Location: Treherbert, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Study Time: 3 days per week
Course Length: 1 year from September to July
Minimum Age: 16 years old (no maximum age)
Equipment Requirements: Warm waterproof clothing and shoes for working outdoors, and chainsaw safe trousers, boots, helmet, and gloves.
Our Forestry and Arboriculture NVQ will help you to develop skills and knowledge for a successful and rewarding career in the trees and timber sector.
Perfect for those looking to work outdoors, care for natural landscapes, and learn the skills needed to manage trees, woodlands, and green spaces sustainably. You’ll study outdoors in the Rhondda Valley, and gain practical skills that are in high demand. This course is ideal for anyone wanting to build a strong foundation in the forestry and arboriculture industry.
What will I learn?
You will cover a wide range of essential and relevant skills, with a particular focus on sustainability and health and safety.
Within this NVQ, students will also undertake an external Chainsaw Maintenance and Felling Course, providing you with an additional, sought-after qualification.
Units covered include:
- Tree identification and their properties
- Tree planting
- Chainsaw maintenance and use
- Cross-cutting and tree felling
- Producing wood fuel in a forest
- Creating greenwood products
- Traditional woodland management techniques
- Tool sharpening and maintenance
- Site structure maintenance and repair
- Vegetation and pest control
- Environmental conservation and public access
- Teamwork, communication and leadership development
Why study Forestry & Arboriculture?
You will study in beautiful and unique woodland settings. This course equips you with the knowledge and skills to work sustainably with nature, contributing to the conservation and management of our natural landscapes.
No exams! You will be assessed via practical observations or short oral tests.
After this course, students may be able to:
- Move onto a Level 3 course or higher in Forestry and Arboriculture, Land Management, Green Woodworking and Coppicing, or Environmental Conservation
- Use transferable skills for employment opportunities in the trees and timber sector
- Start a career as a self-employed or salaried Tree Surgeon, Forestry Worker, Woodland Conservation Officer, Woodworker, or Countryside Ranger
- Use this qualification towards entry to the BMC undergraduate course, BA (Hons) Sustainable Futures: Arts, Ecology and Systems Change
Applications for a September 2025 start are now open! Apply early via our website to secure your spot. You will need to complete a short interview with our friendly team.