BYU Landscape Management Program Earns National Accreditation

"They know our students have basic competencies that relate to the green industry. So when companies see that PLANET endorses the education, they know our students are qualified."

The Landscape Management Program at Brigham Young University recently received a seven-year reaccreditation status from the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET).

A team of professionals — including Edward Plaster, faculty emeritus at Dakota County Technical College; Zachary S. Johnson, Landscape Industry Certified Manager and Technician and professor at the University of Colorado; and Russell Kimball, president of Kimball Property Management — reviewed the BYU program’s curriculum, met with current students and alumni and evaluated basic competencies to reaccredit BYU.

“We are excited about the reaccreditation,” said Greg Jolley, associate professor of plant and wildlife sciences. “PLANET is the largest landscape industry association in the country. They know our students have basic competencies that relate to the green industry. So when companies see that PLANET endorses the education, they know our students are qualified.”

PLANET’s accreditation program is an industry accreditation driven by the needs of the landscape industry. It provides local and national recognition for schools with four-year Bachelor of Science and two-year Associate of Science degree programs that meet the needs of the industry, and it is the only nationally recognized endorsement offered to colleges and universities with landscape or horticulture curricula.

PLANET’s members create and maintain the quality of life in communities across America. With nearly 3,500 member companies and affiliates, these firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals. Some professionals have also become certified through PLANET and become Landscape Industry Certified.

For more information about the Landscape Management Program, contact Carolyn Hanson at (801) 422-2760 or visit landscape.byu.edu. For more information about PLANET accreditation, contact Anna Walraven at (800) 395-2522.

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Original article can be found in BYU news.