TONY DUFOUR, Registered Landscape Architect, Anthony Dufour Gardens

Whether you're considering doing your own stonework or hiring a professional, we'll cover the basics of using this timeless and elegant material. Through lecture and field demonstrations we'll cover different types of stone, construction methods, sources of materials, tools of the trade, and common mistakes. We'll focus mainly on walls and columns, and participants will walk away with an understanding of basic stone types (quarried versus fieldstone). We'll explore cutting, shaping, safety, hand and power tools, and the basics of both dry-laid and masonry construction. After 90 minutes in the classroom, we will move outside for 90 minutes in the field with practical demonstrations. This course has been submitted to carry 3 LA CES CEUs.

Saturday, September 13
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $45 | Non-members: $50

Please visit our Horticulture & Design section to register for this course.

TONY DUFOUR, Registered Landscape Architect, Anthony Dufour Gardens

Thinking about tackling a new walkway or patio, or rebuilding one? We'll cover exactly how to do this! Through lecture and field demonstrations we'll cover different types of materials such as brick and flagstone, as well as tools and tricks to get the job done right. While we'll focus more on construction and less on design, we will cover why pavements fail and common pitfalls to avoid, how to lay out the space, sourcing materials, cutting materials, and working safely. The emphasis will be on dry-laid construction, but we will touch on advantages and disadvantages over wet-laid (using concrete and mortar). After 90 minutes in the classroom, we will move outside for 90 minutes in the field with practical demonstrations. This course has been submitted to carry 3 LA CES CEUs.

Saturday, September 27
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $45 | Non-members: $50

Please visit our Horticulture & Design section to register for this course.

Jeffrey Ling, Registered Consulting Arborist; ISA Certified Arborist

Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ School of Arboriculture is pleased to offer an instructional training session for the Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification (TPAQ) through the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA).

If you want to build a foundation on the fundamentals of tree and plant appraisal rooted in excellence, register now to attend our TPAQ training. This event will utilize both instructor-led discussions and case scenarios to illustrate concepts allowing participants to become familiar with the relevant methods and techniques used to approach plant appraisals and the ability to make reasoned judgement about the value of trees and landscape plants.

Upon completion of this course, you will:

- Understand basic appraisal concepts
- Define the tree and plant appraisal process.
- Understand tree and plant appraisal approaches, methods, and techniques.
- Apply tree and plant appraisal approaches, methods, and techniques.
- Present assignment results.

The training will culminate with an exam on the afternoon of the second day of the program. Each TPAQ student must attend all education sessions and then successfully pass the exam with an 80% or above to receive the TPAQ certificate. 

For important information on eligibility and requirements click DETAILS, or email education@morrisarboretum.org.

This course has been approved to carry 14 ASCA CEUs and 14 CEUs for ISA certified arborists (S=4, P=4, M=6).

Monday, September 29 and Tuesday, September 30
8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Fee: $1,200 for qualified ASCA Members | $1,500 for qualified non-members

KEN LeROY, Certified Arborist Representative, John B. Ward Tree Experts

Join us for a class on the identification of woody landscape plants for urban and suburban landscapes. The class will cover both deciduous trees and conifers.  Arborist and horticulturist Ken LeRoy will show us how to use a dichotomous key to identify plants and he will explain the terminology used in keys to describe plant characteristics. He will also discuss the physical characteristics used to group plants into families. We will go on a tour of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens to see specimens of the plants we discuss.

You may want to purchase the Sibley Guide to Trees, a good reference for tree identification that is available in the Morris’s Gift Shop.

Please dress for the weather. This course has been submitted to carry 6 CEUs with ISA and LA CES, and 4 LTE/LTCO CEUs for the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts. This course is an approved elective in the Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ Certificate in Ecological Horticulture.

Tuesday, October 21
9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Fee: $160

ETHAN TAPPER, Forester, Digital Creator, Author

How can principles of forest ecology inform arboriculture? Join Ethan Tapper—a forester, digital creator, and the bestselling author of How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World—for a workshop about forest ecology designed for arborists. We will walk in the woods and talk about wildlife habitat, natural history, forest ecology and forest stewardship, and discuss how to incorporate these principles into our work.

For more than a decade, Ethan Tapper has been recognized as a thought leader and a disruptor in the worlds of forestry, conservation, and ecosystem stewardship, winning multiple regional and national awards for his work. His message of relationship, responsibility, and hope reaches millions of people each year through his writing, his social media channels (@HowToLoveAForest) with tens of thousands of followers, and the dozens of walks, talks, and keynotes that he delivers across North America each year.

This course has been submitted to carry 4 CEUs with ISA, LA CES, and the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts. This course is an approved elective in the Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ Certificate in Ecological Horticulture.

Monday, November 3
12:30 – 4:30 pm

Fee: $105

MICHAEL DUNN, Associate Director of Urban Forestry, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

This course equips landscape architects and arborists with the tools and strategies needed to successfully preserve trees throughout the construction and development process. Participants will explore best practices for pre-construction assessment, protective fencing and root-zone management, soil preservation, and post-construction care. The course will also address relevant industry standards, permitting requirements, and effective communication with developers and contractors.

Through real-world case studies, attendees will analyze both successful and problematic projects to better understand how design decisions, timing, and collaboration impact tree-preservation outcomes. This interactive, solutions-focused course is ideal for professionals seeking to integrate tree protection into sustainable site design and project execution.

This course has been submitted to carry 3 CEUs with ISA, LA CES, and the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts.

Friday, November 7
1:00 – 4:00 pm

Fee: $75

JASON LUBAR, Board-Certified Master Arborist

There are many misconceptions about trees and tree care that this class will dispel. Jason’s comprehensive presentation will inform your understanding of tree biology, how valuable trees are, and how they pay us back. We will also learn how to properly select, plant, and maintain and care for trees, in addition to how to select a tree-care professional and discuss relevant risk. Bring your tree-related questions! 

Jason Lubar is an ISA board-certified master arborist and has been a popular consultant featured on regional radio talk shows and in regional press. He is the former director of Urban Forestry at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. This class has been submitted to carry 3 ISA and NJ BTE CEUs.

Thursday, November 13
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $70 | Non-members: $75

Please visit our Horticulture & Design section to register for this course.

MICHAEL DUNN, Associate Director of Urban Forestry, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

This course provides an in-depth look at how Pennsylvania municipalities can modernize their tree ordinances to meet today’s environmental, social, and regulatory challenges. Participants will explore how ordinances can support MS4 compliance, stormwater management, and climate resilience while promoting equitable canopy coverage across communities. Emphasis will be placed on Pennsylvania-specific legal frameworks, including the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), and how local governments can strengthen protections for public and private trees. Case studies from Pennsylvania townships and boroughs will illustrate innovative approaches
to ordinance design, implementation, and enforcement. Ideal for municipal officials, planners, arborists, and landuse professionals working within the Commonwealth.

This course has been submitted to carry 2 CEUs from ISA, LA CES, and the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts.

Friday, December 12
1:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $50 | Non-members: $55