Blue Ridge Naturalist Certificate of Merit

Start a quest to deepen your knowledge of one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Join a community of adult learners who are dedicated to understanding the natural sciences, ecology and culture of the Southern Appalachian region through the Blue Ridge Naturalist (BRN) Certificate of Merit program. Classes meet year round online, onsite and in the field. Students work to complete 240 hours in core courses on ecology, botany, geology and plant identification as well as electives on animals, lichens, insects and more. All students will complete and present a final project prior to graduation. Projects often take the form of service learning, empowering students to tackle needs in their own communities, including establishing pollinator gardens for public enjoyment or researching the effects of stream sedimentation.

Want to know more? Join us for an online orientation and round table discussion with program staff, faculty and current students Thursday, September 10, from 3 to 4 p.m. Click here to register for this free program. 

Sign up online today to understand your place in the natural world and how to preserve, protect and care for our common home.

Enroll Here

There is a one-time, non-refundable $75 application fee. Members of The North Carolina Arboretum Society receive additional discounts on all classes taken for certificate credit.

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Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener Certificate of Merit

 

A garden is far more than just a collection of flowers and foliage, but a living community of organisms interacting as a dynamic system, from the tiniest soil bacterium to the tallest tree. The Arboretum’s Blue Ridge Eco-Gardener (BREG) Certificate of Merit program is designed to empower you with an understanding of the complex ecological principles underpinning healthy, self-sustaining landscapes and how to apply them in your garden. Participants will earn the certificate by completing a 120-hour curriculum program containing courses in ecology, botany, permaculture, landscape design and more.  Classes are currently offered online with a new season of classes starting in September.

Sign up online today to firmly root yourself in a holistic, ecology-minded approach to gardening-in-place and grow alongside fellow budding eco-gardeners. 

Enroll Here

There is a one-time, non-refundable $75 application fee. Members of The North Carolina Arboretum Society receive additional discounts on all classes taken for certificate credit.