Online Courses Overview
These courses are for people who want to learn online, from home.
Business Skills for Land Care Professionals
Drawing on 40 years of small business experience, this course goes well beyond information found in textbooks and on the web, providing a practical interpretation of common business problems, and guidance to solutions.
While it is addressed at small business owners in the ornamental land care and farming sectors, this course is equally applicable to all other types of small business. Participants will develop their own marketing and business plans.
Business Skills for Land Care Professionals
Ecological Landscape Design
This very comprehensive course begins with an overview of historical garden design perspectives, including an examination of the role of art, statuary, wildlife, water, and native ecosystems.
The principles of landscape design and how the various elements are used in softscaping and hardscaping will be examined in detail on how to achieve particular esthetics and function. Design terminology and drafting skills will be applied when following the steps of the design process.
Ecological Plant Knowledge 1 - Natives
This course provides an overview of plant and ecosystem relationships, through a brief review of ecosystem ecology, botany and plant physiology as it relates to choosing and planting a variety of native plants.
The plant identification component emphasizes native landscape plants including annuals, perennials, shrubs, deciduous and evergreen trees which are commonly used in the ornamental landscape for the temperate and colder northern hemisphere.
Ecological Plant Knowledge 1 - Natives
Ecological Plant Knowledge 2 – Ornamentals
The plant identification component of this course emphasizes ornamental landscape plants including annuals, perennials, shrubs, deciduous and evergreen trees, which are commonly used in the ornamental landscape of the temperate and cooler northern hemisphere.
Weed identification and arboriculture practices such as pruning: what, when and how, will also be covered as it relates to the different plant types.
Ecological Plant Knowledge 2 – Ornamentals
Growing Food 1 - Fundamentals
If you are concerned about where your food comes from, what’s in it (or on it), or simply getting the best nutrition possible, growing an abundance of healthy, nutritious and delicious fruits and vegetables is the way to go.
In this comprehensive course you will learn essential applied permaculture and organic gardening techniques
Growing Food 2 - Growing Nutrient Dense & High Energy Food Online
In this course we will focus on replenishing and re-balancing soil nutrients with the goal of growing not just food, but complete nutrition for ourselves and our animals.
Attendance at this program earns you the following Continuing Education Credits (CECs):
CNLA, NALP, MGOI, NOFA
Growing Food 2 - Growing Nutrient Dense & High Energy Food Online
Living Green Infrastructure Online
This course is designed to provide the knowledge and tools to assist professionals and practitioners in attaining a proficient level of competence in living green infrastructure, and for implementing these technologies and best management practices throughout the planning, constructing and maintenance phase of land development.
Attendance at this program earns you the following Continuing Education Credits (CECs):
CLNA, NALP, ISA: Certified Arborist, ISA: Board Certified Arborist, ISA: Municipal Specialist, BCSLA, MGOI, NOFA
Living Green Infrastructure Online
Organic Horticulture Specialist
Whether you are already a landscape professional, just beginning your education, or simply learning for personal enjoyment, this course will give you the knowledge you need to become a better gardener.
You will receive a thorough introduction to the science and practice of organic horticulture, facilitating a profound shift in ecological awareness.
Organic Horticulture Specialist
Organic Master Gardener
The organic master gardener course is our core gardening class. It's intense, challenging and inspiring, and it's profoundly changing lives all around North America.
Not only do you become a master gardener, but you also join a community of like-minded people who want to make the world a better place. You'll make new friends. You'll see the world differently. We hope you'll discover a new sense of purpose.
Organic Land Care Accreditation Online
This course is only for landscape professionals with horticulture education and a minimum of 2 years work experience in this field. The major emphasis is on soil management, and the connection between soil health and landscape health. Support for the process of transitioning a landscape from chemical dependency to organic self-sufficiency is what sets this course apart from traditional soil science courses. Attendance at this program earns you the following Continuing Education Credits (CECs): CLNA, NALP, Certified Arborist, ISA: Board Certified Arborist, ISA: Municipal Specialist, BCSLA, MGOI, IPM, NOFA
Organic Land Care Accreditation Online
Rainwater Harvesting & Management Online
Using the concepts of rainwater management, and implementing key components of rainwater harvesting, professionals and trades practitioners will be able to design, create and manage quality systems in a sustainable and environmentally ethical manner.
Attendance at this program earns you the following Continuing Education Credits (CECs):
CLNA, NALP, BCSLA, MGOI, IPM, NOFA, ARCSA
Rainwater Harvesting & Management Online
Sketchup Pro for Landscape Design
In this unique course geared towards landscape applications we introduce a whole new integrated 3-dimensional design and modeling process.
Whether your preferred medium is pen and paper or a conventional 2-dimensional CAD program, the ability to work in 3 dimensions and view your work from all angles will undoubtedly enrich your creative design process.
Sketchup Pro for Landscape Design
Systems Thinking for Environmental Professionals Online
In our urban environments we are experiencing many unintended consequences of previous land use management practices. In part, this arises due to the complex nonlinear relationships of natural systems. We need new tools to effectively integrate our existing knowledge and experience. Systems thinking facilitates a holistic decision making process.
Attendance at this program earns you the following Continuing Education Credits (CECs):
CLNA, NALP, BCSLA, MGOI, NOFA,
Systems Thinking for Environmental Professionals Online
The Art of Online Facilitation
The Art of Online Facilitation is a course intended for training educators as online facilitators of fully online and blended delivery courses.
Course design is critical to good online course facilitation and this course is intended to guide the educator in using an already developed online course as the basis for example.