Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Forestry & Arboriculture

The Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Forestry & Arboriculture is for learners who are interested in developing the specific technical and professional skills and knowledge that will lead to meaningful employment in the Forestry & Arboriculture industry. It is designed to provide you with a very wide range of specialist technical skills and detailed knowledge and understanding which will equip you to seek a diverse range of employment opportunities, or to further learning and training within the forestry & arboriculture industries.

This qualification gives you the opportunity to learn about and build on the essentials of safe working with equipment and machinery, chainsaw use and planting and establishment of trees. You will be able to undertake a range of estate maintenance skills such as boundary maintenance and fencing. You will study soil and plant science, as well as tree science, plus you will learn about tree pests and diseases. You will then choose to specialise in either forestry or arboriculture.

If you wish to take the forestry option, then you will go on to study tree and shrub pruning, emergency tree work operations, measuring trees or woodland sampling, operating specialist machinery and forest and woodland skills. You could also study the principles of silviculture or how to maintain and operate equipment used for timber conversion and utilisation.

Students wishing to specialise in arboriculture will study areas such as how to support arboriculture operations from the ground and arboricultural skills (accessing the canopy, simple pruning at height and supporting tree climbing operations). You could also study advanced arboricultural practices such as aerial tree inspections and specialist canopy pruning. You could also learn about tree surveys and inspections, data analysis and legislation relating to trees in the UK.

Compulsory topics include:

• Safe working practices
• Machinery operations
• Plant and soil science
• Tree felling and chainsaw use
• Pests, diseases and disorders of trees

Learners will also be able to choose additional optional topics, including:

• Planning forestry projects
• Woodland habitat management
• Tree science
• Silviculture
• Emergency tree works
• Timber processing and conversion
• Specialist forestry and arboricultural machinery
• Support arboriculture operations from the ground
• Advanced arboricultural practices
• Tree surveys and inspections

This two-year qualification exposes you to the whole industry, and the opportunities within it. On completion, it is likely that you will enter the industry by working for an Arboricultural or Forestry company. As you will have gained a breadth and depth of skills and knowledge over a wide range of units, you could progress within work to become a:

In the forestry pathway:

• Forestry contractor/operator
• Forest ranger
• Forest craftsman
• Forest supervisor

In the arboriculture pathway:

• Tree worker (ground)
• Tree worker (aerial)

Alternatively, you could consider an Advanced Apprenticeship in Trees and Timber, which allows you to combine working for a forestry contractor, in an arboretum, or a similar job, and typically attending one day a week at college or with a training provider.

For more information, read the Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture Qualification Handbook

Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Forestry & Arboriculture website