NORWICH, Conn. – Since 2002, The NOFA Organic Land Care Program has offered its 30 hour professional training course, formally known as the "NOFA Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care," to landscapers in New England states including Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. For the past three years, the course has found a home at Three Rivers Community College (TRCC) in Norwich, Connecticut every February, and the fourth course is scheduled for February 22-25.
On a mission to spread safe and sustainable landscaping practices to yards, parks and schools across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) and its NOFA Organic Land Care Program (NOFA OLC) have held over 20 courses and trained approximately 2,000 students since 2002. With Connecticut's legislation prohibiting synthetic chemicals from use on kindergarten through 8th grade school grounds, and many states and municipalities following lead, a thorough knowledge of organic gardening and landscape care is now a must for industry insiders and homeowners alike.
TRCC first partnered with CT NOFA and its NOFA Organic Land Care Program in 2012, when Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Diba Khan-Bureau wrote two chapters of the NOFA Organic Lawn Care Guide and taught "Effects of fertilizers and pesticides on fresh water" at the first Organic Lawn Care Certificate Course. The project was funded by The Long Island Sound Futures Fund and reached 200 lawn care professionals over two years. This collaboration led to TRCC hosting the full 30-hour course annually and in 2015 a larger partnership evolved between the organizations with the construction of a 700 square foot rain garden on the campus to reduce stormwater runoff and provide students with an excellent hands-on project.
Coordinated by the NOFA Organic Land Care Program, this four day course features top experts in the organic land care industry including Chip Osborne, Michael Nadeau, Trevor Smith, Dan Dalton and others. Teaching the principles of organic land care design and management, the course was created for landscapers, horticulturists, landscape architects, groundskeepers, environmental educators and garden enthusiasts. This course also offers a chance for business owners and educators to gain new credentials sitting for the accreditation exam. Those who pass the exam will join over 500 NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals in 20 states.
This accreditation course is increasingly being used by landscapers to study and prepare themselves to capture the growing market of customers who are looking for non-toxic and organic landscaping services. Many sessions will focus on soil health and proper soil testing in order for students to only apply the fertilizers which are needed. In addition, site analysis, green storm water infrastructure, plant care and organic turf will be covered.
The course runs from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and can accommodate up to 60 students. The class fee is $695 and includes all course materials, four days of catered lunches, the final exam and the first year of NOFA Accreditation. Group discounts and payment plans are available. For more details, an overview of topics covered, or to sign up, contact the CT NOFA staff at 203-308-2584 or visit www.organiclandcare.net.
For more information contact: Jenna Messier, jenna@organiclandcare.net