Bring your passion for the outdoors to a career that improves the local environment and helps save the planet. Learn your craft in a woody plant collection that spans over five acres and two large greenhouses. Few colleges in the region have anything like it.
A Natural Areas Management Certificate takes 12 months to complete. Gain the skills local employers use in natural areas management:
plant identification and monitoring
landscape assessment
land management practices, such as invasive species control and prescribed burning
What can you do with a Natural Areas Management Certificate in Horticulture?
Practice land restoration using the scientific principles of restoration ecology and conservation biology. Your employer may be an organization such as the Lake County Forest Preserves District or the state park system.
You will work with the following types of regional ecosystems:
prairie
savanna
woodland
wetland
Jobs you might have:
natural areas management technician
natural areas management supervisor
park ranger
One certificate may be enough for you to begin working in horticulture. However, each certificate is focused on a single area of expertise. Stack two complementary certificates together for a more well-rounded skill set. Individual certificates require 18-20 credits. Dual certificates require less than twice that (only 27-30 credits total) because of common courses.
Consider these combinations:
Natural Areas Management + Arboriculture
Natural Areas Management + Construction and Maintenance
Design + Construction and Maintenance
Construction and Maintenance + Arboriculture
Horticulture Production + Sustainable Agriculture
Highlights
Stackable Credentials
Earn and learn as you go with stackable credentials.
Earn a career certificate in 1 year or less to refine your skills into an in-demand career.
Program Length: 1 Year
Full-time students finish in 1 year.
Career Outlook
Provide technical assistance regarding the conservation of soil, water, forests, or related natural resources. May compile data pertaining to size, content, condition, and other characteristics of forest tracts under the direction of foresters, or train and lead forest workers in forest propagation and fire prevention and suppression. May assist conservation scientists in managing, improving, and protecting rangelands and wildlife habitats.
Salary Levels
Take a look at the average annual or hourly earnings for this career in Lake and Cook Counties.
Entry-Level
$29,664
Median
$41,277
Senior-Level
$71,293
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Entry-Level
$14.25
Median
$19.84
Senior-Level
$34.27
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Top entry-level education
Here’s a quick look at the most common degree levels people have in this career.
High school diploma or less
35.31%
Certificate
4.57%
Some college
10.42%
Associate Degree
34.89%
Bachelor's Degree
14.82%
Lightcast educational attainment levels are the educational attainment percentage breakdown for a career (e.g. the percentage of people in the career who hold a bachelor degree vs. an associate degree).
Under supervision, perform manual labor necessary to develop, maintain, or protect areas such as forests, forested areas, woodlands, wetlands, and rangelands through such activities as raising and transporting seedlings; combating insects, pests, and diseases harmful to plant life; and building structures to control water, erosion, and leaching of soil. Includes forester aides, seedling pullers, tree planters, and gatherers of nontimber forestry products such as pine straw.
Salary Levels
Take a look at the average annual or hourly earnings for this career in Lake and Cook Counties.
Entry-Level
$24,490
Median
$48,593
Senior-Level
$110,095
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Entry-Level
$11.77
Median
$23.36
Senior-Level
$52.93
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Top entry-level education
Here’s a quick look at the most common degree levels people have in this career.
High school diploma or less
47.06%
Certificate
1.87%
Some college
6.5%
Associate Degree
1.77%
Bachelor's Degree
22.55%
Master's Degree
20.25%
Lightcast educational attainment levels are the educational attainment percentage breakdown for a career (e.g. the percentage of people in the career who hold a bachelor degree vs. an associate degree).
Manage public and private forested lands for economic, recreational, and conservation purposes. May inventory the type, amount, and location of standing timber, appraise the timber's worth, negotiate the purchase, and draw up contracts for procurement. May determine how to conserve wildlife habitats, creek beds, water quality, and soil stability, and how best to comply with environmental regulations. May devise plans for planting and growing new trees, monitor trees for healthy growth, and determine optimal harvesting schedules.
Salary Levels
Take a look at the average annual or hourly earnings for this career in Lake and Cook Counties.
Entry-Level
$51,212
Median
$76,900
Senior-Level
$119,653
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Entry-Level
$24.61
Median
$36.97
Senior-Level
$57.52
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Top entry-level education
Here’s a quick look at the most common degree levels people have in this career.
Certificate
1.13%
Some college
0.81%
Associate Degree
13.3%
Bachelor's Degree
83.96%
Master's Degree
0.81%
Lightcast educational attainment levels are the educational attainment percentage breakdown for a career (e.g. the percentage of people in the career who hold a bachelor degree vs. an associate degree).
Plan, develop, and conduct programs to inform public of historical, natural, and scientific features of national, state, or local park.
Salary Levels
Take a look at the average annual or hourly earnings for this career in Lake and Cook Counties.
Entry-Level
$34,264
Median
$64,230
Senior-Level
$112,489
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Entry-Level
$16.47
Median
$30.88
Senior-Level
$54.07
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Top entry-level education
Here’s a quick look at the most common degree levels people have in this career.
High school diploma or less
10.9%
Certificate
1.35%
Some college
2.11%
Associate Degree
25.66%
Bachelor's Degree
49.75%
Master's Degree
10.24%
Lightcast educational attainment levels are the educational attainment percentage breakdown for a career (e.g. the percentage of people in the career who hold a bachelor degree vs. an associate degree).
Research or study range land management practices to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife.
Salary Levels
Take a look at the average annual or hourly earnings for this career in Lake and Cook Counties.
Entry-Level
$34,264
Median
$64,230
Senior-Level
$112,489
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Entry-Level
$16.47
Median
$30.88
Senior-Level
$54.07
Lightcast earnings figures are based on OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and include base rate, cost of living allowances, guaranteed pay, hazardous-duty pay, incentive pay (including commissions and bonuses), on-call pay, and tips.
Top entry-level education
Here’s a quick look at the most common degree levels people have in this career.
Associate Degree
9.73%
Bachelor's Degree
81.13%
Master's Degree
9.15%
Lightcast educational attainment levels are the educational attainment percentage breakdown for a career (e.g. the percentage of people in the career who hold a bachelor degree vs. an associate degree).
This pathway serves as a guide for students to complete the degree or certificate assuming full-time enrollment (registered in 12 or more credit hours per semester) with Semester 1 typically representing a Fall term. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their College and Career Navigator (CCN) to identify coursework that will meet degree requirements based on individual academic goals. For a more inclusive list of course options, see the college catalog.
Exception occured while executing the controller. Check error logs for details.
*Cost is estimated based on recommended pathway credit hours. This includes in-district tuition and other
fees, such as books and materials before financial aid is applied,
as well as grants, loans or scholarships. There are many opportunities for financial assistance at CLC. Learn more about Cost of Attendance.
Horticulture at CLC
Get the bigger picture
A natural areas management certificate is just one possible way to study horticulture. Get the bigger picture—degrees, credentials and extra options.
You learn scientific concepts and gain hands-on experience in most courses. These include lab sessions where you will gain hands-on experience with different landscape maintenance techniques.
The horticulture department offers you a unique opportunity to learn and refine your skills. In particular, you could be a part of:
on-campus ecological restoration
arboretum redesign
woody plant propagation
These programs will be conducted in collaboration with renowned organizations.
Our students come from varied backgrounds including recently graduated high school students, non-traditional students who are retraining for new careers, students who work for family businesses and those who are taking classes for personal enrichment.
Here's what others have found:
Flexibility to explore a range of skills
A broadening of the work you might take up
An understanding of the relationships between different horticulture courses - they're all connected!
Take the next step...
Be debt-free at CLC
CLC has some of the lowest tuition around. Financial aid and scholarships are available—even for working adults.
