Central Park Conservancy Urban Horticulture and Ecology Certification Program
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Staff and volunteers of city parks can benefit from a full understanding of the horticultural and ecological science concepts that they come across in their jobs. Parks administrators have expressed the need for hands-on training and education that will increase their volunteers’ and staffs’ knowledge, skills and abilities so that job performance and outreach to the public can improve. |
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This 16-session professional training course takes place in Central Park and consists of lectures, labs, and field activities that provide New York City park staff and volunteers the chance to learn more about the science and ecology behind the work they do.
Instructors are brought in from Cornell University, local botanical gardens, parks, museums, and non-profit organizations.
Participants who successfully complete the program receive a professional certification from Cornell University Cooperative Extension - NYC in horticulture and ecology.
In addition, some of our classes qualify for International Society of Arboriculture certification credits and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation pesticide certification credits.
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Participants identify signs of hemlock woolly adelgid on this plant branch during the “Plant Health Care: Diseases and Insects” class.
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Accomplishments:
§ 90 participants have completed the course and acquired certification from Cornell University Cooperative Extension – NYC between 2008 and 2010.
§ In 2010, 12 participants received a total of 119 hours of pesticide recertification credits from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
§ Knowledge scores from the 2010 class went up 36% from pre to post. |