UF/IFAS Treasure Coast green industries working group—meeting the educational needs of the green industry

Abstract

The care and maintenance of landscaped green spaces along the Treasure Coast is a multi-million dollar industry with hundreds of businesses and thousands of employees. This includes, but is not limited to, architects, designers, growers, installers, irrigation specialists, maintenance professionals and pesticide and fertilizer applicators. Many of these professionals need specific licenses in order to perform their job duties legally and correctly, or hold licenses that require annual training for continuing educational units (CEUs). The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension is the appropriate organization to offer such training, but in recent years, it has become exceedingly difficult for one county to offer all of the necessary instruction to meet the needs of this clientele.