New Conservation of Historic Gardens course

The Gardens Trust is delighted to announce a unique new online course from Learning with Experts on Conservation of Historic Gardens. The course, the first of its kind, is delivered by tutor Dr Audrey Gerber. Audrey is a professional researcher specialising in garden conservation, who is also a member of Avon Gardens Trust, volunteering in their planning team.

The Garden Trust’s Historic Landscape Project moves its conservation training around the country, to reach as many Gardens Trust and County Gardens Trust (CGT) members as possible. It takes time, however, to get to you all, and we don’t have the resources to train everyone. So Audrey’s course, which aligns with our HLP training goals and is officially endorsed by the GT, is a fantastic way to help spread our conservation message.

Ideal for GT and CGT members

The level is ideal for those CGT members already involved in planning who want to update their knowledge but also for those who are new to the subject. It would be an excellent way to boost the skills of your CGT’s planning team. It is designed for all those with an intellectual curiosity about the conservation of heritage gardens and landscapes.

The course would also suit you if you are a garden history student, a professional whose talents shape our heritage landscapes, involved in managing historic gardens, or someone who responds, formally or informally, to policy about our heritage environment. Self-employed professionals can off-set the cost of this course against tax as Continuing Professional Development.

Gardens Trust members will get 20% off this course, and any others taken with Learning with Experts. Simply go to their website and redeem your discount by typing in GARDENS TRUST when you sign up for your course.

Learn all about conservation

Through this conservation course, Audrey will share with you her knowledge and enthusiasm for conserving our historic gardens. By the end of the course you will have an understanding of the many layers of significance of historic gardens around the world, and the value that conserving these has to us, and future generations. You will learn how conservation is relevant to you, locally and globally; and how to research a site, using many formal and informal sources.

This will enable you to write a detailed statement of significance, which is essential for explaining why a site deserves to be conserved. You will learn about elements of change, how these influence or threaten gardens, and how we can proactively respond. Audrey will guide you through the legislation that governs protection of heritage assets, and introduce you to ways in which you, as a professional or an enthusiastic amateur, can become more actively involved in conservation.

This is the first and only online course of its kind in the world and we heartily recommend it to those wanting to learn more.