Due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, all Master Gardeners were automatically recertified for the following year. Now that more people are protected from COVID-19, recertification is again being required for some Master Gardeners for 2023. And things have changed so please read this article carefully.
What is required to recertify?
To recertify, Master Gardeners must attend 10 or more hours of continuing education and contribute 20 or more hours of volunteer time. (See the changes below.)
Does every Master Gardener have to recertify?
Students who graduated in the preceding year are certified for the next year.
Perennial (veteran) Master Gardeners who MUST recertify are those who are teaching (Speakers Bureau speakers, Practicum mentors, Garden Education Mentors known as GEM’S, MG presenters at any class, etc.), those who give gardening advice to the public (Plant Clinic mentors).
How can I meet the requirement of 10 hours of continuing education?
Continuing Education requirements can be earned by attending gardening classes (Winter Dreams Summer Gardens, Level Up webinars that can be found at https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/growing-oregon-gardeners-level-series-2022), reading gardening books or articles, listening to gardening radio programs,
doing research, etc.
What has changed?
This is the BIGGIE! There are now two types of volunteer hours, Direct and Indirect. Direct volunteer hours involve giving direct education (Plant Clinic, teaching, mentoring in the gardens, writing an educational gardening article, or presenting in other instructional settings approved by the MG Coordinator). Ten or more direct hours are required for recertification.
Indirect volunteer hours involve activities that facilitate or support the efforts of those who are teaching (event planning, mentoring students in MG practices rather than gardening, maintaining the demonstration gardens, serving on the Board of Directors, or anything approved in advance by the MG Coordinator). Ten or more indirect hours are required for recertification.
See https://mgvrs.extension.oregonstate.edu/pdf/New_Categories_2016.pdf for a complete explanation.
What is the deadline for earning these hours?
To be recertified for 2023, these requirements must be met and reported by the end of 2022.
How do I show I’ve completed the requirements for recertification?
Enter your hours in the VRS (Volunteer Reporting System) at https://mgvrs.extension.oregonstate.edu by the end of 2022 to be recertified for 2023.
In January get a recertification sticker from the MG Coordinator and put it on your MG badge.
Submitted by Jane Moyer
Oregon State University Extension
