Landscape for Life™ Online Training Cultivating Sustainable and Resilient Landscapes

Gain skills, resources, and materials to teach your community and clients how to create healthy, resilient landscapes that work with nature. The Landscape for Life™ Train the Trainer program equips educators and professionals with everything needed to lead sustainable landscaping courses in their own communities in person.

This 8-week national program is offered through Colorado State University in partnership with the United States Botanic Garden and includes everything you need to establish a new educational offering. Utilizing a cohort model for delivery, you’ll have access to self-paced online classes with live webinars for interactive discussion and support. By the end of the program, participants will be ready to use the Landscape for Life™ curriculum to educate others in designing, establishing, and managing landscapes that conserve resources, restore biodiversity, and strengthen community well-being. No recertification requirement.

Course Schedule

• Week One: Introduction to Sustainable Landscapes
• Week Two: The Role of Soils in Sustainable Landscaping
• Week Three: Water Considerations and Practices
• Week Four: Plant Selection & Strategies for Sustainability
• Week Five: Design, Materials, & Maintenance
• Week Six: Green Infrastructure: Rainwater Harvesting & Gardening
• Week Seven: Gardening for Pollinator & Wildlife Habitat
• Week Eight: Wrap Up, Toolbox & Group Presentations

What’s included in your registration?

• Complete suite of online Landscape for Life™ courses
• Face-to-face time with expert trainers and opportunities for follow-up support
• PowerPoint presentation templates for each course, updated for accessibility
• Trainer Certificate and digital badge establishing your credential
• Marketing materials and templates ready for co-branding with your organization
• Partner recognition on the Landscape for Life™ website
• Welcome packet mailed in advance
• Ongoing quarterly webinars for trainers

This program is ideal for educators and professionals who share a passion for teaching sustainability in horticulture, including:

• Extension educators and specialists
• Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists
• Public and community educators
• Public garden and park education staff
• Environmental outreach and sustainability coordinators

Landscape for Life™, a partnership between CSU Extension and the U.S. Botanic Garden, is a sustainable landscaping training program. It was developed to help you work with nature, whether you’re growing in your suburban backyard, on your 20-acre farm, or in a shared urban garden space.

Learners receive access to the course for 1 year from the time of registration to complete the course. Noncredit courses do not produce academic credit nor appear on a Colorado State University transcript.

Prerequisite: There are no prerequisites for open-entry courses. Students need reliable internet and a computer/laptop to access course content.

Please note that there are no refunds for open entry courses.

Important Information

Please email csuext_programs@colostate.edu if you have questions.

Course Dates: July 13-Sept. 14, 2026 online (w/ optional live webinars)

Registration Start Date: May 4, 2026

Registration End Date: June 30, 2026

Tuition: $795. If cost is a barrier, please reach out for assistance.