Penn State Extension increased environmental and horticultural support with two full-time positions, the coordinator for the Master Gardeners of Chester County and the coordinator for the Master Watershed Stewards of Chester and Delaware Counties. Prior to July 2023, the two positions were held by one person, Meagan Hopkins-Doerr.

During Hopkins-Doerr's six years coordinating both programs, the number of people enrolled as a Master Gardener (MG) or a Master Watershed Steward (MWS) increased significantly. Correspondingly, projects by both groups increased. Some of the MG projects in Chester County include providing educational workshops, educating through community gardens and the MG demonstration gardens, participating in Penn State University's entomology research projects, supporting and facilitating projects related to food insecurity, leading youth education efforts, and expanding public knowledge of native plants and pollinators. MGs have collaborated with libraries, educational institutes, the Chester County Food Bank, community pantries, senior centers, and other Chester County organizations. They also have a new school partnership focused on gardening.

Meanwhile, the MWS' projects include providing educational workshops, designing and installing native plantings in green infrastructure projects, conducting in-stream monitoring, monitoring vernal ponds, and installing numerous riparian buffers, including three that will provide live stakes for future streambank repair workshops. All of these projects are in partnership with other individuals and groups, including Chester County, Delaware County, municipalities, schools, watershed associations, conservation groups, and friends of groups.

The increased volunteer membership and activities created a need for additional staff support. By creating two full-time positions, the MG and MWS programs can continue growing and expanding outreach offerings in local communities.

Audrey Davis joined Penn State Extension Chester County as the new MG coordinator. Davis is particularly interested in making locally grown foods more readily available to youths and seniors. Davis is a graduate of Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science in plant science and previously worked on small-scale vegetable farms and in landscape horticulture. Before joining the Chester County team, Davis was a gardener with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Hopkins-Doerr will continue as the coordinator for the MWS program and support its educational outreach and boots-on-the-ground projects across both counties. Among her coordinator responsibilities, she will develop projects to increase outreach related to the Watershed-Friendly Certification and contribute to several county and state committees.