What to expect
Accreditation with the AIR program is a multistep process often involving multiple site visits and consultations before a nursery achieves accreditation. How long it takes for a nursery to become accredited largely depends on current nursery infrastructure and practices. Please review the flow chart, below, detailing the AIR accreditation process.
What does it cost?
While the program services are free for restoration nurseries in California, there may be costs associated with updating infrastructure and practices. Similar to the accreditation timeline, the total cost to become accredited with the AIR program will greatly depend on the current nursery infrastructure and practices. Still, in order to better answer this question the AIR Team is currently working on a survey of accredited nurseries to 1) evaluate the various input costs of accreditation and 2) identify common challenges and solutions that prospective nurseries face. Upon completion and cost analysis, we will develop materials for growers to share this cost analysis and help estimate projected costs for new nurseries.