Has anyone gotten themselves or their gardens certified in any way?
Our (friendly and welcoming) Zoom native gardening club is kicking off the new year tonight by discussing certifications.
I'm aware of folks who have participated in controlled burns and herbicidal invasive removal and have been certified for those particular operations.
I've also heard of folks getting their yards certified as "pollinator habitats" or "native prairies" (or something like that). I know you can also list your property on Homegrown National Park and other listings.
I'm curious how many people have gone through these kinds of certification processes, how difficult it was, and what value you see in it.
And please consider joining the discussion tonight at 7pm Eastern to share your experiences and learn from others! Register for the Zoom link here: https://forms.gle/qCTK5Fy8pW3ghk4n7
by fumanchu314159265
10 Comments
We did an assessment in April 2023 and final certification nov 2025
Assessment was very useful and we got good ideas and suggestions that we used.
The certification was quick and we got highest level Platinum
Was a bit disappointed with lack of engagement of the person. Maybe person had an off day
It is useful to have a sign so people understand that it is intentional and not laziness
We also use acorns and logs to make fun creatures in our front garden
https://stlouisaudubon.org/bch/
i certified my yard as Based and Better Than My Neighbor’s Yard and put a custom laminated sign up
We have two certifications. In both cases, the organizations are fairly clear that the purpose is to a) serve as a fundraiser for the certifying organization and b) to serve as an advertisement for neighbors that see the signage. Accordingly, the certification process was not particularly difficult.
The signs have been effective at engaging neighbors. We see people stopping to read the signs year-round, even when the weather isn’t great.
I work professionally as an ecologist and have a number of certifications and licenses and strong opinions about them-
On the personal side, both licenses and certifications are essentially badges to show others that you have dedicated a lot of time to something and have a higher chance of being more competent than most at that particular thing. Not terribly useful if you are active in organizations dedicated to a single thing where, by default, everyone knows most everyone and everyone has dedicated a disproportionate amount of time to the same thing. But apparently some people on the outside of those circles are comforted by that badge.
Licenses tell the governing authorities that you have the minimal training to not significantly harm yourself, others, or the environment.
Neither inherently offer some sort of magical knowledge or superpower you can’t gain from stuff you’re probably already doing like YouTube, forums, experience, and community. All cost money and in reality help very little.
Be like u/SHOWTIME316, if you really want a badge of honor put up your own sign. If you want to make a change, get your fingers dirty, spend money on plants, and make mistakes; if that happens to qualify you for a certificate, great.
I certified as “backyard habitat” in Portland area. They sent out someone who knows plants much better than I and pointed out a few invasive ones inherited from prior owners. I felt pretty confident in learning about what to add on my own, but what to remove was really valuable.
Also got a little yard sign that neighbors can go lookup the program and hopefully learn a bit on their own. We’re on a very popular walking loop and people stop and ask questions all the time.
I’m hoping to eventually get our yard certified though our local forest preserve district, though it’s quite strict. I’d say we satisfy about 3/4th of the requirements, but may struggle with the rest. Still, even if we can’t, officially, it’s a nice goal to strive for, even if we fall short. It still means we’ve accomplished something and helped in some way. It’s not an all or nothing.
Otherwise, I hope to get some of the certifications you mention via the same forest preserve system. Such training and certification is possible after a given number of volunteer hours! It’s something that can be helpful for my property (in a limited sene as we got nearly a blank slate when the house was purchased), but also my friends, and any place I volunteer with in the future (assuming training/certification is up to date and outside organizations accept it).
National Wildlife Foundation certification for your property isn’t difficult, and NFW provides nice signage.
I have gotten my habitat certified through a few organizations. Monarch Way Station, NABA certified butterfly habitat, and Homegrown National Park focus more on community engagement and some fundraising. There is value in these but for someone who is really trying to make a difference in their habitat, the value is more limited but the effort for the homeowner is also low.
I also had my habitat certified through the St. Louis Audubon’s Bring Conservation Home. This required much more effort on both my end and the organizations end. There was a sign up, waitlist, and then an onsite visit with a certified specialist. I got a report on the percent of landscape with Native plants plus a bunch of other sustainability assessments (wastewater management, invasive removal, wildlife stewardship, education/volunteerism, etc). Afterwards, I was given results with information on current status and options for improvement.
The second certification was much more informative as someone who continuously tries to improve. However, you need an organization with a dedicated program and staff.
My two cents:
Low effort programs can be staffed with far fewer resources and reach a very wide audience. They can create engagement and serve as a gateway to people just starting. They offer less customized information.
High-effort programs require dedicated resources and more expense. They can offer very good and often customized information. May be most beneficial to those homeownesrs who already have high engagement.
I’m one course shy of a certification from Native Plant Trust in MA. Some of the courses have accreditation for regional horticulture/botany programs but most aren’t. Like most adult ed classes, they’re ungraded and you only get value out of them that you put in.
This is purely a hobby for me but some people in the classes have said they take them in a professional capacity; e.g. they’re landscape designers who want to specialize in natives, or they want to start a backyard nursery.
I appreciate the structure provided by the certification; it’s more motivating than just an open-ended course catalog. I’m also expecting the cert to have some value if I want to apply for something like a board position. That said I recognize it’s mostly a revenue driver for Native Plant Trust—and I’m happy to support their mission while getting something out of it.
My yard is certified by the North Carolina native plant society. It was quite easy to do and pretty straightforward. It’s a great group of people also.