{"id":1556,"date":"2026-09-04T13:06:38","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T20:06:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/mgcoordinators\/?p=1556"},"modified":"2026-09-04T13:06:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T20:06:38","slug":"meet-the-coordinator-russell-smith-ollivierre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/mgcoordinators\/2026\/09\/04\/meet-the-coordinator-russell-smith-ollivierre\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Coordinator: Russell Smith-Ollivierre\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Extension General Agriculture Educator serving Malheur County<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Russell arrived in Malheur County in 2023, he discovered that the county did not yet have a Master Gardener program. After conducting a needs assessment and finding strong community interest, he helped launch the program in 2024 with its first group of 10 Master Gardener volunteers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I spoke with Russell about starting a new Master Gardener program, gardening in Oregon’s high desert, and the volunteers and community partners helping build the program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Quick Facts<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Position:<\/strong> Extension General Agriculture Educator <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Region:<\/strong> Malheur County <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malheur County Master Gardener program launched:<\/strong> 2024 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Favorite insect:<\/strong> Monarch butterfly <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginner plant recommendation:<\/strong> Mint (in a container) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russell’s agricultural education began in his home country of Barbados, where he attended a technical school and earned a diploma in agriculture. He continued his education at university, earning a bachelor’s degree in general agriculture and a master’s degree in tropical crop protection with an emphasis in plant pathology. After completing his graduate degree, Russell went into teaching and taught high school agriculture for nearly nine years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His experience in agriculture and education eventually brought him to Oregon. When he arrived in Malheur County in 2023, he began looking into the Master Gardener program and realized the county did not have one. He saw an opportunity to provide education about sustainable gardening while also giving community members a way to give back. After conducting a needs assessment and receiving generally positive feedback, the program launched in 2024 with 10 members in its first cohort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gardening in Malheur County<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malheur County is a large county with gardening conditions that differ from many areas in Oregon. The region is semi-arid and high desert, with hot summers and cold winters. Russell says gardeners typically focus on drought-tolerant plants and practices that help retain moisture and reduce the effects of high summer temperatures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the strategies he highlighted include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n