Boost Your Career with a Certificate
Learn to identify, cultivate, and conserve native New England plants
Please see answers to frequently asked Certificate Program questions here.
Since 1987, Native Plant Trust has cultivated one of the most comprehensive Native Plant Studies programs in the country. Our curriculum sets a clear path for students to build on the fundamentals of the field in interactive ways, while maintaining program flexibility and increasing the frequency of our offerings. The new curriculum also guides students to create products over the course of the certificate, so that they can complete final portfolios to demonstrate their proficiency in their subjects.
Students enrolled in our certificate programs learn to identify, cultivate, and conserve native New England plants while gaining a greater appreciation for their ecological importance. Students also actively participate in public and private efforts to preserve and restore native New England plants.
Although our certificate core courses are designed for the level of certificate students, enrollment in the Certificate Program is not required to take a certificate core course.
New: Scholarship Opportunities
We are pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for the Native Plant Studies Basic Certificate courses. These scholarships are intended to provide a learning path for students who would not otherwise be able to pursue these courses. We especially encourage students of diverse backgrounds to apply. Recipients of scholarship funds will be kept confidential unless the student voluntarily shares their story.
We have closed the current scholarship application period and will reopen it when we are able to receive more students. Please check back on this page.
For best results with our registration links, we recommend using the Google Chrome browser.
Basic Certificate
The Basic certificate track familiarizes students with the plants of New England, emphasizing structures, skills, and processes. We highly recommend beginning with the foundations courses, which introduce students to native plant vocabulary, morphology, physiology, ecological context, evolution, and relationships. This knowledge is applied to following courses.
All Basic certificate core courses are now offered every semester.
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Requirements • - • Enroll now
Foundations
- Plant Form and Function
- Plant Ecology
- Plant Families
Plants and Their Habitats
- Wildflowers of New England
- Native New England Shrubs
- Framework Trees of New England
Specialty
- Understanding and Managing Soils
- Two electives (one Botany, one Horticulture). (Note: Three webinars may count as one elective.)
Application
- Two studies (one Field, one Landscape)
- Community service: 15 hours*
- Final portfolio
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Track Your Credits • -
Please download this form to track your credits as you complete your courses. When you've completed your requirements and filled in this credit form, please email the completed form to education@NativePlantTrust.org.
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Plant List • - • -
Students in the certificate programs should gain a working familiarity with the plants listed in this spreadsheet, which has one tab for Basic certificate students and one tab for Advanced.
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Past Program Catalogs • - • -
Advanced Certificate
The Advanced certificate tracks encourage students to apply their plant knowledge in a Botany & Conservation specialty or a Horticulture & Design specialty. To enter an Advanced track, students must complete the Basic certificate or have enough experience to qualify for a Basic certificate. We recommend beginning with the foundations courses, which provide context for the field or landscape application. All Advanced core courses are offered every year.
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Advanced Botany & Conservation • - • Enroll now
Foundations
- Conservation Biology
- New England Plant Communities
- Plant Systematics
Field Conservation
- Field Identification Techniques
- Botanical Inventory Methods and Techniques
- Wetland Identification and Delineation
- Seed Conservation
Specialty
- Invasive Plants: Identification, Documentation, and Control
- Two Botany electives
(Note: Three webinars may count as one elective.)
Application
- Two Field Studies
- Community Service Leadership Project: 25 hours*
- Final portfolio
*Students must apply their newly learned skills in the field by completing a Native Plant Community Service Leadership Project. Projects must benefit the community and further our mission. Past projects have focused on design and installation of native plant gardens, landscape restorations, and native plant program development.
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Advanced Horticulture & Design • - • Enroll now
Foundations
- Landscape for Life
- History and Principles of Landscape Design
- Horticultural Techniques
- Residential Landscape Design
- Native Herbaceous Plant Materials: Early Season
- Native Herbaceous Plant Materials: Late Season
- Native Woody Plant Materials
Specialty
- Propagation
- Two Horticulture electives (Note: Three webinars may count as one elective.)
Application
- Two Landscape Studies
- Community Service Leadership Project: 25 hours*
- Final portfolio
*Students must apply their newly learned skills in the field by completing a Native Plant Community Service Leadership Project. Projects must benefit the community and further our mission. Past projects have focused on design and installation of native plant gardens, landscape restorations, and native plant program development.
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Track Your Credits
Advanced Botany & Conservation students, please download this form to track your credits as you complete your courses.
Advanced Horticulture & Design students, please download this form to track your credits as you complete your courses.
All students: When you've completed your requirements and filled in your credit form, please email the completed form to education@NativePlantTrust.org.
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Plant List • - • -
Students in both the Basic and Advanced certificate programs should gain a working familiarity with the plants listed in this spreadsheet.
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Past Program Catalogs • - • -
