Program Objectives

EARTH LaFlor 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 LaFlor 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 LaFlor 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 LaFlor 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 3^rd year academic program at LaFlor

 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 LaFlor……

•         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 LaFlor using native low water need plants and landscaping elements

•         Development of landscaping projects and demonstration gardens at the communities and local schools

Sample Rotating Weekly Schedule of UF/IFAS County Faculty   

      Seven UF/IFAS County Extension Faculty + EARTH students as translators & assistants

•  Sunday Day  1 -Travel and orientation

•   Monday Day 2 – Prepare Gardens / labs for workshop

•   Tuesday Day 3 – Prepare program set up for Professionals

•   Wednesday Day 4 – Training for Professionals – EARTH with Students  

•   Thursday Day 5 – Preparing for training for Homeowners

•   Friday Day 6 – Training for Homeowners

•   Saturday Day 7 – Travel home or visit the area

•   Sunday Day 8 – Visit the area and orientation of new UF Extension Faculty 

•   Monday Day 9- Garden Prepare for Workshop

•   Tuesday Day 10 – Prepare program set up for Professionals

•   Wednesday Day 11 - Training Professionals – with EARTH Students

•   Thursday Day 12 - Preparing for training for Homeowners

•   Friday Day 13 - Training for Homeowners

•   Saturday Day 14  - Travel home or Visit the Area (see “Day 8” above)

Evaluation and Outcomes

•         Development of new training materials for Non English speaking clientele

•         Materials based on Local needs of the area

•         Need for Evaluation short term and long term

•         County Extension Faculty with International Extension Programming Experience

•         Expanded relationship between EARTH and UF

•         Exchange of ideas and culture

•         Increased capacity of Local people of the Guanacaste area

•         New EARTH Gardeners

•         New Horticulture Training Gardens and Nurseries at LaFlor  

•  

Examples of future additional  Extension projects at LaFlor

•         Marine Sea Grant - developing marinas on the coast at Four Seasons Resort

•         4H youth programming both in the communities and at the schools

•         FCS programming both in the communities and at the schools

•         Energy and Build Green program with new construction at LaFlor

•         Agriculture with Ministry of Agriculture

 Your suggestions on ways to improve our program will be most appreciated!