View Poster Application

Designing climate-smart extension for the commercial horticulture industry in Florida

Extension Education

Hamutahl Cohen
Naples

Abstract

Designing climate-smart extension for the commercial horticulture industry in Florida

Hamutahl Cohen(1), Michael Orfanedes(2), Donna Castro(2), Henrique Mayer(3), Yvette Goodiel(4), John Roberts(5), Michelle Leonard-Mularz(6), Grantly Ricketts(7)
 

  1. Collier County Extension, University of Florida IFAS, Naples, FL.
  2. Broward County Extension, University of Florida IFAS, Davie, FL
  3. Miami-Dade County Extension, University of Florida IFAS, Homestead, FL
  4. Martin County Extension, University of Florida IFAS, Stuart, FL
  5. West Palm Beach County Extension, University of Florida IFAS, West Palm Beach, FL
  6. Monroe County Extension, University of Florida IFAS, Key West, FL
  7. Osceola County Extension, University of Florida IFAS, Kissimmee, FL

Florida ranks sixth in the states for total greenhouse gas emissions (Mulkey et al. 2008). Although climate change is expected to impact the performance of plants, there is a dearth of extension programming for the commercial horticulture industry. Green industry professionals such as landscapers and nursery producers are poised to either exacerbate or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions through horticultural practices such as equipment maintenance and plant selection. To develop a state-wide extension program addressing climate change education, mitigation, and resiliency for this clientele, in Spring 2022 our group outlined programming needs, objectives, and products. We designed a needs assessment using focus groups and an online-survey to determine client attitudes towards climate change programming and guide the creation of a state-wide repository of factsheets, blogs, decision-support tools, and resources for both clients and extension educators. This poster will share program objectives and preliminary results from the needs assessment. We also conducted a literature review assessing what is known about the intersection of horticulture and climate change. We present several gaps in knowledge to help guide collaboration with extension researchers.

Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC

This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.

Click to view Poster

Authors: Hamutahl Cohen, Michael Orfanedes, Donna Castro, Henrique Mayer, Michelle Leonard-Mularz, Yvette Goodiel, John Roberts, Grantly Ricketts
  1. Cohen, H. Extension Agent, Collier County Extension, UF/IFAS, Florida, 34120
  2. Orfanedes, M. Extension Agent, Broward County Extension, UF/IFAS, Florida, 33314
  3. Castro, D. Extension Program Assistant, Broward County Extension, UF/IFAS, Florida, 33314
  4. Mayer, H. Extension Agent, Miami-Dade County Extension, UF/IFAS, Florida, 33030
  5. Leonard-Mularz, M. Extension Agent, Monroe County Extension, UF/IFAS, Florida, 33040
  6. Goodiel, Y. Extension Agent, Martin Count Extension, UF/IFAS, Florida, 34996
  7. Roberts, J. Extension Agent, West Palm Beach County Extension, UF/IFAS, Florida, 33415
  8. Ricketts, G. Extension Agent, Osceola County Extension, UF/IFAS, Florida, 34744