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A Certificate in Native Plant Studies
from the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens
 In response to the increasing interest in native plants and the environment, the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens has partnered with the NC Native Plant Society and the Habitat and Wildlife Keepers to offer a series of in-depth courses combining lecture and hands-on learning, leading to a Certificate in Native Plant Studies.
What can be gained from pursuing the Certificate?
- A solid foundation of knowledge and appreciation of the Piedmont flora and its ecology – for personal or professional benefit.
- Training in identification, plant selection, planning and maintenance of gardens and landscapes that primarily utilize native plants, and other specialized skills (depending on electives chosen).
Who should pursue a Certificate?
- Home gardeners
- Naturalists
- Habitat stewards
- Landscapers & land developers
- Environmentalists, conservationists
- Environmental educators
What benefit will this certificate hold to employers and potential employees?
All courses in this certificate are taught by area college and university professors or degreed professionals in particular areas of expertise. So although the certificate does not provide university credit, the courses in the program are taught at as a high a level as possible for the amount of time allotted to each. Certificate holders will have completed at least 100 hours of class time and will have a solid foundation from which to build additional, specialized skills. They will have gained knowledge in plant identification, understanding of needs of many native plants and how to properly plant and take care of them, knowledge of habitats of the Carolinas and representative plant species, and terminology used by botanists and environmentalists.
Who are the partners endorsing the certificate program?
UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, North Carolina Native Plant Society, Habitat and Wildlife Keepers (HAWK), Wing Haven Gardens, Mecklenburg County Solid Waste, Mecklenburg Soil and Water Conservation District, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, and HARP (Habitat Assessment and Restoration Program, Inc.)
How do I sign up for and complete the program?
To complete the program and receive the certificate, participants take 6 required core courses, plus 4 electives. There is no time-frame requirement to complete the program, and anyone may take these courses even if he or she does not wish to pursue the certificate. The cost of the courses is generally $8 per contact hour. So, for a 9-hr course the cost would be $72 for that course. To begin, you would sign-up for the core course, Basic Botany, which is offered 2-3 times each year. You may register by calling Sue Richards at 704-687-6555 or . Refund Policy: Once a check is sent and deposited we are not able to issue a refund. However, if you must withdraw from a course before it begins, we will offer you credit towards future courses in the amount you paid for the withdrawn course.
Depending on the timing of when you begin the program, it could take 1.5 – 2 years to complete the entire certificate, due to the particular scheduling of course offerings.
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Plant & Gardening Info 
