The Extension Master Gardener (EMG) program was started in 1972 in King and Pierce counties in Washington state by local horticultural Extension agent David Gibby, Ph.D. This unique volunteer program has become internationally recognized and often duplicated as a model for other volunteer programs. Today, Extension Master Gardener programs exist in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Extension Master Gardener

Master Gardeners volunteering with youth (Photo credit:Mary Meyer).

The Extension Master Gardener (EMG) program was started in 1972 in King and Pierce counties in Washington state by local horticultural Extension agent David Gibby, Ph.D. This unique volunteer program has become internationally recognized and often duplicated as a model for other volunteer programs. Today, Extension Master Gardener programs exist in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Examples of projects or activities in which Extension Master Gardeners participate, include:

• Conducting garden consumer hotlines
• Setting up exhibits
• Writing news articles
• Educating in community gardens
• Conducting yard and neighborhood environmental programs
• Controlling invasive plants
• Establishing public demonstration gardens
• Providing sensory gardens and other gardens and gardening techniques for the handicapped
• Helping with community plantings
• Teaching youth, elder, and at-risk audiences

Find Your Local Extension Master Gardener Program

Interested in finding out more about your local EMG program? Find the local programs by state or province (Canada), see:

• State and Provincial Master Gardener Coordinators

EMG White Paper

This page provides a brief overview of the EMG Program, a more detailed account of EMG information can be found in the following white paper:

• EMG - White Paper. The EMG White Paper includes:
  • EMG Executive Summary
  • Introduction and Background
  • Program Activities
  • A Model for Other Master Volunteer Programs
  • Impact and Public Value
  • Funding and Future Needs
  • Specific Program Impacts by State
  • Number of Active Master Gardeners and Volunteer Hours by State

EMG Volunteer Impacts

Each year, more than 2.5 million hours of EMG volunteer work are completed, with an estimated annual value of $25,577,920 to $44,889,250. EMGs work on many different community projects; most are educational events that focus on growing plants and local community needs. In the following sections, see specific examples of EMG impacts, such as volunteer numbers by state, the impact on volunteers themselves, and the public benefits of the EMG program.

EMG Volunteer Numbers by State

For volunteer numbers or state annual reports from specific states, see

• EMG State and County Involvement Reports

EMG Program and the Impact on Volunteers Themselves

• Louisiana State Impacts. PDF file, 135 pages.

Public Benefits of the EMG Program

• Master Gardener Public Benefits Evaluation - Basic Report. PDF file, 44 pages. Stakeholder Valuation of the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Program by Tom Bartholomay.

EMG Training

Trained by the Cooperative Extension Service, Extension Master Gardeners receive and recommend university and research-based information. The initial basic training for EMGs usually consists of 40 to 80 hours of classroom courses; in return, the participants give an equal number of volunteer hours during the next 12 months. Beyond the first year, annual volunteer expectations are usually lower, 20 to 30 hours, and the educational requirement even lower, approximately five to 15 hours of continuing, advanced, or specialized training. Most programs distinguish between actively volunteering EMGs and those who are inactive and no longer provide volunteer hours. To remain active, both educational and volunteer requirements usually must be met each year.

EMGs and the Consumer Horticulture National Committee

The Consumer Horticulture National Committee (CHNC) is a committee that works together to recognize and enhance EMG programming, training, and networking. Formed in July 2006, the CHNC is comprised of Consumer Horticulture Specialists and Extension Master Gardener state coordinators elected to represent the four geographical regions and the directors of nationwide projects.

For more information, see:

• Consumer Horticulture National Committee

EMGs and eXtension

EMGs, led by the CHNC, are the primary responders for eXtension's Gardens, Lawns, and Landscapes Ask an Expert and FAQ system, providing locally specific answers to eXtension's Gardens, Lawns, and Landscapes users. When users cannot find an answer to their specific question by viewing one of the thousands of Gardens, Lawns, and Landscapes FAQs, users are prompted to submit their questions via Ask An Expert, where EMGs serve as primary first responders to their questions, with consulting help available from state Extension specialists. Questions resolved through Ask an Expert are then added to the FAQ database for future use by Gardens, Lawns, and Landscapes users.

International Master Gardener Conferences

International Master Gardener (IMG) conferences are held every two years and provide an opportunity for EMGs and Extension specialists to come together and learn through seminars and tours, while also convening committee meetings and exchanging ideas and concerns. Search for Excellence winners are also awarded to those EMGs who have made outstanding contributions to their communities.

International Master Gardener Committee

The International Master Gardener Committee (IMGC) manages the process to perpetuate the continuance of International and Regional Master Gardener Conferences. For EMGs and Extension specialists desiring to know more information about IMGC roles and resources, including hosting future conferences, see:

• International Master Gardener Committee

Past and Upcoming IMG Conferences

The last IMGC was held in Little Rock Arkansas, May 2-5, 2007:

• Gardening in the Natural State(University of Nevada Cooperative Extension)

The next IMGC will be held in Las Vegas Nevada, March 22-26, 2009:

• "New Frontiers" in horticulture and gardening

The Las Vegas IMGC will address issues that gardeners everywhere face -- water conservation, proper plant selection, soil enrichment, and pest control -- while also presenting new concepts in environmental stewardship and "green" technologies. Since what is old has become new again, we will also explore historical and traditional plants and methods.