Master Gardener Total Impact:
The impact of the Master Gardeners of the Ozarks based in Stone and Taney Counties was significant. For 2023, the Master Gardeners of the Ozarks fulfilled their commitment to take on high-impact and ambitious projects. A total of 4,062 hours were reportedin 2023 by fifty-seven master gardeners who served the entire year and reported. The first-year Master Gardeners are expected to provide 30 hours of service and seasoned master gardeners are only expected to provide 20 hours. This year the master gardeners who submitted hours each averaged 69 hours of service! According to the latest figures from the Independent Sector organization, the hourly wage value for Missouri volunteer hours currently is $28.66. If you put a value on the education and service hours provided to the community, the amount totals over $145,000 worth of volunteer time! Continuing education is in important part of volunteer service. The master gardeners reported 1,008 hours of continued education this year. This averages to 17 hours per person. They are expected to submit a minimum of 6 hours of continuing education each year.
Tim Schnakenberg
Tim is the Agronomy Specialist/County Program Director
Stone County Extension Center, University of Missouri Extension
“Gardening has become an important activity of many Southwest Missourians. Gardening is an excellent way to beautify our landscape and provide a healthy activity for the homeowner. It also is a huge industry in our region and impacts water quality.”
To help address the general horticulture and gardening needs of the public, a thriving Master Gardener program is present in Stone and Taney Counties. Master Gardeners are University of Missouri trained volunteers who assist with organized horticulture education programs for the gardening public.
