Learning is a lifelong creative endeavor.
Adult & Continuing Education Programs at The North Carolina Arboretum invites you to grow in mind and grow in place. A University of North Carolina System affiliate, the Arboretum offers immersive learning opportunities with the Blue Ridge Naturalist and the Blue Ridge Eco Gardener Certificates of Merit.
Scroll down for information on each certificate program with links to course overviews.
Open Enrollment Periods
Spring Term: Mid-December through January
Fall Term: Mid-June through July
Orientation for each new cohort is scheduled in February and August. If you’d like to join the next Blue Ridge Naturalist or Blue Ridge EcoGardener cohort, please come back to this page in mid-December, click “learn more” below for the program of your choosing, and fill out an application and pay the enrollment fee.
We welcome your interest and appreciate your commitment to stewarding our precious natural heritage in this region.