Published 2019-04-19
Abstract
The Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) Training Program is mandatory by Florida statute for those applying fertilizer commercially in the urban landscape. The program promotes landscaping practices that minimize the impacts of nonpoint sources of pollution. Input from industry owners and local University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) extension agents identified Haitian Creole-speaking workers as an underserved audience. A Creole-based GI-BMP training program was developed that included translating class materials, procuring funding, recruiting instructors and building partnerships between Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), UF/IFAS extension agents and specialists, industry owners and University of Florida translators. This resulted in the creation of a Haitian–Creole version of all GI-BMP program materials, the recruitment and training of three Creole-fluent instructors, and the delivery of three training sessions in Haitian–Creole. Five trial Creole GI-BMP classes were conducted in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami–Dade counties, 71 out of 102 Haitian–Creole attendees earned GI-BMP certification; pre-/post-test scores averaged a 38% knowledge gain and 70% passing rate.