2024)

UC Learning Center:

Embedding Inclusion into Everyday Experiences (eCourse, 34 min)DEI concepts are easy to train but harder to put into practice. In our ever-changing world of work, leaders are taxed with delivering optimal results and still creating a space where people want to contribute their time, talent, energy, and creativity. This course covers the top ways for leaders to create micro-experiences that have a macro impact on the culture of their teams and their organization. In this course, you'll learn strategies to weave storytelling into everyday work, competencies for leading and enabling inclusive conversations, including using inclusive language and chosen names and pronouns, as well as leadership practices that embody allyship through personal accountability. You'll also learn techniques to use organizational resources equitably to support DEI and how to gain confidence in building inclusive cultures.

Thanks for reading this month's issue! To submit questions, topic suggestions, a spotlight story, project feature, new staff feature, or feedback, email Statewide Communications Specialist, Barbra Braaten at bbraaten@ucanr.edu.

Our Mission “To extend research-based knowledge and information on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to the residents of California.”