The professional management of trees and woodland is vital for the sustainable development of our countryside, urban spaces, and for conservation.
Our forestry and arboriculture qualifications are a great route into a career in the tree care and woodland professions. No two days at college are ever the same and you’ll spend at least half of your study time hands-on taking part in practical activities.
From tree climbing and learning best practice for tree care on campus to supporting the local community with real life arboriculture projects, you’ll gain a wide range of work experiences, perfect to enhance your CV!
The great thing about our courses is that the majority of our students go straight into jobs after they’ve completed their studies. But if you’re looking to go onto further study there are also plenty of opportunities, especially if you’re keen to explore forestry, arboriculture or woodland ecology at a higher level.
Courses
Further Education
Higher Education
Student Success
Dan Appleton
Current job role: Arborist / tree climber with Treefellers
Previous course: Level 3 Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture 2021
“Being an arborist isn’t all about having fun swinging in treetops and using chainsaws – there’s a lot of technique backed by biology. To be able to trim trees properly you need to understand how they work.
“Reaseheath’s course gives you a good balance between the practical and theoretical sides of arboriculture. Our classroom sessions were very interesting, particularly topics such as how trees self heal and how to prevent decay, while the practical side gave us a good grounding in how to climb trees safely and the skills and confidence to use the equipment.
“I began working for Treefellers while still a student and became full time after I completed my diploma. Our work varies from managing vegetation on railway lines to removing mature trees from homeowners’ gardens, so every day is different.”
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Why study?
Why study Forestry and Arboriculture at Reaseheath?
Our industry focused forestry and arboriculture courses are well recognised and highly respected amongst industry professionals across the sector.
At Reaseheath, you will become career ready by gaining professional certificates alongside your course qualifications, while also gaining an understanding of the different management systems of timber and other commercial crops when visiting estates nationwide.
You will also enjoy exciting practical activities for at least half your study time and take part in inter-college tree climbing competitions and public demonstrations.
Additionally, you can explore the Reaseheath campus, taking your learning from the classroom into real life scenarios and learn the stories behind our range of unusual trees, and join professional arborists for a masterclass in the latest innovations in tree safety technology led by Sorbus International.
Career
Employability
Experience
Industry view
“Arboriculture is a constantly evolving industry. In the last 30 years it has gone from woolly jumpers, jeans, wellies and a shared hard hat, to state-of-the-art lightweight chainsaw protection, space aged helmets and battery powered chainsaws.
“Working in arboriculture, no two days are the same and the view from the “office window” is always different. You will get hot, cold, wet, dirty and tired, but to say “I did that” at the end of the day makes it all worthwhile.
“Now is a great time to join the industry as more advances are being made in the use of drones, new climbing equipment and tree diagnostic equipment, to name just a few. We will always have trees and we will always need people to manage them.
“Reaseheath is a great place to study and students leave with a good knowledge base as well as a strong desire to get out and get dirty — we should know, we have employed enough of them!”