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Strategic Plan:
The Central Gorge Master Gardeners™ Association (CGMGA)
2014
The Strategic Plan for CGMGA was developed during September, October and
November of 2013 by members of the CGMGA Executive Committee (EC) (from the
2013 EC they included: John Stevens, Kathy McGregor, Mary Parrott, Nancy Slagle,
Shari Bosler, Christie Bradley, Gemma Furmo, Dennis Carlson, Eric Bosler, Audrey
Schneider, and Paul Marcotte). Meetings were facilitated by Paul Marcotte, who has
had considerable experience facilitating various types of professional groups in their
efforts to develop strategic plans. Elizabeth Daniel, Program Assistant, and Steve
Castagnoli, OSU Extension Agent, were encouraged to participate and were present at
various times throughout the process. Note that Elizabeth Daniel retired at the end of
2013 and Rachel Suits (who participated in the final version) is the current Master
Gardener Program Assistant.
The decision to create a strategic plan for CGMGA was
motivated by tough questions related to management of
association funds. Should investments be made, and, if
so, what kind of investments? It became increasingly
important for us to address long range planning, to think
about what we wanted for our association 5-10 years into
the future and what this implied for financial management.
Relevant questions presented a challenge to the EC that
we struggled to face. Clearly we had a lot of work to do
before we could make investment decisions. Paul stepped
up and offered to help us with development of a strategic
plan. Such plans can strengthen the effectiveness of
organizations, associations, and like groups who are
guided by a vision. They can help, for example, with
evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the work
carried out by an organized group and assist in bringing
about desirable change.
The EC recognized the importance of developing a plan
and committed to many hours of work over the 3 monthperiod described above. It became apparent to us that
CGMGA can, and hopefully will, profit in many ways aside
from financial decisions owing to our Strategic Plan. This
document is intended to be a resource for both new and
continuing members, OSU Extension Service (OSUES)
personnel who have responsibility to oversee the Hood
River County Master Gardener Program, and anyone who
has an interest in knowing more about the values guiding
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the work of CGMGA volunteers within the greater Central Gorge community.
The unfolding plan was presented to the membership at the Annual Meeting October 1,
2013. A functionally complete plan was subsequently approved by the Executive
Committee and submitted to program supervisors for their input in December 2013.
This final document (November, 2014) reflects suggestions/questions shared by Rachel
Suits and Steve Castagnoli and some editing for clarity over the past year. No
substantive changes have been made to inputs to the Strategic Planning Conceptual
Model since it was approved by the EC in 2013.
The Vision adopted for our association is:
"To better serve our community by educating ourselves and the public about
science-based gardening following OSU Extension/OMGA guidelines".
In following sections the stages of the Conceptual Model are described along with the
inputs generated by participating EC members. These sections contain the most
important content of this document. Following detailed description of each of the 4
stages, we have also included: (1) a review that provides historical context (i.e., how we
came to be) for the present day activities of CGMGA and, likewise, other Master
Gardener associations throughout our country, and (2) relationships between OSU and
CGMGA are explained and graphically depicted. We thought this content might be
especially helpful to new members, as they will encounter similar information in other
CGMGA resources. We believe that reconfirmation can be helpful in understanding
some relationships that may not be readily transparent.
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Table of Contents
Introduction: pp. 1-2
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

Stage 1: Diagnosis: pp. 4-8
Stage 2: Formulation of Objectives: p. 9
Stage 3: Implementation of Functional Area Programs: pp. 10-15
Stage 4: Managing Change: pp. 16-18
Conclusion: pp.19
Attachments
Attachment 1: Rights and Responsibilities: p. 20
Attachment 2: Position Description: pp 21-22
Attachment 3: Brief Background: pp. 23-25
Attachment 4: Organizational Chart: p. 26
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Strategic Planning—Conceptual Model
Strategic planning is the process by which an organization develops the most desirable
vision of the future, taking into account the constraints it is likely to work within and how
it can realize that vision. In order to accomplish the responsibilities outlined above, the
Central Gorge Master Gardeners Association CGMGA has written the following
Strategic Plan. This plan was developed by the CGMGA Executive Committee, and
vetted and approved by all participating members of CGMGA in 2013-14. The Executive
Committee selected a strategic planning process that has been successful in over 50
organizations, and includes a multiple stage process: Stage 1: Diagnosis; Stage 2:
Formulation of Objectives; Stage 3: Implementation and Stage 4: Maintenance:
Managing Change.
Stage 1: Diagnosis
Stage 1 begins with the development of a new vision which is the definition of the
Future Scenario as outlined below.
Current
Scenario
Action-Leading toValued Outcomes
Future
Scenario
How
Present
Future
The new vision for the CGMGA 2013-14 is:
"To better serve our community by educating ourselves and the public about
science-based gardening following OSU Extension/OMGA guidelines".
The first step of the Diagnosis Stage is the assessment of Human Resources., CGMGA
members have a diverse range of skills, experience and education. These include many
fields of knowledge in addition to gardening, such as management, leadership,
teaching, communication, graphics/design, and computers/technology. Members share
a common interest in expanding their experience and knowledge in gardening.
Leadership of CGMGA functions through an Executive Committee (EC), which includes
elected members, project managers and other volunteers depending on their interests.
The EC is supported by professional extension personnel from Oregon State University
who advise, support, and oversee the CGMGA.
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The organizational culture of this group is composed of people who want to learn more
about gardening, serve the community, and do this with a number of like-minded
individuals interested in its value and beauty.
Stakeholder Analysis is the next step in the Diagnosis Stage. This is a process by which
individuals and groups are identified who may be affected by a proposed plan/action.
These were then sorted through and classified according to the following Stakeholder
Matrix. Please note that we are well aware that the placement of our stakeholders in
this matrix is flexible. Some stakeholders could be listed in more than one quadrant and
there could be debates among members about which is the best quadrant to choose for
a given stakeholder. Further, placement could change from time to time depending on
activity involving a particular stakeholder. But the important concept is that we do have
stakeholders with variable power and importance to us and it is necessary to consider
these aspects at any given time.
As can be seen, the quadrant on the grid shows the preferred actions to take:

Quadrant A: High power, interested people: these are the stakeholders who must
be fully engaged, and the greatest efforts must be made to satisfy them.
According to the Executive Committee brainstorming, the following individuals
and groups were included in Quadrant A.
o OMGA
o Home Gardeners
o Master Gardener Individuals
o Experiment/Extension
o OSU
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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
CGMGA
Recipients of Projects
Entities with Projects (library, etc)
Schools, teachers
Hood River County
Festival People
4H & FFA
Farmers
Community Garden Gardeners

Quadrant B: Low power, interested people: these stakeholders must be
adequately informed to ensure that no major issues are arising. They can often
be very helpful with the details of projects. The following groups/organizations
were included in Quadrant B. It should also be stated that these groups may also
be in Quadrant A depending on the project: Ex: ODOT is a Quadrant A
stakeholder in the Parkdale Garden as the project is on ODOT land.
o SWCD
o ODOT
o Food Bank

Quadrant C: High power, less interested people: these stakeholders must be
kept satisfied, but not so much that they become bored with your message.
o Extension employees
o Local garden businesses

Quadrant D: Low power, less interested people: monitor these stakeholders, but
do not bore them with excessive communication.
o Public
o Friends
o Government Agencies (EPA, etc.)
o Community Ed
o Planet /Environment
The next step in the Diagnosis Stage was to conduct a Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Challenges (SWOC) analysis to determine the internal and external
factors that directly influence CGMGA. A SWOC analysis is a strategic planning tool
that can be used during a planning and review process to make informed decisions
based upon collective input from multiple stakeholders. We used the SWOC analysis
as a powerful framework to discuss and clearly identify the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and challenges related to the program and its delivery.
An additional benefit from the SWOC analysis is to identify weaknesses that may be
turned into strengths, and challenges that may be turned into opportunities which may
become strengths.
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The “Strength” category illustrated a number of strengths that included both social
and technical as follows:
Parties, potlucks (socializing)
Camaraderie
Board cohesion
Large and growing membership
Acquiring and managing financial
Excellent recruitment and retention
resources
Technical support (OSU, OMGA)
Administration of program
Continuing Education (Class training)
Mentoring
Varied opportunities for learning
Expert instruction
Age range
Diverse demographics, education,
Bi/Multi Lingual publications
experience
The following “Weaknesses” were identified. This categorization provided the
organization with powerful information for action items.
Lack of representation of Spanish speaking community
Lack of participation by members in project and executive committee
No critical mass of volunteers in some projects
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Yard work associated with some projects may not be seen as worthy work
Some projects may be limited in educational scope and/or awareness
People prefer new projects rather than the maintaining continuing projects
No criteria for terminating projects
Retention of members: reasons for dropping out needs to be analyzed
How successful/important are we in fulfilling our mission to the community
In discussing “Opportunities” the Executive Committee identified the following
aspects of the program. These opportunities are part of the ongoing program, and it
was recommended that they be reviewed, positively amended/activated according to
the needs of the aspect, and turned into strengths.
Mentoring
Use Spanish speaking radio station for information outreach
Newspaper column
Newsletter
Combine maintenance with parties
Integrate educational opportunities into projects/activities
In-depth exchange between projects in public setting/educational activities
Review course syllabus to insure project/program opportunities for learning are
shown
Transferring successful project to other community groups
Junior gardeners
Marketing program and projects
Combine quarterly meeting with project visit
Expand MG presence at additional sites
A number of “Challenges” were identified as follows:
Identify avenues of cultural, language exchange
Expand projects, e.g. Junior Master Gardeners
Motivate participation:
--expand retention
--education
--communication
Inventory skills, experience of member group
Document learning opportunities in projects
--maintenance
--propagation
--design
--production/community outreach
--marketing
--education
Members from both Oregon and Washington—must assure that they all have
multiple opportunities for learning
Deciding how best to fund projects
How do we manage CGMGA funds
Recognize impact on OSU Extension Service staff of additional activities
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Stage 2: Formulation of Objectives
Once the diagnostic stage was accomplished, i.e. creating a vision, conducting
stakeholder, human assets and SWOC analyses, the executive committee reviewed its
work, considered various issues and scenarios, and reviewed the on-going
programs/projects. After serious reflection, the following Mission Statement was written.
The statement addresses the components of the Vision as it includes education,
community, training, and delivery of research-based information to the community. It
further defined activities of the group by creating activity clusters to accomplish the
vision and mission statement:
Mission Statement: We educate people in our community by providing researchbased information on gardening by trained volunteers through the following
activity clusters:

Activity Cluster 1: Master Gardener training opportunities
a. Participate in annual master gardener training/recertification classes
arranged by Hood River County Master Gardener Educational Program
Assistant
b. CGMGA Mentor Program
c. Garden tours and field visits
d. Spring plant sale

Activity Cluster 2: Learning opportunities for the general public
recommendations/advice/options
a. Plant clinic
b. Informational outreach: radio presentations; newspapers; workshops;
social media; websites; sponsor/co-sponsor/facilitate public talks for
community education
c. Classes
d. Projects
e. Workshops: e.g., tree management/pruning, composting, landscaping,
irrigation

Activity Cluster 3: Community Projects
CGMGA sponsors/hosts a number of educational/service projects for the public.
Please see the following section for a complete listing and description of the
projects.
Stage 3, which immediately follows, describes each of these activity clusters in detail as
Functional Area Programs.
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Stage 3: Implementation of Functional Area Programs
Functional Area Programs are the tools, processes and activities that the organization
uses to implement the strategies defined in Stage 2. In the case of the CGMGA, this
has been defined to include 3 clusters of activities as outlined in the Mission Statement.
Activity Cluster 1: Master Gardener trainings
Annual Master Gardener Training/Recertification
The OSU Extension Master Gardener Program is a
teaching and management program for volunteers
who want to learn more about home horticulture
skills and who agree to give their time to extend
gardening knowledge to others. Its purpose is to
provide OSU Extension Service educational
programs in home horticulture to community
members through trained and certified Master
Gardener volunteers.
Master Gardener training classes are taught by
OSU Extension agents and horticultural specialists
who offer a basic, practical course in plant science
and horticulture. Classes usually include: basic
botany and plant physiology; pest identification and
management; soil management and plant nutrition;
and diagnosis and control of plant problems. Other
general interest classes on such topics as lawns,
greenhouses, water quality, houseplants,
vegetables, trees and shrubs maybe included depending on class interest. The actual
course content and sequence will vary from year to year and will depend on local needs
and interests. Classes are held during the winter months usually January through
March. Individual Master Gardeners often participate by teaching classes on topics
within their interest and expertise.
CGMGA Mentor Program: The mentor program is designed to provide a welcoming
atmosphere for new Master Gardeners from the time they sign up for the Master
Gardener classes until they become well established in the program. Veteran Master
Gardeners volunteer as mentors and are committed to assisting new members.
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Garden Tours and Field Visits
Garden Tour: Bi-Annually the CGMGA hosts a garden
tour of Hood River and its surrounding area. As this tour
requires such a massive and intense effort, it is also
considered to be a project. The planning committee of
the garden tour carefully selects a short list of potential
gardens to be on the tour, and then visits, interviews the
garden owners and/or operators, and chooses a number
to be on the tour. All Master Gardeners are asked to
volunteer during the garden tour. Each garden on the
tour will have Master Gardeners working to guide people
through the gardens and answer questions. Educational
spots are displayed in the gardens and refreshments are
provided. Garden tours have been held every other year,
but beginning year 2014, we are going to try annual
tours. The next tour is planned for June 27, 2015.
Master gardeners regularly visit gardens, our own as well
as others, shows and fairs to learn about designs,
landscaping, plants and planting patterns. Educational
events other than our own classes and activities may
count toward required certification hours given the
preapproval of the Program Assistant.
Spring Plant Sale: The Master Gardener annual plant
sale is held in May on the Saturday before Mother’s Day.
In addition to fund raising, the plant sale provides
learning opportunities for master gardeners to learn plant
identification, propagation, greenhouse management,
and marketing. The sale event provides the public with
healthy, vibrant plants and at the same time enables
program outreach and multiple opportunities to engage
with the public on plant issues, plant selection, and
design. All Master Gardeners are asked to participate by
providing plants, helping to pot plants or volunteering
during the sale.
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Activity Cluster 2: Learning opportunities for the
general public, recommendations/advice/options
Master Gardener Plant
Clinic Desk at the Gorge
Grown Farmers Market
Plant Clinic
Plant Clinic is a core component of the Master Gardener
Program, and each certified CGMGA member is required
to accumulate a minimum of 12 plant clinic hours.
Volunteer Master Gardeners directly interact with the
public to provide research-based, objective solutions to
plant problems in a manner that greatly amplifies the
ability of OSU Extension to provide information on
sustainable gardening to the public. Generally, “Plant
Clinic” describes the phone hotline or clinic desk at the
Extension Office that is used to respond to gardening
questions from the public, and the Plant Clinic desk at
the various farmers’ markets in Hood River, the Huck
Fest, Mosier, etc., and at Master Gardener educational
conferences, workshops and seminars.
In order to provide the best possible answer to the public,
the master gardener volunteer should:
1. request as much information as possible,
regarding the problem or inquiry,
2. request a sample of the plant or insect of
concern,
3. request a photograph of the plant or section of the
yard/garden with which there is a concern when it is not
possible to bring in a physical sample (E-mail) and
4. allow sufficient time for comprehensive research in order to address client
concerns in detail with confidence.
A Master Gardener volunteer will research an answer to the question, using a variety of
library and online resources. It is important to remember that Master Gardener
volunteers exclusively use non-biased, science-based information in their research. This
restriction on the materials that Master Gardener volunteers can use, when providing to
the public options for addressing their gardening concerns, ensures that the information
provided is substantiated and unbiased. Clients can use the information shared with
them to make decisions about managing problems.
Informational outreach:
This group of activities includes efforts to provide information to the public in multiple
forms including:


traditional forms of printed materials, ie. Newspapers, pamphlets, bulletins, etc.,
digital information including websites and other social media outlets
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


radio presentations
sponsor/co-sponsor/facilitate Public talks for community education
Workshops: tree management/pruning composting, landscaping, irrigation
Classes
This activity includes annual classes held January through March and other educational
opportunities such as the Mini-College which features three-plus days of seminars,
workshops, tours and other learning experiences. Attendees stay in OSU residence
halls or area hotels. The OSU Bookstore has a
presence on-site with a diverse array of gardening
books. There are daily exhibits as well.
Activity Cluster 3: Community Projects
THE LEARNING GARDEN:
The Learning Garden consists of eleven different
garden features that are used to teach gardening
techniques to the community. It is located on the
grounds surrounding the OSU Extension office in Hood
River at 2990 Experiment Station Rd.
At this time, The 11 Learning Garden features are
considered as independent projects within the garden.
They are: Compost Demonstration Area, Herb
Garden, Fountain Garden, Hellstrip or Curbside
Garden, Native Plant Garden, Bio-swales, Eco-Lawn,
Japanese Heritage Garden, Ornamental Grasses, and
Raised Beds. These projects provide an educational
resource with opportunities for formal and informal
presentations and activities that increase the gardening
knowledge of the community and Central Gorge
Master Gardeners. Each project area provides an
opportunity for a learning experience for Master
Gardeners and community members.
The garden is open to the public. Visitors are welcome
to take a self-guided tour of the gardens at any time
during daylight hours, and brochures are available on
site.
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HOOD RIVER CARE CENTER NATURESCAPE GARDEN: This project began in
1996 and was developed as a naturescape/bird garden. A seating area with three
benches under a large pergola creates a quiet place for residents and their families as
well as other visitors and employees of the Care Center. The garden is wheelchair
accessible on wide concrete walks. The beds have been planted with a variety of
herbs, roses and perennials as well as shrubs, bulbs and annuals. There are also
several vines and trees. This project was designed and is maintained by OSU Master
Gardeners as an educational outreach to the community.
HOOD RIVER COUNTY FAIR: Master Gardeners design
and provide an educational display in the Floral Building at
Hood River County Fairgrounds in Odell.
HOOD RIVER LIBRARY WATERWISE GARDEN:
Garden plots at the entryway of the Hood River County
Library were designed and are maintained by Master
Gardeners as an educational project for the community.
The garden showcases plants that can thrive with minimal
supplemental watering.
OCH COMMUNITY GARDEN (formerly the LA CLINICA
COMMUNITY GARDEN) – A community garden in Hood
River. Master Gardeners oversee the management,
upkeep and maintenance of the garden. In addition,
Master Gardener garden plots are used to raise food for
the FISH Food Bank.
NEXT DOOR INC GARDENS and RAICES GARDEN:
Gardens consisting of raised beds and a traditional garden
at the Extension grounds and a garden on Barrett Road.
The gardens on the Extension Grounds are managed and
maintained by the students at Next Door, Inc.
GORGE HERITAGE MUSEUM: Project maintaining the
gardens at the Museum in Bingen Washington
Example of a beautiful
garden with drought resistant
plants and a water efficient
drip irrigation system at the
Hood River Library designed
and maintained by Master
Gardeners as an educational
project.
CHRISTMAS WREATH PROJECT: In late November or
early December, Master Gardeners participate in making
wreaths, swags, decorations for their own use and
additional ones that are donated to the FISH Food Bank for distribution.
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MT HOOD – PARKDALE BICENTENNIEL GARDEN:
The Parkdale Bi-Centenial Memorial Garden started in
1976. It was cleared to remove site obstructions for
drivers coming to the Parkdale triangle. It is a large
garden in Parkdale that unfortunately had become wild.
The garden is being restored to its former beauty by
Master Gardeners, The Parkdale Garden club, Grange,
Lion’s Club and many other community members and
organizations
Note that current Project Leaders for each of the above
projects are listed in the Guide to The 2015 OSU Master
Gardener Program
From this
To this
The Parkdale Bicentennial
Memorial Garden had gone
unattended for a number of
years. The Master Gardeners in
association with the Parkdale
Garden Club renovated the
garden, trimmed, pruned and
cleared paths to return the
garden to its original beauty.
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Stage 4: Managing Change
Stage 4 is the maintenance of operational plans and programs. Planning inevitably
produces change within an organization. Consequently, managers must prepare the
organization and its members to cope with change at the outset by establishing an
effective process to produce and manage this change with the following steps:
•
•
•
•
The process should be formalized
Strategy should be communicated
There should be a high level of commitment
All projects and activities should be Reviewed and evaluated
– Proper measurement and criteria
The process should be formalized within the organization with proper mechanisms put
in place. Additionally this high level of sustainable commitment requires that the
strategic plan be communicated both within and outside the organization. To fulfill
this requirement, the plan is available to all members, and other interested Master
Gardener Associations, and OSU.
The process for this plan included:
 Multiple Executive Committee meetings to brainstorm ideas, conduct analyses,
develop priorities and write the plan.
 An outline of the new plan was presented to members at the annual meeting at
the Rockford Grange on October 1, 2013.
 A meeting was held with OSU representatives
 An amended plan was then sent to the Executive Committee which incorporated
feedback from the members and OSU representatives
 A penultimate copy was sent to all CGMGA members for comment
 A final plan was sent to all members, OSU and other interested organizations.
The transparent process allowed for input, comment and feedback by all those may be
involved in the decision making process and implementation of the plan, thus insuring a
high level of commitment.
The final step to Managing Change is Evaluation/Review. In order to ensure that the
strategic plan, its goals, mission and activity clusters are implemented to reach the
vision/future scenario, proper measurements and criteria must be set to determine the
success of the process.
Data for the following criteria for programs and projects in the activity clusters will be
collected and evaluated to enable managers to keep track of the success of the plan
and various programs:
Activity Cluster 1: Master Gardener trainings
Annual Master Gardener Training/Re-certification
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
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



Database of participants
o Number of people in the class
o Skills
Syllabus
o Complete
o In accordance with OSU requirements
Presentations
o PowerPoints
o Films, videos, websites
Ratings/evaluation of presentations
Graduation rate
Retention rate and assessment
Garden Tours and Field Visits
 How many people attended
 Report by tour/visit leader submitted
Spring Plant Sale
 Number of people contributing volunteer hours
 Hours
 Plant type and number
 Number of people attended
 Budget/Expenditure report
Activity Cluster 2: Learning opportunities for the general public,
recommendations/advice/options
Plant Clinic
 Contacts
 Table of questions/requests
 Responses
 Follow-up to document success
Informational outreach: radio presentations; Newspapers; workshops; social
media; websites; Sponsor/co-sponsor/facilitate Public talks for community
education


Document outreach events and types
Maintain an electronic folder of materials
Classes
 Maintain a database of class opportunities
 Report on each class attended by a member
Workshops: tree management/pruning composting, landscaping, irrigation
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

Maintain folder of workshop prospectus and agenda
Post workshop assessment by instructor
Activity Cluster 3: Community Projects
An annual report will be submitted to the membership and other responsible parties for
each of the projects sponsored by the CGMGA. This report will include a narrative
description of the project, work accomplished, number of volunteers and hours served,
and an expense report.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the strategic plan for CGMGA develops a picture of where it wants to be
in the future, and has outlined the best path of structure and programs to reach that
destination. The plan identifies a number of changes in response to the current
environment and its future vision, and at the same time has maintained the traditional
structure and its successful aspects, particularly its successful classroom training and
projects.
Significant sections of the strategic plan include:
 A new vision
 Stakeholders analysis
 SWOC analysis
 Project descriptions
 Analytic capability with metrics defined to assure that the vision and missions are
accomplished.
End note: This is a strong, very well organized operation with well trained, competent
people interested in community service and science based information. It has been and
will continue to be successful in its vision and programs to achieve it.
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Attachment 1: Rights and Responsibilities
Volunteer rights and responsibilities (An Introduction to Being a
Master Gardener Volunteer: EM8749; January 2010)
Volunteers working in any OSU Extension program have certain rights and
responsibilities.
As a Master Gardener volunteer, you have the right to:
Have rewarding, suitable volunteer work assignments with clear expectations
and support
Be provided orientation, training, support, supervision, and evaluation
Be kept informed and be listened to by Extension faculty and staff
Be trusted and respected by Extension faculty, staff, and coworkers
Be recognized appropriately for your efforts
Be treated as a coworker
Be valued as a person capable of unique contributions
As a Master Gardener volunteer, you have the responsibility to:
Uphold the policies of the OSU Extension Service
Learn about current Extension policies, programs, and staff
Participate in orientation and training programs
Accept assignments suited to your personal interests and skills
Act in a professional manner
Be accountable to and supportive of OSU Extension when involved in Extension
work
Complete volunteer work assignments
Participate in staff and program evaluations
Be willing to use and teach research-based practices and concepts in an
objective manner
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Attachment 2: Position Description
Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener™ Position Description
Title: Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener™ Volunteer
Purpose: To provide OSU Extension Service educational programs on sustainable home
horticulture (including vegetable, tree fruit, small fruit, lawn and landscape
maintenance, pest management and associated topics) to the general public by using
research based and objective information.
Brief description of the position
 Answers general public questions and inquiries about gardening, landscape
maintenance, pest management and related topics by telephone; at clinics,
demonstrations, workshops, or informal classes; or in other ways possible and
practical.
 Cooperates with an assists local OSU Extension staff.
 May assist in preparation of specific educational resources.
 Keeps appropriate records, such as volunteer hours and public contacts; client
questions and contact information.
Optional assigned duties (check if applicable)
Works directly with persons under the age of 18 years, as part of their assigned
volunteer service; in school gardens, community gardens, school garden programs, or
in other venues
Drives a motor vehicle on behalf of Oregon State University Extension, as part of their
assigned volunteer service
Requirements
 Must be available to participate in the training program for Master Gardener
volunteers.
 Must be available to provide volunteer service to OSU Extension during the year
that training is completed, and equivalent to the number of hours of training
received.
 Must be able to effectively communicate with the public by telephone, personal
contact, group contact, or in writing.
 Must demonstrate a commitment to diversity and to ensuring equal opportunity
for those wishing to benefit from OSU Extension programs and services.
 Should have some knowledge and skills in basic horticulture and related areas.
 Should enjoy working with people.
Supervision
 The county Extension agent with responsibility for the local Master Gardener
program provides overall supervision and support.
 Immediate supervision and support may be provided by a program assistant or
a program coordinator, if available.
Volunteer Signature: _______________________ Date: _____________
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OSU Extension Faculty Signature: __________________ Date: _____________
Last Revised 11/26/2012
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Attachment 3: Introduction to CGMGA
Strategic Plan:
The Central Gorge Master Gardeners Association (CGMGA)
C.I. Lewis talking from the
Oregon Agricultural College
Farming Demonstration Train.
Early 1900s. Courtesy of
OSU Archives.
OAC Home Ec department at
Multnomah Hotel in Portland,
1920
Members of the Central Gorge Master Gardener
Association are volunteers who desire to advise
and educate the public on gardening and
horticulture. Like many similar groups in the US,
we are affiliated with a land-grant university and
one of its cooperative extension service offices.
We receive extensive training in gardening
topics that prepares us to help educate the
home gardener via our many volunteer projects
that will be described later in this document, and
also through activities such as speaking at
public events, writing articles for publications
and the internet, and partnering with other
community programs, gardens, and educational
facilities. For more information about extension
service in general, please see:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu.
A Brief History of Oregon State University
Land Grant/Extension and Master Gardener
programs:
Early extension at work
A land-grant university (also called land-grant
college or land-grant institution) is an institution
of higher education in the United States
designated by a state to receive the benefits of
the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. The Morrill
Acts funded educational institutions by granting
federally controlled land to the states for them to
develop or sell to raise funds to establish and
endow "land-grant" colleges. The mission of
these institutions as set forth in the 1862 Act is
to focus on the teaching of practical agriculture,
science, military science and engineering
(though "without excluding ... classical studies"),
as a response to the industrial revolution and
changing social class.[1][2] This mission was in
contrast to the historic practice of higher
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education to focus on an abstract liberal arts curriculum.
Ultimately, most land-grant colleges became large public
universities that today offer a full spectrum of educational
opportunities.
The roots of Oregon State University, the Land Grant
University of Oregon, date back to 1856, when Corvallis
Academy, the area's first community school for primary and
preparatory education, was founded. In 1858, the school's
name was changed to Corvallis College and formally
incorporated by members of the Freemasons.[7][8] The
school offered its first college-level curriculum in 1865,
under the administration of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South.
On August 22, 1868, official Articles of Incorporation were
filed for Corvallis College. October 27, 1868, is known as
OSU Charter Day, the day that the Oregon Legislative
Assembly designated Corvallis College as the Agricultural
College of the state of Oregon and the recipient of Land
Grant fund income. As part of this designation, the college
was required to comply with the requirements set forth in the
First Morrill Act. The name was changed to Corvallis State
Agricultural College and was then authorized to grant the
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Arts
degrees. The first graduating class was in 1870, granting
Bachelor of Arts degrees.
For a more complete history, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_State_University
In 1890 the college became
known informally as Oregon
Agricultural College (OAC), with
the name change becoming
official several years later.
Orange was adopted as the
school color, with black as the
background. The Olmsted
Brothers developed the first
Campus Master Plan in 1909,
emphasizing trees and an
architectural harmony
showcasing basic classical
forms in brick. The current
campus design generally follows
this original plan and is laid on a
grid of wide, tree-lined streets.
Well-partitioned buildings accent
open lawns along the main
passages and are mostly
surrounded by clusters of tall
trees. The overall scheme gives
it a quaint, early American
institutional feel common to
campuses found in the Midwest
or Southern U.S.
The Division of College Extension was organized in 1911
with Ralph Dorn Hetzel as director and, in 1912, the first offcampus faculty were placed in Marion and Wallowa
counties. In 1919, Oregon Agriculture College (OAC) began
a horticultural products processing program, the first of its
kind in the United States. Accreditation was granted in 1924 by the Northwest
Association of Secondary and Higher Schools
.At the close of the 19th century, most Oregonians were newcomers living on newly
established farms. They approached their work much the same way their fathers and
grandfathers had, clinging to methods that had worked well enough back in Minnesota
or Germany. It was the mission of Oregon's land-grant college to research practical
solutions to real problems, and OAC faculty spent part of their time traveling by
horseback or train to organize farmers' institutes and deliver lectures to far-flung
communities. Their topics aimed to improve rural life, from food safety and family
25
nutrition to animal husbandry and pest management. Demonstrations might draw
hundreds of people.
Oregonians have always loved learning, and the demand grew. OAC faculty wrote
educational pamphlets and columns for the state's three largest newspapers. They gave
correspondence courses in accounting, rural law, and farm economics; they volunteered
as judges at county and State Fairs; and they worked with public schools to teach boys'
and girls' Industrial Clubs, the forerunners of Extension 4-H clubs in Oregon. Eventually,
faculty were working off campus so much that OAC President W.J. Kerr established a
recognized division within the college dedicated solely to the educational service of
communities beyond campus. On July 24, 1911, the Board of Regents established the
Extension Service at Oregon Agricultural College.
Oregon State University and Master Gardener Programs
Since 1976, Oregon Master Gardeners (MG’s) have worked, in association with the
OSU Extension Service, to serve the educational and informational needs of home
gardeners around the state. The Oregon Master Gardeners Association (OMGA),
organized in 1982 and incorporated in 1985, is the network by which county MG
chapters communicate, educate, and fund projects. The Oregon Master Gardener™
Association (OMGA) serves four main functions as part of the Oregon Master Gardener
Program:




To enhance and supplement the Oregon State University Home Horticulture
Program.
To assume responsibility for performing special tasks and engaging in
continuous activities related to the program.
To promote a wide dissemination of information available as a result of
University study and experimentation. Such information shall be in
accordance with Oregon State University standards.
To work with other gardening organizations to enhance gardening in Oregon,
when appropriate.
Oregon Master Gardeners serve to help promote sustainable gardening practices, to
encourage best methods for new or frustrated gardeners, and to expand the reach of
the OSU Extension Agents. Master Gardeners volunteer as home horticulture educators
and facilitators through the MG chapters in their local communities. CGMGA is
associated with OSU and these principles as per the following Organization Chart.
26
Attachment 4: Organization Chart