Pre-school through high school teachers will find ideas for horticultural activities in the school resource kit section. We are especially aiming the information in this website at students and teachers with the hope that you are motivated to become a home gardener or grower with a knowledge of sustainability issues and the science of horticulture. Sustainability refers to overall efforts to make human activities compatible with the demands of the Earth's ecosystem. It is a philosophy based on human goals and on understanding the long-term impact of our activities on the environment and on other species. Sustainable agricultural systems aim to reduce environmental degradation, maintain agricultural productivity, promote economic viability in both the short and long term and maintain stable rural communities and quality of life.
Horticulture is only one branch of agricultural plant science.
The other two branches of agriculture, forestry and crop science, encompass the other plants in cultivation. Trees grown for other than ornamental use are usually covered under forestry. Crop science or agronomy covers grains, pasture grasses, and fiber crops such as cotton.