ENROL NOW

Trees For Rehabilitation (Reforestation)

Course CodeBHT205
Fee CodeS2
Duration (approx)100 hours
QualificationTo obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of £30. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested.

Would you like to work in a field that helps the environment? 

  • Learn the fundamentals of tree rehabilitation
  • Develop an understanding of environmental systems and the rehabilitation of degraded landscapes.

Student Comment: 'I definitely learned a lot from [the course) but it was also beneficial in affirming [and raising my confidence] in what I already knew.' Katrina Merrifield, Masters Conservation Science, NZ, Trees for Rehabilitation course.

 

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

  1. Approaches To Land Rehabilitation
    • Importance of trees
    • Understanding plant identification
    • Land management programs
    • Biodiversity
    • Soil degradation
    • Types of Erosion and control methods
    • Salinity and its control
    • Soil Acidification
    • Rehabilitation
  2. Ecology Of Soils and Plant Health
    • Biomass
    • Constituents of the ecosystem
    • Ecological concepts
    • Relationship between plants and animals
    • Creating habitat corner for wildlife
    • Edge effects
    • Soil environment and composition
    • Soil characteristics
    • Cation exchange capacity
    • Plant Nutrition
    • Organic and inorganic fertilisers
    • Diagnosis of nutritional problems
    • Pest and diseases
    • Preventative control measures
    • Biological control
  3. Introduction To Seed Propagation Techniques
    • Types of propagation method
    • Seed sources
    • Maintaining genetic identity in seed
    • Guideline for collecting and harvesting seeds
    • Seed storage
    • Germination treatments methods
    • Seed sowing
    • Containers for propagation
    • Pricking out or tubing seedlings
    • Quality control of soil mixes
    • Operation flow chart of the production system
    • Seed resource guide
  4. Propagation And Nursery Stock
    • Asexual propagation
    • Classification of cuttings
    • Types of cuttings
    • Stock plants
    • Ways of getting roots on difficult root-cutting plants
    • Hormone treatments
    • Nursery hygiene practices
    • Propagating mixes
    • Potting media and soil mixes
    • Maintaining plants in pots
    • Greenhouse growing
    • Environmental controls in greenhouse
    • Greenhouse irrigation methods
    • Other structures for growing plants
    • Propagation of different plants (Conifers. Acacias. Oaks, Maples etc)
  5. Dealing With Chemical Problems
    • Soil contamination
    • Symptoms on plants due to chemical contamination
    • Rehabilitation of damaged soils
    • Growing plants on contaminated sites
    • Rehabilitating a building site (home garden)
    • Soil chemical composition and plant growth
  6. Physical Plant Effects On Degraded Sites
    • Principles to rehabilitate any site
    • Pioneer plants
    • Windbreaks
    • Designing and planting a firebreak
    • Storm water, waterlogging and drainage
    • Soil compaction
  7. Plant Establishment Programs
    • The beneficial and detrimental impact of the program
    • What to plant where
    • Climate considerations
    • Plant selection criteria
    • Plant protection methods
  8. Hostile Environments
    • Planning rehabilitation strategies
    • Rehabilitation techniques
    • Copying with dry conditions
    • Mulching
    • Weed management strategies
  9. Plant Establishment Care
    • Planting procedure for evergreens, deciduous and bare-rooted plants
    • Water and plant growth
    • Transpiration
    • Water requirement
    • Guide to inspecting plant health
  10. Rehabilitating Degraded Sites
    • Environmental assessment
    • An environmental audit
    • Determine land objectives
    • Determining a rehabilitation program
    • Replanting

Aims

  • Compare different approaches to land rehabilitation, to determine strengths and weaknesses of alternative options on a site to be rehabilitated.
  • Determine techniques to maximise plant development in land rehabilitation situations.
  • Explain the different ways of producing seedling trees for land rehabilitation purposes.
  • Determine appropriate plant establishment programs.
  • Develop procedures to care for plants, during establishment in an hostile environment.
  • Manage the rehabilitation of degraded soil.
  • Explain the effect of plants on improving a degraded site, both physically and chemically.

WHERE WILL THIS COURSE TAKE YOU?

  • Into environmental restoration
  • To the rehabilitation of land systems
  • Work as a tree assessor
  • Towards environmental assessment
  • Post planting management

Who is this Course For?

  • Land owners, farmers, managers
  • Environmental rehabilitation workers
  • Horticulturists, environmentalists
  • Gardeners, conservationists, foresters
  • Anyone with a passion for trees and the environment

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