Training & Certification for Landscape Professionals

Sustainable landscaping is a growing market. Green Gardening training puts you in the lead. Check this page regularly for upcoming professional trainings, or view Past Workshop Presentations. For training materials in other languages see Translations.

Upcoming training opportunities

IPM and Pesticide License Recertification Seminar
Save the date: Oct. 27-28, 2020 at South Seattle College. Offered by the City of Seattle and open to all landscape professionals. Attend one or both days for cutting-edge sessions on Integrated Pest Management while getting recertification credits and other CEU’s. Check back here in August for registration and agenda.

To be placed on the notification list for upcoming workshops, please email kate.kurtz @seattle.gov.

Training and certification resources:

Landscape professionals can learn more and be recognized through:

ecoPRO WA Sustainable Landscape Professional Certification – offers advanced training and certification for working professionals, including online presentations from previous courses. Also see the Sustainable Landscapes reading & resource list (pdf).
EnviroStars – certification for many types of businesses in the region, including landscape companies
Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) – national guidelines and certification for sustainable landscapes, similar to the LEED green building rating system. See webinars at SITES/Education.
WA Stormwater Center and WA Dept. of Ecology LID Training list upcoming courses for professionals on Low Impact Development practices to manage stormwater. See a webinar from that series Soil Protection and Compost-Amended Soils - Meeting WA Stormwater Requirements (64 min.), for landscape designers and stormwater planners.
Seattle's RainWise offers rain garden & cistern training for contractors, contact rainwise@seattle.gov
WSDA Pesticide Certification is required for professionals who apply pesticides
Garden Hotline professional training links to many programs, including Plant Amnesty Education Events
WSNLA Event Calendar shows many upcoming trainings at a glance

Community college horticulture, landscape, and urban agriculture professional training:

Professional organizations offering training:

cisco morris
Ciscoe Morris teaches in Green Gardening sustainable landscaping video.

Sustainable Landscaping

Videos & webinars:

Sustainable Landscaping: The Road to Healthy Public Spaces (video 45 min.) focuses on IPM and other sustainable practices. See extra chapters (5 min. each) on IPM Steps, Turf, Fertilizers, Trees, Pruning, Compost Tea, Corn Gluten, Stinging Insects, Tools, Landscape Design, and Education
Healthy Soils part 1: Soil Science and Healthy Soils part 2: Soil Restoration (45 min. each) webinars on the foundation of sustainable landscaping
Stormwater Challenges and GSI/LID Solutions (28 min.) introduces professionals to Low Impact Development practices
Soil Protection and Compost-Amended Soils - Meeting WA Stormwater Requirements (64 min.), for landscape designers and stormwater planners
Compost Benefits for Stormwater & Climate (9 min.)
Stormwater Pollution and Solutions that Protect Salmon (28 min.)
Sustainable Landscape Resources (pdf) links to the resources referred to these videos & webinars.
Sustainable Sites (SITES) webinars for design professionals
Designing the Sustainable Site (56 min.) based on the national SITES guidelines
WSU Soil Management has videos, slideshows & guides on soil testing, texture, and more
Bringing Our Soils Back to Life (56 min.) shows how we can restore soils around the world

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Training & Certification for Landscape Professionals

Upcoming training opportunities

Training and certification resources:

Community college horticulture, landscape, and urban agriculture professional training:

Professional organizations offering training: