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Nancy Pollard, provides programs related to the Urban Environment and Natural Resources. She uses a teamwork approach responding to community needs, in the south and southwest suburbs of Cook County. Audiences include municipalities, organizations, schools, nature centers, volunteer Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists, youth leaders, youth and families.
Since 2000, Nancy Pollard has overseen the Cook South Suburban Master Gardener Program, "helping people learn to grow." She has led its expansion to over 130 volunteers. Master Gardeners on her team have won state awards every year since she began overseeing the progrram. "Ask a Master Gardener," is a popular attraction at Farmers Markets and events in the region. She instructs adult Master Gardeners in Botany, Insects, Diseases and Integrated Pest Management, and numerous related topics. Ms. Pollard has worked extensively with both youth and adults on horticulture projects. She enjoys helping residents and volunteers find creative ways to serve the greening of their communities.
Nancy is on a team that created he sustainable vegetable and herb garden the the Museum of Science and Industry SMART home exhibit since 2008. The garden won 1st place for Chicago public institutions-city wide in the Mayor's Landscape Awards program 2009, and a 2009 Illinois Master Gardener teamwork award.
Pollard provides leadership to a new pilot Illinois Master Naturalist Program in Cook County which provided 25 participants with hands-on, view changing training in the spring of 2009. By fall, volunteers had returned 1182 volunteer hours with 10 organizations in addition to the partners. Recruitment is underway for training in 2010.
In a world of limited time and space, container gardens seem to make more and more sense. Nancy worked on a team developing Successful Container Gardens in response to the needs of people so they can enjoy the simple pleasure of gardening and contact with nature. It includes traditional writing and photography plus podcasting that can be viewed on YouTube. She has presented Growing Beautiful Container Gardens at local, state and regional events, and on COMCAST regional TV.
From her early life on a dairy farm, and roaming the woods, ravines and creeks around Ithaca, New York, Pollard grew to love nature. Her practical experience working on a vegetable farm, formal gardens, Cornell's Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory, and florist shops in several states is combined with knowledge from formal training.
She earned a master's degree in horticulture from Michigan State University where her focus was education and school gardens. Pollard holds a bachelor's degree with honors from Cornell University in floriculture and ornamental horticulture. Pollard interned at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square Pennsylvania in conjunction with the University of Delaware. In addition to Illinois, she has worked in the horticulture field in New York, Michigan, Colorado, California, and Georgia giving her broad perspective.
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