Briefs
Registration set for spring master gardener training
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will hold an information and registration session for the upcoming spring 2012 master gardener training on Friday, Dec. 16, at 8:30 a.m. at the Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road. The master gardener volunteer program is open to all adults who accept the training and volunteer commitments. Individuals do not need a horticulture background -- only an interest in gardening and a desire to share what you've learned with the community.
Spring semester classes will be offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. beginning March 12. There are 20 classes in the course.
Participants will learn sustainable desert gardening practices, including proper plant selection and care, disease and pest management and water-efficient gardening.
To become a master gardener, an individual must complete 80 hours of horticultural instruction and volunteer 50 hours on community projects each year. Volunteer projects are ongoing at Acacia Park, Nathan Adelson Hospice and the Springs Preserve. Additional projects include the Doolittle and Lieburn senior center community gardens, master gardener orchard and Nellis Air Force Base Environmental Grove.
At the information/registration session, UNCE horticulture staff will detail the training program requirements, volunteer commitment and master gardener community projects. A $150 cost-recovery fee covers all class materials including three textbooks, master gardener badge, shirt, tote and some refreshments.
Completed registration packets, including applications with cash or check payable to Board of Regents, will secure enrollment and are accepted on a first-come basis at the information/ registration session.
Reservations may be made by calling Mary Bertsch, program assistant, at 702-257-5501 or e-mail bertschm@unce.unr.edu.
Local residents honored at Desert Green Conference
More than 350 people recently attended the 15th annual Desert Green conference held at Sam's Town.
The conference, which is dedicated to education for the green industry, included an awards banquet, where several sponsoring organizations recognized outstanding contributions to the industry.
Southwest Trees & Turf Professional of the Year was awarded to Robert (Bob) Morris, professor emeritus with University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Morris also consults and writes a horticulture column for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The Southern Nevada Arborist Group named Pete Duncombe as its Tree Care Trailblazer. Duncombe is the curator of the gardens at the Springs Preserve. The Bill Tomiyasu Memorial Award honored Lisa Ortega, an urban forester with the city of Henderson. Ortega was recognized for her tireless efforts planting trees, educating the general public about tree care and volunteering efforts for several professional organizations. The Tomiyasu Award is considered the most prestigious green industry award in Southern Nevada.
The conference was sponsored by the Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture; Southern Nevada Golf Course Superintendents Association; Nevada Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects; University of Nevada Cooperative Extension; Southern Nevada Water Authority; Nevada Shade Tree Council; Southwest Trees & Turf; and the Southern Nevada Arborists Group.
Desert Green XVI is slated for October 2012 in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.desert-green.org.
