Advanced Certificate in Arboriculture VHT090

Learn about culturing and caring for trees. This Advanced Certificate focuses on the culture and care of trees, providing a sound foundation for any working or hoping to work with tree establishment or maintenance. Unlike many other courses in arboriculture, this course also provides a broad foundation across all aspects of horticulture.

To work in the challenging and stimulating arboriculture industry you need fundamental knowledge and understanding of trees, their amenity value and their indisputable value to the environment. Such knowledge includes the maintenance and management of trees; tree assessment for health, monetary or environmental value, fundamentals of planting, transplanting, pruning, site planning, identification and treatment of pests diseases, nutritional and other disorders, tree surgery, aftercare and advice and tree removal.

Trees are the longest living organisms on earth, they benefit the community and improve our quality of life in almost immeasurable ways. They create the oxygen we breathe, reduce air and water pollution and uptake water to help reduce storm water run-off. They also provide shade, beauty, sound barriers, windbreaks and reduce summer urban heat.

If a tree is growing in a favourable environment and its genetic make-up also favours that environment it will be healthy and grow to optimum size and shape. A knowledgeable arborist understands that this is not always the case and sometimes, through environmental or other factors, trees will need help. They will also know that working with trees is about more then felling them; once a tree is removed it cannot be put back! Arborists are there to encourage and maintain healthy, growing trees where at all possible; their work therefore has an important role in the community.

Opportunities in this growing industry include employment in private specialist contracting businesses, self-employment, local and state government positions. Activities include the maintenance and care of trees and large shrubs in private gardens, public parks, reserves, bushland reserves, recreational areas, industrial complexes, housing estates and institutions.

Course Structure Choose four (4) modules from the following list of modules:

All assignments must be completed and examinations passed in the four modules listed above.