UMass Extension's Green School

Program Background

Green School is a comprehensive certificate short course for Green Industry professionals held bi-annually and taught by UMass Extension specialists and University of Massachusetts faculty. This course is designed for horticultural practitioners such as landscapers, professional gardeners, lawn care specialists, and arborists wishing to gain an understanding of plant care fundamentals and strategies and their relation to environmental quality. Green School attendees learn about sustainable methods of plant selection, plant maintenance, and pest and nutrient management which lay the foundation for environmentally-appropriate decision-making. Through in-depth discussion of up-to-date techniques, participants develop an understanding of how proper management practices can minimize impact on precious natural resources such as soil and water. The Green School curriculum, which emphasizes a systems-based approach to plant care, is based on current research and focuses on environmental stewardship, Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

The next available session of Green School will be presented online in the fall of 2020