TCC Horticulture Students Get Their Hands Dirty in Real-World Conservation Planting Project with Lynnhaven River NOW
Students in Tidewater Community College’s Introduction to Horticulture class recently got the unique opportunity to bring their learning to life outside the classroom by participating in a local planting project, thanks to a partnership with Lynnhaven River NOW.
Students rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty conducting a native planting conservation project that helped transform a residential front yard in Virginia Beach that was dealing with significant stormwater runoff issues.
Guided by Lynnhaven River NOW’s Conservation Landscape Manager, Dana Gauthier, the students took part in setting up and installing a native plant landscape that not only addressed flooding concerns but also contributed to cleaner waterways.
“This is a conservation landscape,” said Gauthier. “It’s a residential best management practice designed to filter pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus before they enter our waterways.”
Lynnhaven River NOW is a nonprofit organization based in Virginia Beach, VA that works with residents, businesses, faith communities, schools, and community leaders to restore and protect Virginia Beach waterways through educational outreach within the community and a variety of grant-funded service projects.
The hands-on project gave horticulture students the chance to take an up-close look at what it takes to install a sustainable landscape— from understanding the design plan to learning the proper way to shovel, plant, and space native vegetation.
For students like Merrick Burkett, it was a breakthrough moment. “I had such a fun time. I knew I was going to enjoy it, but it was so much more being here in person,” said Burkett. “It was my first time doing anything like this, and it confirmed that this is something I want to do long-term. I’d love to work at a conservation site one day.”
This field-based project marked the first planting collaboration between TCC’s Horticulture Department and Lynnhaven River NOW, though the college has previously grown native plants for the organization. According to Gauthier, the idea for deeper student involvement grew naturally from the existing connection.
“This gives them experience and exposure to real-world work. They might not know exactly what they want to do yet, so this shows them the range of options— from landscaping to conservation to even starting their own business,” said Gauthier
Andrea Tomlin, department head of TCC’s horticulture program, believes the experience is invaluable.
“You have to have these types of hands-on opportunities,” she said. “It’s one thing to learn from a book or a lecture, but something else entirely to be part of a live project, to see the plants in the ground, to stand back and look at the result and know, ‘I helped create that.’”
After a morning of planting, the day continued with a field trip to the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC), where students explored career paths in horticulture research and sustainable landscape practices.
Taylor Treadway, the instructor of the Introduction to Horticulture course, said the trip tied everything together.
“This class is mostly lectures, so projects like this are a great way to get them out into the community. They got a real taste of what the industry is like. And then visiting AREC lets them see the examples of real industry research, and get the chance to learn about different careers in horticulture.”
TCC’s horticulture program offers a well-rounded curriculum that covers everything from plant cultivation to landscape design, providing students with a solid foundation for a future career in horticulture. Students benefit from hands-on training in state-of-the-art facilities, including the college’s greenhouses, where they gain practical experience in floriculture and crop production. Projects like this one add a crucial layer of real-world application and community impact to their education.
As the need for conservation-minded landscaping continues to grow, so too does the importance of preparing the next generation of horticulture professionals. This partnership has just begun, but both TCC’s Horticulture department and Lynnhaven River NOW hope this was only the first of many collaborative service projects.