Certificates are awarded on the basis of completion of courses offered by the New England Wild Flower Society as well as the performance of a specified number of hours of community service to the Society and its mission. Requirements are listed below.

Certificate in Field Botany

Requirements

At least 6 of the required Core Courses

• Wildflowers of New England  (offered in different locations)
• Native New England Shrubs  
• Framework Trees of New England-offered Fall/Winter 2012
• New England Plant Communities  
• Botanic Inventory Methods
• Introduction to Plant Families  
• Field Identification Techniques  
• Plant Form and Function / Introduction to Basic Botany  (Spring/Summer 2012)

At least 4 Electives of your choosing from the many offered. A sample listing is below.

• More Native New England Shrubs
• Invasives: ID, Ecology, and Control (offered in different locations)
• Intro to Willow ID
• Wild Edibles: A Suburban Foray
• And many others!

5 botanical Field Trips

15 hours of Native Plant Community Service

• Plant Conservation Volunteer (PCV)
• Invasive Plant volunteer
• New England Wild Flower Society Sanctuary Work
• New England Wild Flower Society Ambassadors
• Local Project of Choice

Checklist of native plants

Advanced Certificate in Field Botany

We also offer an Advanced Certificate program specifically tailored to meet the needs of students working in the professional arena or for those wishing to pursue further course work in their field of interest. This Certificate requires additional course work, and culminates in a Plant Community Service Leadership Project. Examples of past projects include publications, design and installation of community wildflower gardens, and research.

Requirements

At least 3 of the required Core Courses

• Field Identification Techniques  
• Introduction to Wetland Delineation (or higher level delineation course) 
• Advanced Plant Inventory Techniques
• Plant Systematics I, II, III, IV, V (need 4 of 5 modules for this core requirement)
• Conservation Biology
• Specialized Plant Systematics Workshops (at least three)

4 Electives of your choosing

• Invasives at Squam Lakes
• Survey of Grasses of the Northeast
• Rhode Island Goldenrods of Field and Forest
• Ferns of Unusual Shape

... And many others!

4 botanical Field Trips

25 hours of Community Service as part of the Plant Community Service Leadership Project

Advanced Checklist of native plants