February 2026 Newsletter

What's Included in This Month's Newsletter

President’s Message:  Resilience and Health in the Present Moment

Cultivating resilience as an essential part of health and well-being is a conversation unfolding across the country. Individuals and communities continue to navigate stress and uncertainty in an evolving environment. Increasingly, the focus has shifted beyond short-term coping towards questions of long-term well-being—how people adapt, recover, and stay grounded over time. 

At its core, resilience is about staying connected to our values, our sense of purpose, and the people, places, and practices that help us regulate, recover, and grow. When moments of stress, loss, or disruption challenge our sense of stability, resilience shows up as the capacity to return – again and again – to what sustains us. 

Resilience rises naturally as one of the most resonant themes shaping the year. It is also our guiding thread for the highly anticipated 2026 AHTA Annual Conference – Thriving in the Grove: Building Resilience Through Horticultural Therapy. Jennifer Jewell, award-winning author, speaker, and founder/host of the public radio podcast Cultivating Place will serve as the keynote speaker for the conference. Her work highlights the power of plant-based engagement, storytelling, and resilience, showcasing the people-plant connection at its very best. 

In alignment with this focus, AHTA is excited to launch the Resilience Lab, a new youth-centered initiative within our ‘Growing Impact’ Youth Wellness Campaign. Guided by AHTA members, the Resilience Lab focuses on cultivating resilience in our youth through hands-on horticultural therapy and therapeutic horticulture experiences, reflection, and shared learning. Insights and outcomes from this initiative will be featured at the 2026 AHTA Annual Conference through one of AHTA’s new signature conference experiences. 

As we look ahead to our approaching conference, the Call for Proposals is now open. We invite practitioners, educators, researchers, and allied professionals to submit presentation proposals that reflect the depth, creativity, and impact of plant-centered practice. This year’s conference will also introduce unique sponsorship experiences, designed to create meaningful experiential opportunities for partners and conference attendees.  



On a final note, thank you for your patience as we unveil our new website – now more streamlined, intuitive, and rich with content. This has been a substantial undertaking, and we appreciate your understanding as we completed a complex platform transition. We are excited for the site to offer a smoother, more intuitive experience for our members, partners, and the public at large, and to serve as a stronger hub for connection, learning, and engagement.  

With Gratitude, 

Kelly Warnick, HTR, JD

President, American Horticultural Therapy Association

News and Events 

2026 AHTA Conference Keynote Speaker

Jennifer Jewell

Award winning author and podcast host, Jennifer Jewell will be joining us in San Francisco! Jennifer will serve as our keynote speaker and participate in several additional activities at the October event. Stay tuned for conference registration details.

Jennifer Jewell is the host of the national award-winning weekly public radio program and podcast Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History and the Human Impulse to Garden. The author of The Earth in Her Hands, 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants, Under Western Skies, Visionary Gardens and What We Sow: On the Personal, Ecological, and Cultural Significance of Seeds.

Jewell’s greatest passion is elevating the way we think and talk about gardening, the empowerment of gardeners, and the possibility inherent in the intersection between places, environments, cultures, individuals, and the gardens that bring them together beautifully–for the better of all the lives on this generous planet. Cultivating Place has several times been recognized by Garden Communicators International as Best On-Air Talent and Best Overall Broadcast Media. 

In 2021, The Earth in Her Hands was honored by the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries with their Award for Excellence in Biography, and Under Western Skies received a Golden Poppy winner for the Glenn Goldman award from the California Alliance of Independent Booksellers. The members of CALIBA present The Golden Poppy Book Awards to recognize the most distinguished books written by writers and artists who make California their home.

🌿 Webinar - Tuesday, February 24

Dr. Sherri Dorn

Dr. Sheri Dorn is an Assistant Professor at University of Georgia’s (Athens) Department of Horticulture, specializing in Sociohorticulture and Horticultural Therapy. She is creating a horticultural therapy program for both undergraduate and graduate study. Her research centers on the relationship between people and plants, including therapeutic horticulture benefits for special populations, as well as the utilization of horticulture-based citizen science for social engagement. Using quantitative research methods such as surveys, Dr. Dorn seeks to measure the social, emotional, and educational impacts of gardening and plant-based activities. As a gardener, She is passionate about vegetable gardening and color in the garden! She enjoys raising vegetables with her family and planting colorful container gardens with annual and perennial combinations. Her latest interests include botanical crafts like flower-pressing and herbal products. Sheri believes there is always something to learn about plants and tries to visit public gardens whenever possible.

🌿 Webinar – Tuesday, March 31

Matthew J. Wichrowski MSW, HTR

SR. Horticultural Therapist

Clinical Associate Professor

Rusk Rehabilitation 

N.Y.U. Langone Hospital Center

An internationally recognized leader in horticultural therapy, Matthew serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture and Co-Chair of the Nature-Based Rehabilitation Task Force of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. His research examines how nature-based settings and activities impact health and well-being, with published work in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, pediatric cancer care, dementia, and biophilic healthcare design. Matthew develops nature-based wellness programs, authors scholarly articles and textbook chapters, presents internationally, and has received numerous awards for advancing horticultural therapy in medical settings.

🌿 Webinar – Tuesday, April 28th

Lana Dreyfuss LPCC, SEP, HTR 

AHTA Secretary

Lana is a licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor, somatic experiencing practitioner, and horticultural therapist registered. She/they holds a MA from the University of Maryland in counseling. Currently working at United Indian Health Services in northern California, living gratefully on Tolowa Dee-ni’ land and serving Native American community members providing behavioral health services to include the modality of horticultural therapy. Lana has been serving on the AHTA Board of Directors and work teams since 2004.

National Horticultural Therapy Week

Let’s celebrate! National Horticultural Therapy Week takes place March 15–21, 2026, and it’s the perfect opportunity to spotlight the power and impact of horticultural therapy. Each year, the American Horticultural Therapy Association brings together regional networking groups, affiliated horticultural therapy and therapeutic horticulture programs, and AHTA members to celebrate the profession at both national and local levels.

Now is the time to plan! Share details about your events, activities, and promotional efforts with AHTA at info@ahta.org so they can be featured on our website and amplified nationwide. Locally, connect with our outstanding regional groups at https://www.ahta.org/regional-groups to discover upcoming NHTW events and get involved in the planning process. Let’s grow awareness, strengthen our community, and celebrate together!

Webinar Work Team- Looking for Speakers

The webinar work team is looking for speakers for 2026. Please let Holly Harrison or Danielle Stojan know if you have any suggestions, recommendations or would like to teach one. The work team for 2026 includes, Mike Maddox with Danielle Stojan and Holly Harrison as co-leads. The webinar work team planning meetings are the 1st Tuesday of the month at 6pm Central Time. For 2026 webinars we are tentatively planning on March 31, April 28, May 26, September 29, October 27, & November 24.

Spread the Word: Share Your HT Events with AHTA

Have an upcoming horticultural therapy event? We’d love to help you spread the word! The new AHTA events website is a great way to share your workshops, trainings, and gatherings with like-minded people who care about plants and people. Send your event details and promotional photos to info@ahta.org and help grow awareness, connection, and participation across the HT community.

Call for Nomination: 2026 AHTA Awards!

Book Club 2026 - Members Only

Nomination for AHTA Board of Directors are Now Open!

AHTA is powered by its members—and the future starts with you! As we look ahead to the next 50 years, we’re calling on passionate leaders ready to make a real impact. If you bring expertise in marketing, social media, partnerships, publishing, education, events, or exam development, there’s a place for you at the table. Help shape the future of AHTA and elevate the profession by stepping up to volunteer! 

Nominations to serve on the AHTA Board of Directors are open now through April 1, 2026! Don’t miss your chance to lead AHTA into the future!

 🌿 Countdown to the HT–BC Certification Exam

Cultivating the future of horticultural therapy — together

The countdown to the certification exam for the Horticultural Therapist–Board Certified (HT–BC) credential continues. The American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) is pleased to have announced the launch of its first professional credentialing exam, scheduled to take place 8 months from now — in October 2026.

The HT-BC credential will set the gold standard for excellence in horticultural therapy. Developed in partnership with psychometric experts and grounded in comprehensive Job Task Analysis, this certification validates real-world competence and elevates professional credibility across the field.

While some details are still being finalized, we want to keep our community informed and share what you can expect as this important credentialing process takes shape.

🍃 What is the AHTA Certification?

The AHTA Certification is a formal recognition that an individual has met established professional standards in horticultural therapy. It assures employers, clients, and the public that certified professionals possess the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to practice effectively and ethically.

The certification process includes: - Defined education requirements - Verified professional experience - Successful completion of a comprehensive examination

Certification vs Certificate - A certificate is awarded upon completion of an educational program (e.g., AHTA-accredited horticultural therapy courses) - Certification is a formal, third-party evaluation process that includes eligibility requirements, testing, and ethical standards.
✅ A certificate does not equate to professional certification

🌱 Exam Content: Core Domains

The HT–BC examination is based on six key professional domains identified through the large-scale 2022 Job Task Analysis:

1. Horticulture
2. Treatment Planning
3. Program Planning & Activity Design
4. Managing Human Resources
5. Business Practices, Safety & Ethics
6. Professionalism & Scholarship

These domains reflect the essential knowledge areas for effective horticultural therapy practice.

🌼 Who is this Certification For?

The Horticultural Therapist–Board Certified (HT–BC) credential is designed for individuals seeking formal recognition as professional horticultural therapists.

It is expected that the HT–BC will eventually replace the current HTR designation as the primary credential in the field.

🌳 Why Certification Matters

Certification supports both individual professionals and the field as a whole:

• Professional Credibility – Verifies expertise and ethical practice
• Standardized Practice – Aligns professionals with best-practice guidelines
• Demonstrated Competence – Combines education, skill development, and experience
• Stronger Recognition – Builds public awareness and professional identity
• Ongoing Growth – Requires continued learning and engagement

Together, certification strengthens the roots of horticultural therapy for future generations.

🌷 Frequently Asked Questions

What will happen to the HTR designation? AHTA will stop accepting new HTR applications approximately three months before the HT–BC exam launch (anticipated July 1, 2026). Current HTRs and HTMs may continue using their designations. The HT–BC credential is optional for existing professionals, but will be required for new applicants after that point.

Will this affect the THP designation? No. The Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner (THP) designation will remain unchanged.

How do I know if I’m eligible to sit for the certification exam? Eligibility will include education and experience criteria similar to HTR requirements, with an additional pathway for those in allied professions. These pathways align with national standards for professional certification.

Will there be study materials or prep courses for the exam? AHTA intends to provide recommended resources, sample questions, and guidance. The exam will be based on what qualified practitioners are expected to know through training and experience.

How long is the certification valid?
  The HT–BC is expected to be valid for five years. Renewal will include continuing education and/or ongoing professional activity.

🍂 Stay Connected

More information regarding: - Eligibility requirements - The exam handbook - Continuing education expectations - Application timelines

…will be announced later this year. We encourage members to regularly visit the AHTA website for updates. https://www.ahta.org/certification 

Thank you for being a vital part of the growing field of horticultural therapy.

2026 AHTA Annual Conference Sponsorship Spotlight

Unique Sponsorship Opportunities Coming to Annual Conference!

The 2026 AHTA Annual Conference in San Francisco, California, will bring together practitioners, educators, healthcare professionals, researchers, and allied partners from across the country and world for an immersive experience centered on resilience, connection, and impact through horticultural therapy and therapeutic horticulture. Designed as more than a traditional conference, this gathering emphasizes meaningful engagement, experiential learning, and community building.



Sponsors have the ability to be woven directly into high-value conference experiences such as learning labs, wellness spaces, or interactive installations—placing brands within important moments of reflection, connection, and discovery. Here is a sampling of sponsorship opportunities for the conference: 

• Pioneers & Pathways Sponsorship: Celebrating the leaders who built the foundation of horticultural therapy while impactfully connecting with emerging professionals to fuel continued growth in the profession. 
• Resilience Lab Sponsorship: Hosting space for thought leadership and engagement, shared understanding and research, and impactful reflection around what it means to be resilient in an evolving world.
• Plants & Paws Immersive Wellness Sponsorship: Bringing together the healing power of plant engagement and animal-assisted therapy to support calm, connection, and restoration. This experience offers conference attendees a moment to pause and reset, while modeling the power of combined allied therapy approaches increasingly used across healthcare, education, and community programs.  
• Opening Keynote Sponsorship with Jennifer Jewell: Connecting your organization with one of the conference’s most anticipated and impactful experiences. 

Experiential, mission-aligned sponsorships foster stronger recognition, trust, and long-term connection. Visit the AHTA website to explore unique upcoming sponsorship opportunities to align your organization with innovation, resilience, and the expanding impact of our professional field! Contact us at sponsorship@ahta.org.

‘Growing Impact’ Youth Wellness Campaign Spotlight:

Introducing the Resilience Lab!

AHTA is pleased to introduce the Resilience Lab, a new youth-centered initiative within our ‘Growing Impact’ Youth Wellness Campaign. Guided by AHTA members nationwide, the Resilience Lab is designed to nurture resilience in youth. 

Through hands-on horticultural therapy and therapeutic horticulture activities, youth are encouraged to notice, name, and reflect on how resilience shows up in their lives. Plants serve as important teachers, modeling how resilience is developed in new or challenging environments. They help our young people draw meaningful connections between plant adaption and their own experiences of change, stress, and growth. Youth are invited to view resilience not as constant forward motion or continual pushing, but as adaptability, quiet steadiness, and the ability to anchor oneself in purpose and connection, especially during difficult times. 

Through the Resilience Lab, youth deepen their capacity for resilience while strengthening their connections with people, plants, the natural world -- and themselves. Together, these experiences move youth toward greater wellness and growth.

AHTA Membership Meeting Notification

AHTA has been working on changes in the membership categories that were approved by the Board of Directors.

As membership categories are part of the AHTA Bylaws, we will be calling a special membership meeting to be held on Monday March 2nd, 2026, at 4:00 pm Pacific, 7:00 pm Eastern.

During this meeting, we will:

• Explain the proposed changes
• Answer questions you have about those changes
• Vote on the proposed motion to make the changes

If you are a voting member of AHTA you will receive an email with the proposed changes to the categories and Bylaws ahead of this meeting. 

Keep an eye out for that email and please stay tuned for more information!

Connection with Ferns

 By Erin Virzi, CRC, HTR

Northeast Horticultural Therapy Network, Treasurer & Immediate Past President 

Ferns are a great plant to add to your practice especially when working with populations with mental health challenges, particularly youth. Many individuals are trying to find enjoyable activities and build confidence so finding a houseplant that is easy to care for hits the spot. 

Ferns are typically inexpensive, come in unique types and don't require a lot of light. They do however, require watering so to support this I've found that naming the plant helps to form a better connection. The group discusses how personalizing the plant will benefit the plant's care and in turn benefit the person.   

There is also a discussion about how ferns are a unique plant because they don't require a lot of light, produce spores instead of seeds, and are one of the oldest types of plants on earth. Participants write down something that makes them unique; a feature or characteristic, an experience they had on a plant tag along with the plant's name. Discussion over these two things is done during the closing. 

Materials needed:

4" interior plant ferns - variety 

Potting soil 

bin/large bowl

gallon of water

mister of water

Table cloth/broom/hand broom

5" pots with saucers 

Permanent markers

plant tags

Gloves 

small stones

Directions: (may vary depending on # of participants) 

1. Verbally discuss objective of the activity and talk about ferns and how they are unique.
2. Have each participant write down on a plant tag something that is unique about themselves: a trait, an experience and/or a skill.  
3. Have participants pick out their fern and give it a name (write on other side of plant tag). 
4. Pass out gloves and large mixing bowls, along with potting soil. Have each team scoop in enough soil in large bowl. (I usually put 3:1/4:1 ratio). During this step the HT can talk about what’s in potting soil and how to water ferns.  
5. Have the teams add enough water to bowls and mix it up so that the mixture is semi hydrated (not wet/mud). 
6. The HT will now demo how to repot the fern:
7. Gently squeeze the 4” pot until the fern is loose and remove fern carefully in your palm.
8. Place a small amount of soil in bottom of new pot and show group how to measure height of plant in new pot.
9. Place fern into pot and hold fronds up with one hand while placing more soil around the fern, gently packing in the soil using your fingers.  
10. Water fern and let drain in sink, spritz fronds with water. 
11. Then each participant will get a chance to add decorative rocks or moss around the fern and add their plant tag. 
12. Have the group help with clean up.
13. Come back to the table and inform them of plant care and start the verbal discussion portion of the session where participants get an opportunity to share what they wrote and how their experience was in session today. 

Tips for Practice

1. Some great types of ferns to use: bird’s nest, blue star, Lemon button, maiden hair or rabbit foot fern. 
2. In general, connect with others on the multi-disciplinary teams such as the social worker to learn about what goals patients are working towards.



 Therapeutic Horticulture Activities Database (THAD) 

 Article adapted by Joanna Brown and Katie Grimes

Original Publication: Fleming, L., & Diehl, E. (2024). Therapeutic Horticulture Activities Database (THAD). Cultivate, 4(2). 

An innovative, collaborative resource for therapeutic horticulture programming

The Therapeutic Horticulture Activities Database (THAD) is a free, online collection of nearly 300 structured nature activities designed to support therapeutic goals across a variety of populations and settings. Created through a collaboration of horticultural therapy professionals and networks—including teams from Florida, California, Nova Scotia, the Carolinas, and the University of Florida—THAD was launched in 2024 and continues to grow.

At its core, THAD was developed to elevate the role of intentional, goal-oriented activities in therapeutic horticulture (TH) and horticultural therapy (HT) programs. Each high quality activity emphasizes a meaningful connection to plants and is formatted for easy use and adaptation by professionals across disciplines. Most high-quality activities can be adapted or modified to serve different client groups successfully. 

Each activity includes:

• A step-by-step process for delivering the activity.
  
• Suggested therapeutic goals in cognitive, physical, social, and emotional health domains.
  
• A list of required materials and safety considerations.
  
• Notes on adaptability for different populations and settings.
• 
  

Activities range from hands-on gardening tasks like propagation, planting, and harvesting, to expressive or sensory-based experiences such as Dried Plant Bookmarks, Eco Seed Orbs, and Handmade paper. These activities have been contributed or adapted by over 80 professionals and comply with American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) practice standards.

THAD’s content is organized across three main categories—Activities, Goals, and Populations—to help facilitators find activities that meet their program needs. Whether you’re serving veterans, children, people with complex trauma experiences, older adults, or individuals navigating mental or physical health challenges, THAD offers adaptable tools to enhance your work.

We invite you to explore and share this growing resource:
 🔗 hort.ifas.ufl.edu/therapeutic-horticulture-activities-database

Free Webinars on YouTube:

Therapeutic Horticulture Activity Database (THAD): Explore the Possibilities

Psychological Health Domain Focus: Applications from THAD

Like and Follow us on Social Media:

Instagram@NurturewithThad

Facebook: THAD Therapeutic Horticulture Activities Database

Contact us to learn more, contribute, or collaborate to share this free resource:

Email: THADNetwork@gmail.com

AHTA Website Update Notification

AHTA announces its new website! The AHTA website www.ahta.org has been updated with dynamic pages of current information and ease of access! As we finalize some of the content AHTA wants to extend our sincerest apologies for the unexpected delays in completing the updated website. Some users have experienced difficulties accessing the membership sections. Clearing browser cache typically resolves this issue.  During the integration we encountered unforeseen technical complexities that required extensive work to ensure the website’s functioning. We anticipate the website will be completed by the end of February. Thank you all for your incredible patience and understanding as we work to bring you the improved experience you deserve!

Updates from AHTA

•  The AHTA Code of Ethics was updated to align with professional standards effective March 1, 2025! For more information Here
• The THP Verification of Work Experience form has been updated expanding the direct client services to include direct client hours, documentation, program planning/preparation, client meetings, supervision meetings and non-supervision meetings!
• The HTR Verification of Work Experience has been updated to requiring the equivalent of 1,500 hours work experience as an employee or independent contractor, supervised by either a HTR or general supervisor who can validate the horticultural therapy services provided.

HTR Internship Sites and Intern Supervisors Information Updates

AHTA receives numerous requests for information from students in Horticultural Therapy educational programs and applicants for the Horticultural Therapist – Registered regarding the internship requirements for registration. A list of internship sites that meet the requirements for HTR internships, as well as the list of approved Intern Supervisors, are available on the AHTA website. We ask for your help to update those lists.

If you are part of a program that is currently on the list of Intern Sites, AHTA members please check your program and contact information on the AHTA website Internship Sites. If you need to make updates, contact the AHTA office at info@ahta.org .

If you know of a program that is already hosting HTR interns and is not listed, or you are part of a program that would like to be listed as an internship site, please go to the Internship Site Questionnaire on the Horticultural Therapy Internship webpage, under the Professional Registration tab. If you have been a HTR for at least 1 year and would like to be listed on the website as an Intern Supervisor, please complete the application at Intern Supervisor Application.

If you have any questions, please contact the AHTA OFFICE.

AHTA Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture

The AHTA Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture had been approved for the OpenAccess Model and is now available on Google Scholar. Did you know that you can access the copies of the AHTA Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture by going to Google Scholar, putting in the “AHTA Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture” in the search window and to narrow down your search add the volume number from the AHTA list of Journal. Click HERE to learn more. While considering publishing in the AHTA Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture consider that as members of AHTA there is no charge for the Article Processing Charge (APC) while nonmembers pay $300. Another great way to become a member! Hoping to see more submissions that will go out to all! 

AHTA HTR Database Search Option

AHTA HTR Database Search Option AHTA has a Horticultural Therapist Registered (HTR) Directory feature on our website. This feature allows companies or the general public to search for HTRs near them. The benefits for HTRs may include employment, consultation work, presentation /information sharing opportunities, advocacy for the profession of horticultural therapy and more! Click Here for the HTR Database.

Become a Member

Not a member of AHTA? Join today! AHTA's membership is comprised of Individuals who are passionate about the unique benefits of horticultural therapy as a therapeutic modality. Members are committed to the growth of the profession. Membership in the AHTA will keep you up to date on the latest in horticultural therapy news, as well as give you access to outstanding educational and networking opportunities.               

Did you know? AHTA members benefits include free webinars and free article processing fees for the AHTA Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture! Another two new reasons to join!