Arboriculture and Forestry Courses

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Chainsaw and Ground Courses

  • This qualification is designed to provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain and operate chainsaws for cross-cutting purposes. This certification covers a range of topics including:

    • Understanding relevant regulations governing chainsaw use, including risk assessments, environmental considerations and industry standards.

    • Understanding the components of a chainsaw and routine chainsaw maintenance,

    • Techniques for sharpening chains to ensure optimal cutting performance and safety,

    • Identifying and mitigating potential hazards associated with chainsaw operation, including personal protective equipment (PPE) usage and safe working practices.

    • Learning how to cut logs safely and accurately into manageable sections using a chainsaw.

    • Selecting appropriate chainsaw equipment and accessories for specific tasks and environments.

  • This course is suitable for gardeners and landscapers.

    • Understand risk assessment and emergency procedures,

    • Assessment of trees to be felled for hazards and associated risks,

    • Prepare trees to be felled and escape routes,

    • Fell trees which have a diameter up to 200mm/8” safely and accurately using different techniques,

    • De-limb felled trees in a safe and effective manner,

    • Select and use hand tools and maintain them in a safe condition,

    • Take down hung-up trees using hand tools,

    • State techniques that must not be used for the takedown of hung-up trees.

  • Candidates must have achieved certificate of competence in Chainsaw Maintenance and Cross-Cutting (or equivalent version) to sit this course.

    • Understanding relevant regulations governing chainsaw use, including risk assessments, environmental considerations, and industry standards.

    • Identifying and mitigating potential hazards associated with felling operations, including personal protective equipment (PPE) usage and safe working practices.

    • Learn how to fell trees with a variety of cuts and how to deal with hung up trees,

    • Removing branches and further processing of trees.

  • Candidates must have achieved certificate of competence in Felling and Processing Trees up to 380mm (or equivalent version) to sit this course.

    • Understanding relevant regulations governing chainsaw use, including risk assessments, environmental considerations, and industry standards.

    • Identifying and mitigating potential hazards associated with felling operations, including personal protective equipment (PPE) usage and safe working practices.

    • The safe felling and processing of medium size trees from 380mm up to 760mm.

  • This course is designed for individuals who operate or work around wood chippers.

    • Know the health and safety requirements for operating a wood-chipper,

    • Be able to carry out a risk assessment on a site,

    • Be able to prepare the equipment and site for wood-chipping operations,

    • Be able to operate a wood-chipper,

    • Carry out maintenance on a wood-chipper.

  • This course is designed for individuals who operate or work around stump grinders.

    • Know the health and safety requirements for operating a stump grinder,

    • Be able to carry out a risk assessment on a site,

    • Be able to prepare the equipment and site for stump grinding operations,

    • Be able to operate a stump grinder,

    • Carry out maintenance on a stump grinder.

  • This qualification will enable you to demonstrate your expertise in using a pole pruner.

    • Know the health and safety requirements for operating a pole pruner,

    • Be able to carry out a risk assessment on a site,

    • Be able to prepare the equipment and site for use of a pole pruner,

    • Be able to operate a pole pruner,

    • Carry out maintenance on a pole pruner.

All ground based and aerial units can also be offered as refreshers.

Aerial Courses

  • This course is for candidates who wish to learn how to safely climb a tree and perform an aerial rescue. Topics covered include:

    • Relevant legislation,

    • Risk assessments,

    • Equipment selection and inspection,

    • Visual tree assessment,

    • Tying, dressing, and setting various knots,

    • Learning how to access a tree,

    • Branch walking and how to climb a featureless stem.

    • Learning various rescue methods for both in the canopy and when spiking a featureless stem.

  • This course will teach you the required skills to safely operate a chainsaw when climbing a tree using ropes and a harness. Topics covered will include:

    • Relevant legislation and industry standards,

    • Tool selection,

    • Work positioning techniques,

    • Environmental considerations,

    • Tree condition,

    • Pruning techniques and how to operate a chainsaw from rope and harness.

  • This course is intended for tree climbers who wish to further their knowledge and learn how to prune trees to industry standards whilst working in the crown.

    • It covers risk assessment and emergency planning,

    • Legislation and industry standards,

    • Tree condition and working at height assessments,

    • Pruning tools and techniques and how to apply these to a given specification for the works to be completed.

  • This course is for individuals who undertake chainsaw work from a mobile elevated work platform as part of their job. During this course you will gain the required understanding and skills to safely perform your role. Topics covered include:

    • Relevant legislation and industry standards,

    • Risk assessments,

    • Safe working loads,

    • Set up and inspection of a MEWP,

    • How to use a MEWP to undertake chainsaw work,

    • Emergency procedures and how to rescue from a MEWP.

All ground based and aerial units can also be offered as refreshers.

Utility Courses

  • During this course you will learn the necessary knowledge to be able to stay safe whilst working in the proximity of electrical networks.

    • Learning how to undertake risk assessments and knowledge of various safety documents,

    • Setting up and working with the designated work zone,

    • Understanding emergency actions, safety distances to be maintained and recognising a range of electrical equipment found on the network.

  • This course is intended for individuals who operate around utility services as part of their work in arboriculture, forestry, or other industries. It will provide the individual with tree species recognition, growth characteristics and associated hazards for utility arboriculture.

  • This course will teach individuals who work within the proximity of an electrical network how to carry out ground-based pruning of trees safely. Topics covered include:

    • Hazards, risks, and control measures.

    • Site specifics,

    • Tree categorisation

    • Live line working procedures for ground-based pruning.

  • This course is designed for candidates who climb trees in the proximity of an electrical network. It will provide the individual with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to carry out aerial pruning within the utility arboriculture sector. It covers:

    • Hazards, risk, controls, emergency procedures,

    • Industry guides and potential environmental damage,

    • Site zoning,

    • Tree condition assessment,

    • Working at height assessment,

    • Tree factors and characteristics and Aerial tree pruning.

  • For individuals who operate around utility services as part of their work in arboriculture, forestry, or other industries. It will provide the individual with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to carry out assisted tree felling in the utility arboriculture sector. This course covers:

    • Hazards, risks, controls,

    • Emergency procedures,

    • Records and Assisted felling practices, procedures, and techniques.

All the above Utility courses can be offered as City & guilds CPD units.