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GO NATIVE U – Classes and Certificate Program in Sustainable Gardening with Native Plants
- Spring 2025 Course Offerings
- About the Instructors
- Resources
- Click here for a video about Go Native U
Go Native U is an educational program designed to teach people about the sustainable use and conservation of native plants. Students learn how to garden with the flowers, shrubs, and trees indigenous to the Northeast and how to do so using nature-friendly practices. They also discover the value of natives—their beauty as well as their benefits to the environment.
Modeled after the successful Go Native U course of study run by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas, Go Native U at Westchester Community College is a collaboration with The Native Plant Center and offers non-credit classes designed for home gardeners as well as professionals such as landscapers, landscape architects, landscape designers, and nursery owners.
Students can enroll in single one-day and multiple-session courses or pursue a certificate, which consists of required courses (18 hours), elective courses (17 hours), a final exam, and community service at The Native Plant Center (15 hours) for a total of 50 hours. Some classes offer LA-CES-approved credit hours.
All classes are taught by qualified, experienced professionals. Upon completion of the Go Native U certificate, students will have gained an understanding of regional ecology and sustainable practices that will guide them in gardening, landscape design, grounds management, and more.
A percentage of the tuition to Go Native U supports the work of The Native Plant Center.
To register for Go Native U courses, call (914) 606-6830 and press 1 or click here to register online.
