Plant Sciences

Landscaping & Turf Management

About This Program

The Landscape & Turf Management program teaches the necessary skills in the design, maintenance, and management aspects of landscaping and the broad range of turf management, from sports turf installation and maintenance through commercial property landscaping and management. Students learn to plan for and deal with climate and moisture, how to design landscape and hardscape effects for various conditions and settings, such as urban, suburban or rural, and how to accommodate climate and weather. Landscape/Turf management takes a broad approach to providing students with a wide range of experiences that will allow them to choose a focus for careers or for further education. See below for full course description.

A student kneels by a flowering potted plant, checking the plant's label.

Career Paths

  • Sports Turf Maintenance
  • Sports Turf Construction
  • Landscape Maintenance
  • Landscape Construction
  • Landscape Architect
  • Irrigation Technician
  • Business Owner
  • Sales
  • Nursery Employee
  • Golf Course Superintendent

Industry Partnerships

  • ND Landscaping
  • Essex Country Club
  • Viking Tree & Landscaping
  • Szczechowicz Landscape Services
  • JC Grounds Management
  • The National FFA Organization

Certifications

  • OSHA 10 Hour Construction
  • Prep for Pesticide Licensure

Advisory Committee Members

  • Billy Butts, ND Landscape Inc.
    Brad Chase, JC Grounds
    Anthoney Cine, Essex County Club
    Greg Cormier, Tom Irwin CO
    Jon Crandall, JC Grounds Management
    AJ Demotses, NorthEast nursery
    Nick DiBenedetto, ND Landscape Inc.
    Nichole Downer, Downer Brothers Landscape
    Bill Freitag, Country Gardens
    Drew Gagnon, Essex Country Club
    Andrew Langlois, Szczechowicz Landscape Services, Inc.
    Danielle Lees, SLS Landscaping (Szczechowicz)
    Brittany Malgeiri, Wolf Hill Garden Center
    Bryce Marquis
    Robert Marquis
    Jake Marshall, JPM Landscaping
    John Marshall, Viking Tree and Landsce
    Doug McDuff, Landscape America
    Eric Richardson, Essex County Club
    Michael Semenchuk, NorthEast Nursery
    Joe Szczechowicz, Szczechowicz Landscape Services, Inc.
    Andrew Travers, Essex Country Club
Michael Weiss

Student Outcomes

Michael Weiss, Class of 1989

Where are they now? Weiss Commercial Property Services (Landscape, Snow and Ice Management, and Sweeping Business)

What is their job title? Business Owner

“Essex North Shore has been an essential foundation for my life. The people and knowledge gained by my experience there provided me with a tool kit for life that has equipped me to tackle problems and seize upon opportunities with confidence.”

Meet the Landscape & Turf Management Teachers

John Domoracki

Mr. John Domoracki

Landscape and Turf Management Teacher
JDomoracki@essextech.net

Mr. Austin-Taylor Emery

Temp Landscape Teacher
AEmery@essextech.net

Timothy Graham

Mr. Timothy Graham

Landscape and Turf Management Teacher
TGraham@essextech.net

Landscaping & Turf Management Course Descriptions

Course NumberNameCreditGrade Level
ls101Landscaping & Turf Mgt Exploratory 91.0Grade 9
ls103Landscaping & Turf Management 910.0Grade 9
ls200Landscape Design 1016.0Grade 10
ls201Landscape Theory 104.0Grade 10
ls300Landscape Design 1120.0Grade 11
ht301Horticulture Theory 114.0Grade 11
ls305Landscape Cooperative Education 1112.0Grade 11
pap301CTE Pathway: Agricultural Sciences4.0Grade 11
ls400Landscape Design 1220.0Grade 12
ht401Horticulture Theory 124.0Grade 12
ls405Landscape Cooperative Education 1224.0Grade 12
pap401CTE Pathway: Agricultural Management4.0Grade 12
Landscaping & Turf Management Exploratory 9 

Course # ls101 | Credits: 1.0
This five-day cycle exploratory course introduces grade 9 students to the field of landscaping and turf management. Students will learn about several areas of the industry, including seasonal maintenance, hardscaping, and seasonal flower planting. Students will also explore numerous landscaping and turf management careers and career pathways. 

Landscaping & Turf Management 9 

Course # ls103 | Credits 10.0
This semester-based course is designed to give students a general knowledge needed for a successful career in the landscaping and turf management industries. Students will learn about a broad range of landscaping principles and practices. Students will also be introduced to the basics of planting, seasonal maintenance, hardscaping, and equipment operation within safety parameters. 

Landscape Design 10 

Course # ls200  | Credits: 16.0
This full-year course continues to give students a general knowledge needed for a successful career in the turf management industry. Students will learn the basics of turf physiology, fertilization, and turf pest control. Students will be given specific time on the cultural requirements necessary to grow and maintain turfgrass in many different settings. Students will understand and practice the basics of operating and maintaining commercial mowers and related equipment. 

Landscape Theory 10 

Course # ls201 | Credits: 4.0
This full-year, classroom-based course is designed to give students a greater scientific understanding needed for a successful career in the landscaping and turf management industries. Students will learn the basics of turf physiology and the requirements for growing healthy turfgrass in the Northeast. Specific time will be spent on the cultural requirement required to grow and maintain turfgrass in many different settings. Students will also learn about OSHA and will obtain an OSHA 10 card. 

Landscape Design 11 

Course # ls300 | Credits: 20.0
This full-year course will provide students with the basics of landscape construction and hardscaping from base prep to completion of walls, terraces, walkways and water features. Students will read landscape plans and documents and use these to prepare estimates. Students will identify different types of plant material, the cultural requirements of each, and proper installation techniques. Students will study plant health care, including pruning techniques, mulching, soils and soil amendments, and Integrated Pest Management. Various aspects of irrigation installation and maintenance will be covered. Students will also be introduced to the fundamentals of landscape design, how to operate a skid steer loader and mini excavator safely as well as the maintenance requirements for the equipment. Safety requirements for all areas of landscaping and PPE will be emphasized. Students will be involved in different on-and off-campus landscape projects, including mowing, bed maintenance, fall and spring cleanups, and lawn seeding along with various landscape construction and planting projects. 

Horticulture Theory 11 

Course # ht301 | Credits: 4
This full-year, classroom-based course continues to deepen student understanding of horticulture through botany, pest management, plant propagation, nutrition, production, and soil science. Topics will include a closer examination of irrigation, growing media, planting beds and sites; propagation; marketing; repair and maintenance of nursery equipment and facilities. 

Landscape Cooperative Education 11 

Course # ls305 | Credits: 12
This semester-based course provides qualified students with a career technical employment opportunity. The program is designed to allow students on-the-job training by involving them in work that is directly related to their technical area of study. Cooperating employers provide additional training, pays students, and reports their performance to the school for every cycle. Please note that juniors are eligible for Cooperative Education during third and fourth quarters only. 

Landscape Design 12 

Course # ls400 | Credits: 20.0
This full-year course is designed to give students a more in-depth understanding of landscape construction and hardscaping from base prep to completion of walls, terraces, walkways and water features. Students will read landscape plans and documents and use these to prepare estimates. Students will identify different types of plant material, the cultural requirements each requires, and proper installation techniques. Students will learn about plant health care, including pruning techniques, mulching, soils and soil amendments, irrigation installation and maintenance, and Integrated Pest Management. Students will also be introduced to the fundamentals of landscape design, learn to operate safely a skid steer loader, and mini excavator as well as the maintenance requirements for the equipment. Safety requirements for all areas of landscaping and PPE will be emphasized. Students will be involved in different on and off campus landscape projects including mowing, bed maintenance, fall and spring cleanups and lawn seeding as well as various landscape construction and planting projects. 

Horticulture Theory 12 

Course # ht401 | Credits: 4
This full-year, classroom-based course continues to deepen student understanding of horticulture through studying sustainable landscapes: green roofs, permeable hardscapes, rain gardens, pollinator gardens, drought tolerant plantings, heritage and perennial vegetables, native plants, drip irrigation and energy efficient landscape designs. 

Landscape Cooperative Education 12 

Course # ls405 | Credits: 24
This full-year course provides qualified students with a career technical employment opportunity. The program is designed to allow students on-the-job training by involving them in work that is directly related to their technical area of study. Cooperating employers will provide additional training, pay students, and report their performance to the school for every cycle.

A single golfer set up a tee on a well landscaped golf course.
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