Extension
It Starts With Us
Endorsing Environmental Stewardship and Promoting Green Living
Promoting Environmentally Sound Practices
Kelly Jackson, Matt Futrell, Jeremiah Johnson, Mary Anne Garnett, Tiffany Bolinger
Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes
Natural Resources
Understanding how daily choices can impact our environment is vital to conserving and preserving our natural resources and ensuring a healthy environment for present and future generations. Producers and consumers are constantly seeking ways to produce crops and maintain productive home gardens and landscapes while remaining environmentally friendly. Urban home horticulture calls, emails, and walk-in visits indicate the need for additional classes and seminars in managing environmental resources at home. There is an increasing need for educational assistance on home and garden issues as Kentucky’s urban population grows. The rising cost of fuel energy conservation is also becoming increasingly important.
Green Living is common terminology that includes energy conservation, recycling, preservation, water quality and nature appreciation. Outdoor education provides a perfect opportunity for youth to develop an understanding of the concept of green living. Research has shown that outdoor education has an impact on four main areas--personal, interpersonal, academic, and environmental awareness. Specific results include an increase in test scores, environmental action / personal responsibility, and an increase in teamwork and relational skills as a result of working together with classmates.
Little RIver is a main artery that runs through Christian County. This river has been placed on the impaired streams list by the Kentucky Divison of Water. The county has put a high priority on making an effort to clean the river up and have it removed from the impaired streams list.
* To improve environmental quality in the home, landscape, and farm throughout Christian County.
* To create safe homes within environments that promote and support the physical and mental well-being of families throughout the life-cycle.
* To improve the built and natural environment.
* To increase active and healthy lifestyles.
* Producers will implement recommendations outlined in their Ag water quality plans
* Producers and residential home owners will implement UK soil tests and recommendations
* Residents will demonstrate the skills needed to become Master Gardeners
* Producers will implement recommended practices while applying pesticides
* Land owners will implement food plots to meet the needs of wildlife populations in areas where supplemental nutrition is necessary for optimal performance and good overall herd health
* Homeowners will implement environmentally conscious decisions regarding home landscape maintenance
* Homeowners will implement environmentally conscious decision regarding home energy use and conservation practices
* Youth will practice being green by implementing one or more practice related to conservation and recycling
* Youth will increase teamwork, improved test scores and environmental actions
* Livestock Producers will utilize proper waste management practices
* Producers and consumers will aspire to form positive opinions about water quality and waste management
* Producers and consumers will gain knowledge on safe chemical usage pertaining to weed, disease and insect control
* Producers will complete and implement forest stewardship plans
* Master Gardener participants will gain knowledge in many aspects of home horticulture
* Producers will utilize pesticide container recycling program
* Homeowners will adopt landscaping practices that can improve the health and appearance of lawn and gardens while protecting and preserving natural resources
* Youth will learn the importance of being green
* Youth will learn to identify birds, learn the uses of trees, identify trees by leaf, develop an understanding of global warming and climate change, understand the need for water conservation and storm water run off
Intermediate Outcome: Homeowners will adopt landscaping practices that protect and preserve our natural resources
Indicator: 75% of participants will indicate an increased knowledge change when evaluated at the end of the program
Method: Retrospective survey; Follow-up survey
Timeline: Fall 2023
Outcome: Increased awareness of alternative fuels and energy consumption
Indicator: 10% will show a practice change which conserves energy
Method: Post program survey
Timeline: December-2023
Outcome: Increased awareness in wildlife habitat maintenance
Indicator: 75% of participants will indicate an increase in knowledge on the topic
Method: Post program evaluation
Timeline: Fall 2023
Outcome: Youth will adopt “green” habits
Indicator: Increased green habits
Method: Student/Leader evaluations
Timeline: Fall and Spring
Outcome: Improved teamwork and test scores
Indicator: Teacher responses
Method: Teacher Evaluations
Timeline: Fall and Spring
Outcome: Producers will utilize container recycling program
Indicator: Containers processed for recycling
Method: Measure number of containers collected
Timeline: Fall 2024
Outcome: Producers will utilize proper waste management techniques
Indicator: Frequency of Usage of manure spreader
Method: Record number of producers using county spreader
Timeline: Spring and summer
Outcome: Campers will become educated on outdoor activities and Ecosystems
Indicator: Number of Campers
Method: Camper Evaluations
Timeline: Summer 2023
Audience: General population, Extension Homemakers, Landowners, 4-H families, and producers
Activity: Newspaper and Newsletter articles
Content or Curriculum: University of Kentucky programing
Inputs: Kentucky CES Publications, eXtension Resources, Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association, Newsletters
Date: All year
Audience: Homeowners
Activity: Landscape maintenance and gardening videos
Content or Curriculum: Supplied by agents and specialists
Inputs: facilities, staff, volunteers; county funding
Date: year round
Audience: Landowners and woodland managers
Activity: Wildlife habitat improvement
Content or Curriculum: Supplied by agents and specialists
Inputs: Faculty, Staff, County funding and volunteers
Date: Spring 2023
Audience: Landowners, Master loggers
Activity: Woodland management
Content or Curriculum: Agent and specialists
Inputs: Faculty, Staff, State Agencies, volunteers
Date: Winter 2023
Audience: Producers
Activity: Efficient energy usage workshops,
Content or Curriculum: Supplied by state specialists and agents
Inputs: Faculty, staff, county funding, energy auditors
Date: 2022-23 Program year
Audience: Producers
Activity: Water quality workshops and testing
Content or curriculum: State specialists and agents
Inputs: Faculty, staff, USGS, county funding, local consortium
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Kentucky Master Gardener Training
Content or Curriculum: State MG Curriculum
Input: Agents; specialists, volunteers, local gardeners
Date: Fall 2023
Audience: Youth
Activity: Summer Camp
Content or Curriculum: Natural Resources Core Curriculum
Inputs: Camp and Camp Staff
Audience: Youth and Adults
Activity: Ag Safety Day
Content or Curriculum: Progressive Ag Safety Day
Inputs: Faculty, staff, community volunteers, county funding
Author: Kelly Jackson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The tornado of December 10, 2021, affected people’s lives in Kentucky. Many people lost homes, personal property, as well as all their landscape plantings including trees that were decades old or trees planted to honor someone or a special occasion. The Christian County Extension Office partnered with a local nursery in Todd County to provide trees for families impacted by the tornado. The nursery grew and donated more than 3,500 trees because they wanted to help the tornado victims recove
Author: Jeremiah Johnson
Major Program: Natural Resources
According to the article “Why Is environmental Education Important for Kids” on the website Rubricon, Environmental education promotes critical and creative thinking skills and inspires kids to become more engaged with their communities. It helps kids understand why the environment is important and provides them with the building blocks they need to live eco-friendly and sustainable lives. (https://www.rubicon.com/blog/environmental-education-for-kids) Many times youth do not
Author: Kelly Jackson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Since the Pandemic of 2020, a national trend of increased interest in home vegetable gardening has been taking place. This has been noticed in Christian County and the local Master Gardener Association and Christian County Extension Office have taken the opportunity to reach and educate the community through social media, in-person training, and the “Hello Garden” newsletter. Beginning with social media postings in 2021, the Master Gardener Association FaceBook page began growi
