CERTIFICATE

Develop a deeper connection to trees by understanding their outsized role in our natural ecosystems. Trees provide habitat and food. They support nutrient-cycling in forest systems through leaf-drop and decomposition, mediate temperatures, mitigate stormwater, and soil erosion, and are culturally significant to the mid-Atlantic region. Examine the ecological features of trees while learning about their anatomy and care. Find out how trees contribute, in both life and death, to forest ecology. Learn why large, mature trees need to be conserved and how climate change could impact forests in the future. Outdoor learning conducted to complement the lectures. Dress for the

Learn the methods Mt. Cuba’s arborists use to apply ecologically sound maintenance strategies and retain dead trees for wildlife while maintaining landscapes and built spaces. Develop a deeper connection to trees by understanding their outsized role in natural ecosystems and how they contribute, in both life and death, to forest ecology. Students will be trained to evaluate potential tree planting sites and the condition of mature trees. Outdoor learning conducted to complement the lectures may include walking over rolling terrain and mulched paths. These classes are rain or shine.  Lunch is included each day. This program takes place in-person at

Ecologically sound landscapes are designed to fit the local environmental conditions and require fewer inputs to achieve success. Learn how to assess, inventory, and analyze a site, then make a conceptual design and planting plan selecting plants ideal for the site conditions and desired functions. Broaden your design perspective, increase biodiversity in the landscape with native plants, decrease space dedicated to lawns, and create habitats that benefit insects, birds, and other fauna. Dress for the weather as the class may go outside. A detailed materials list is provided upon registration. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Six

Discover the changes you can make to help build a resilient garden in a changing climate while improving the water quality in the local watershed. Learn how to implement various sustainable gardening and landscaping techniques that manage and conserve water. Reduce the demands of water management infrastructure by capturing the rain and keeping it onsite. Outdoor learning conducted to complement the lectures may include walking over rolling terrain and mulched paths. This class is rain or shine. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Saturday, March 21, 2026. About the Instructor: Lucy Dinsmore is a horticulturist and certified

Discover the garden appeal of native plants of the Eastern Temperate Forest, which are not only beautiful and inspiring, but also critically important for maintaining healthy landscapes. You’ll discover a wide variety of native plants that can fulfill your gardening needs and support wildlife throughout the seasons. In Mt. Cuba’s stunning gardens, you will have the opportunity to learn how to identify 60 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials in each seasonal Native Plants course. You will examine their key identifying characteristics, preferred growing conditions, overall size, and ecological significance. Students who are pursuing the certificate must pass the onsite exam.

Discover the garden appeal of native plants of the Eastern Temperate Forest, which are not only beautiful and inspiring, but also critically important for maintaining healthy landscapes. You’ll discover a wide variety of native plants that can fulfill your gardening needs and support wildlife throughout the seasons. In Mt. Cuba’s stunning gardens, you will have the opportunity to learn how to identify 60 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials in each seasonal Native Plants course. You will examine their key identifying characteristics, preferred growing conditions, overall size, and ecological significance. Students who are pursuing the certificate must pass the onsite exam.

Transform your landscape into a thriving oasis that supports birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and a wide variety of beneficial insects. This immersive course blends ecological understanding with practical action, giving you the skills to turn any property large or small, residential, municipal, or commercial into meaningful wildlife habitat. 🥬Discover how to remove common hazards and provide the essential elements of food, water, and shelter. Through a science-informed lens, you’ll examine the life cycles, behavioral patterns, and habitat requirements of regional birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and invertebrates, with emphasis on how native vegetation underpins their survival. 🥬Through guided field sessions in

Learn the practices Mt. Cuba’s arborists use to integrate ecological thinking into every aspect of tree care, from planting and maintenance to risk assessment and long-term conservation. This course blends traditional arboriculture with cutting-edge ecological approaches, offering insight rarely featured in conventional training programs. 🥬Develop the ability to analyze and prepare planting sites so young trees establish successfully and support long-term landscape goals. 🥬Build skill in evaluating the biomechanical condition of mature trees, recognizing structural defects, and implementing mitigation strategies which balance safety with ecological value. 🥬Explore how senescent, damaged, and dead trees can be retained or repurposed to provide

Discover how simple and rewarding it can be to grow more of the native plants you love. This hands-on workshop, led by Mt. Cuba’s Conservation and Research team, introduces practical techniques for propagating plants from both seeds and cuttings. 🥬Learn the ethics of collecting wild seed, explore the fundamentals of seed biology, germination, and storage, and gain confidence in vegetative reproduction by practicing when and how to take, prepare, and root cuttings. 🥬Participants leave with prepped pots of native seeds and cuttings from Mt. Cuba’s garden, along with a bio-dome to continue growing at home. This workshop is ideal for

Discover the garden appeal of native plants of the Eastern Temperate Forest, which are not only beautiful and inspiring, but also critically important for maintaining healthy landscapes. You’ll discover a wide variety of native plants that can fulfill your gardening needs and support wildlife throughout the seasons. In Mt. Cuba’s stunning gardens, you will have the opportunity to learn how to identify 60 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials in each seasonal Native Plants course. You will examine their key identifying characteristics, preferred growing conditions, overall size, and ecological significance. Students who are pursuing the certificate must pass the onsite exam.

Discover the garden appeal of native plants of the Eastern Temperate Forest, which are not only beautiful and inspiring, but also critically important for maintaining healthy landscapes. You’ll discover a wide variety of native plants that can fulfill your gardening needs and support wildlife throughout the seasons. In Mt. Cuba’s stunning gardens, you will have the opportunity to learn how to identify 60 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials in each seasonal Native Plants course. You will examine their key identifying characteristics, preferred growing conditions, overall size, and ecological significance. View the prerecorded lectures at your own pace prior to joining