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Master Gardener Annual Impact Report

Illinois Extension Master Gardeners invest their time and talents in local Illinois communities to grow food, support pollinators, sustain resilient home gardens, and share their knowledge with others.

Explore Our Impact

Announcements and Highlights

Become a Master Gardener

Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who dedicate their time and skills to make their community a more beautiful place. Learn how you can get involved!

Volunteer Resources

Continuing education opportunities, hour tracking, and more resources for current Master Gardener volunteers.

Extension Horticulture Group

Submit questions, network with other gardening enthusiasts and check in with Illinois Extension Horticulture Educators.

Upcoming Events

Speaker's Network Training

January 15, 2026

Bi-State Gardening Conference

January 16, 2026

Forest Health Updates and Fungal Mutualists

January 20, 2026

Speaker's Network Training

January 22, 2026

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Fulton

Mason

Peoria

Tazewell

More Events

Recent News

December 30, 2025

Extension Unwrapped: Top local stories in 2025
BOURBONNAIS, Ill — As 2025 winds down, University of Illinois Extension in Grundy, Kankakee, and Will counties is taking a look back at the stories that shaped the year. From community programs that made a difference to heartwarming stories of impact, these highlights reflect the Extension...

View looking from the ground up into a large tree filled with lush, green leaves

December 9, 2025

Tree care expertise grows through Illinois Extension webinar series
URBANA, Ill. — Tree care isn't always led just by certified arborists, so University of Illinois Extension is ensuring that everyone has access to research-backed information on practicing proper tree care. “Trees are more than scenery,...

A group of people in front of a sign that says 50 years Illinois Extension Master Gardener

December 9, 2025

Extension advances mission of lifelong learning at annual conference
URBANA, Ill. — Across the state, University of Illinois Extension staff link their communities with resources they need to thrive by turning science into solutions. Demonstrating Extension’s mission of life-...

a gray and yellow songbird perched on a branch

November 4, 2025

Lost or leading the way? Rare birds may signal shifting migration routes
On a 2009 hike in the Huachuca Mountains of southeastern Arizona, a group of birders heard an otherworldly, ethereal bird song floating, flute-like, through the canyon. The hikers identified the singer as a brown-backed solitaire, recognizing...

Barbara Flores, Karn Mejudhon, Lorna Carlson, Mayor Tom McNamara, Margaret Larson