Westerly resident Matthew Durham has been named the new head of the University of Rhode Island Master Gardener Program.
Durham is now responsible for overseeing the program statewide, supporting volunteers and managing the training, garden consultations, educational services, continuing education and the School Garden Mentor Program, according to a news release.
Durham, who was raised in North Stonington, spoke highly of the program’s approach, which trains volunteers to teach others in the community. As of last year, the program had 850 active volunteers and partnerships with 43 community organizations and 45 school sites.
“The train-the-trainer model ensures that knowledge is not just passed along, but amplified throughout Rhode Island,” Durham said in the release. “It creates a ripple effect, allowing a smaller group of trained individuals to reach far more people and have a lasting impact.”
“I’m drawn to the URI Master Gardener Program because of its courage to ask deeper questions about its role in building a more inclusive community,” he continued. “I value that the program not only emphasizes sharing research-based gardening knowledge, but also challenges our volunteers to think critically about what it means to hold ‘expertise’ within the gardening world.”
Durham, recalling the annual fall burial and excavation of the family fig tree and sorting potatoes seeds with his father, said his passion for gardening began at an early age.
“I carry these memories, and many others, with me along my gardening journey,” he said.
Durham holds degrees in natural sciences and environmental education from Hamline University and in writing, literature, and publishing from Emerson College.
The Master Gardener Program, started in 1977 and run through the URI Cooperative Extension, is designed to teach volunteers methods in sustainable gardening and environmental stewardship.
Volunteers in the program are responsible for training and support across the state, with the end goal of helping people get produce for food and learn in outdoor spaces.
In announcing Durham’s new role, the program described him as a “seasoned gardener and advocate for environmental education.”
“Over the past decade, he’s worked at the intersection of gardening, farming, cooking, and nature-based learning,” according to the announcement from the Master Gardener Program. “His experience spans organizations such as Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, Newton Community Farm, and the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center, and includes curriculum development, program and volunteer management, grant administration, and professional development facilitation.”
Through his work, Durham has built a body of experience connecting people to the food system and natural world. Durham completed the Master Gardener Program’s core training in 2023.
“I’m excited to learn alongside our volunteers and partner organizations, and to continue evolving the program in ways that are responsive to Rhode Island’s communities and landscapes, as well as our changing climate,” Durham said. “I feel grateful for all the support I’ve received so far in this role, and am honored to build on the amazing foundations already in place here.”
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