![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/template_header_sfyl-300x74.gif\" "\\"template_header_sfyl\\"")
Lee County Commissioners will be deciding on budget cuts sometime in September, 2013, and the entire budget for Lee County Extension Services ($885,600) is on the chopping block. Extension develops & administrates:<\/p>\nLee County Commissioners will be deciding on budget cuts sometime in September, 2013, and the entire budget for Lee County Extension Services ($885,600) is on the chopping block. Extension develops & administrates:<\/p>\n
1. Public outreach, with free or inexpensive classes on a variety of topics that improve quality of life, nutrition, environmental sciences, bee keeping, Master Naturalist and Master Gardening.<\/p>\n
2. Florida Yards & Neighborhood program that educates homeowners about landscapes that will protect the environment & conserve our precious water.<\/p>\n
3. 4-H programs that provide youth programs with volunteer services valued at $330,000 in 2011.<\/p>\n
4. Master Gardener volunteers (hours from last year alone totaled 26,874, which translates into a dollar amount of $585,584).<\/p>\n
5. Training & certification for various occupational licenses.<\/p>\n
6. Teaching professional landscapers the Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMPs) on proper use of pesticides & fertilizers, resulting in fewer nutrients & toxins entering our water.<\/p>\n
7. Marine Education<\/p>\n
8. Agriculture & Natural\u00a0Resources<\/p>\n
9. Family & Consumers.
\nLee County Extension, providing residents with access to science-based information and education in natural and social resources through the work of UF\/IFAS Extension (University of Florida\/Institute of Food & Agriculture Sciences) does all this & more for a minimal investment. It\u2019s a bargain that if lost, will certainly result in the compromise of our clean waterways, which is a big reason tourists visit our beautiful county.<\/p>\n
Save Lee County Extension.<\/p>\n