Gardeners of Costa Rica – Community Volunteers and Homeowners.
Master of Gardens – Commercial landscape and Nursery Workers.
EARTH La Flor Horticulture Training Program
January – March 2008
Provide hands on horticultural knowledge and skills to:
- enable community personnel to teach gardening for improve food self-sufficiency
- increase technical competence of landscape installers and maintenance personnel
- reduce waste of natural resources and environmental contamination by using locally adapted plant materials
- increase the utilization of native plant materials in local (commercial)
What EARTH La Flor has to offer….
- International location for County Extension Faculty
- On-site program development person
- Facilities being developed in the middle of Guanacaste issues
- Translation of materials and conversation during training
- Land, and equipment
- EARTH Students coming to La Flor for 7 week terms as a part of future training programs
- Short term duration, transportation, housing / food for UF IFAS County and State faculty
- Collaborations with the area communities
- Strong alumni base for potential graduate studies and training programs
What UF IFAS Extension has to offer….
- Trained and proven Environmental Horticulture County and State Extension faculty with expertise in non-formal education
- IFAS Extension with a wealth of research-based education materials and knowledge
- History of training clientele within communities
- Extension administration willing to financially support travel to La Flor in Costa Rica
- Faculty willing to take on short term 10 – 14 day assignments in Costa Rica
- Faculty willing to take sabbatical time in Costa Rica
- Distance Education models for graduate studies
- Assisting EARTH Faculty to implement the new 3rd year academic program at La Flor
What the UF IFAS Extension faculty will gain…
- Awareness of Cultural differences and development of strategies to work with others
- Building curriculum developed for non English speaking clientele
- Broadening the knowledge base of different environments and plant specifies
- Spanish language and Culture education
- Building relationships with EARTH Students for future programs
Extension Projects in Environmental Horticulture at La Flor…
- Non formal education training program for community clientele
- Non formal education training program for professionals in environmental horticulture
- Development of landscaping projects, plant nurseries and demonstration gardens at La Flor using native low water need plants and landscaping elements
- Development of landscaping projects and demonstration gardens at the communities and local schools