Green and Sustainable LivingPlan of Work

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Fayette County CES

Title:
Green and Sustainable Living
MAP:
Green and Sustainable Living
Agents Involved:
Doggett, Lindsay, Dockery, Neal
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Agriculture and Extension Leadership Development
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Health
Situation:

Each decision individuals make has an impact on the health and safety of their family, community, and environment. Understanding how daily choices can impact our environment is vital to conserving and preserving our natural resources and ensuring a healthy environment for and future generations. The average Kentuckian uses 67 gallons a water today, youth struggle to understand basic concepts regarding the natural world, the proliferation of invasive plant species has reached near epidemic levels, and beyond the excessive use of water, the community is working through issues related to storm water and pollution of local streams.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Improve the built and natural environment in Fayette County to develop community environmental awareness

Intermediate Outcomes:

Residents will increase practices related to green living and environmental education through the development of energy and water conservation practices, increased use of Best Management Practices (BMP), and youth environmental education endeavors.


Initial Outcomes:

Change, knowledge, opinions, skills and / or aspirations in understanding of issues related to going green, water and energy conservation, and environmental education

Evaluation:

Outcome: Environmental conditions will improve in Fayette County

Indicator: increased participation in recycling programs, reduction in pollutants entering streams, increased participation in environmental education programs, participation in BMP for local land use, decrease in water use

Method: attendance rosters, farm visits, program survey, environmental agency and local governmental reports.

Timeline: on-going



Intermediate Outcome: Residents will increase practices related to green living

Indicator: Increased recycling, increased on-site water management, increase in use of green spaces

Method: program survey, local government and environmental agency reports

Timeline: on-going


Initial Outcome: Residents will become knowledgeable about green living practices

Indicator: increased demand for natural resource, environmental education, and healthy environment programming

Method: program evaluation, surveys, increased participation

Timeline: on-going

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Gardener’s Toolbox

Content or Curriculum: Greener Gardening

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: ongoing


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Environmental Camping Programs

Content or Curriculum: Project Learning Tree, Project WET, Project WILD, Forestry Project, Entomology Project, Project Archeology,

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: Fall and Spring


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: In-school Enrichment Programs

Content or Curriculum: Project Learning Tree, Project WET, Project WILD, Forestry Project, Entomology Project, Project Archeology,

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: Fall and Spring


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Environmental Day Camp Programs

Content or Curriculum: Project Learning Tree, Project WET, Project WILD, Forestry Project, Entomology Project, Project Archeology,

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: Fall and Spring


Audience: Adults and Youth

Project or Activity: Master Gardeners

Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener Curriculum

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: Fall and Spring


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Farm to School Program

Content or Curriculum: Project Food, Land, and People; Farm to School Curriculum

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: Fall and Spring


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Phone calls, e-mails, and office visit customer service opportunities

Content or Curriculum: Available resources through CES publications, specialists, and listed curricula

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: On-Going


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Natural Resource Project Days

Content or Curriculum: UK 4-H Forestry Project Guide; UK 4-H Entomology Project Guide; UK 4-H Geology Project Guide

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: spring, summer, fall


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Pasture Management for the Horse Owner

Content or Curriculum: Curriculum and Resources through UK College of Agriculture

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: Winter


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Private Applicator Pesticide Training

Content or Curriculum: Curriculum and Resources through UK College of Agriculture

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: winter


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Soil Test

Content or Curriculum: Soil Testing Facility Guidelines

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.

Date: On-Going


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Healthy Homes Program/ Going Green Program

Content or Curriculum: Healthy Homes curriculum

Input: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialist, CES Publications, Bluegrass Green Source, Energy Star

Date: On-Going


Audience: Families

Project or Activity: Bluegrass Green Source

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Specialists, Volunteers, Bluegrass Green Source; local, state and federal govt.,CEC publications


Audience: Adults & Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Shooting Sports and Hunter Safety Education

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Project Manuals, Publications

Inputs: Extension Agents, 4-H Program Assistants, Certified Volunteers

Date: On-going


Audience: Adults

Project: Pesticide training, Dead Animal Removal

Content: Best management practices, Pesticide safety trainings.

Date: On going


Audience: Agriculture community

Project: Pesticide container recycling.

Date: Twice Annually July, October.



Success Stories

Equine Farm and Facilities Expo

Author: Beau Neal

Major Program: Equine

In order to help equine producers be efficient and profitable, Central Kentucky County Extension Agents for Agriculture & Natural Resources collaborated with Ag Equine Programs to offer the Equine Farm and Facilities Expo. The assistance of long-time business community sponsors allowed producers to see what the latest offerings are in farm machinery, equine nutrition products, and numerous other necessities for equine operations. Just like in years past, the expo included discussions an

Full Story

Water Quality Preservation

Author: Jamie Dockery

Major Program: Water and Soil Quality and Conservation

Our community, like much of the world, has become increasingly aware of water quality issues. Recent MS4 regulations have shed more light on these concerns. One of the major pollutants of stormwater is excess nutrients from fertilizer applications. The Fayette County horticulture program offers classes related to low input lawn care approaches that can serve to dramatically lessen fertilizer applications. Research has shown that turf grasses perform better when limited spring and summer applicat

Full Story

Environmental Camp

Author: Lucas Powell

Major Program: Natural Resources

Fayette County has had a successful Environmental Camping Program for many years. Unfortunately, like many things, Covid has caused our number of participating schools to drop. Many of our schools still wish to participate in the program but due to school specific regulations were not able to attend the overnight environmental camp as they have in the past. In partnership with the North Central Camp Staff, we have been able to provide an extended day program which offers many of the same classes

Full Story

Central Kentucky Grain Producers Seminar

Author: Beau Neal

Major Program: Grains

Central Kentucky Grain Producers Seminar

With inputs costs increasing every day and volatile grain crop markets keeping those producers on edge, up to date information from all aspects of the industry are welcomed.  The 2022 Central Kentucky Grain Producers Seminar held at the Fayette County Extension Office provided just that information to producers looking to cut costs and widen margins, all while still remaining sustainable and efficient.  Topics covered were Agronomics, Farm Managment Decisions, Economics, Grain Storage,

Full Story

Fayette County Extension Expo

Author: Beau Neal

Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy

The office held the Fayette County Extension Expo and open house. This event allowed the ANR program to showcase what it does and talk with members of the community who may not be directly involved in agriculture.  There were agriculture displays set up, including shrimp from a local farm, as well as local farmers available to chat about farming in Fayette County.  I met numerous potential clients and folks that didn't realize we offered services to farmers and agricultural produce

Full Story
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