Lesson Structure:   Arboriculture I BHT106

There are 8 lessons:

1  Introduction to Arboriculture

• Trees in the garden
• Planting in the right position
• Choosing the right variety
• Choosing the right specimen
• How to plant different types of trees
• Transplanting
• Tree Guards
• Using a Tree Report Form

2  Tree Biology

• Tree growth
• Photosynthesis
• Respiration
• Transpiration
• Vernilisation
• What makes foliage change colour
• Tree physiology: Roots, Stems, Leaves
• Bud types
• How a tree grows
• Vascular tissue
• Cambium
• Xylem
• Phloem
• Secondary growth
• Growth rings
• Heartwood
• Sapwood
• Compartmentalisation
• Water and plant growth,
• Growth rate factors
• Arboricultural terminology

3  Soils In Relation to Trees

• Fertilising
• Compacted soils
• Tree health and drainage
• Treating soil over winter
• Changed soil levels around trees
• Measuring pH
• Measuring soil organic content
• Measuring water content
• Determining fertiliser solubility
• Testing affect of lime on soil
• Laboratory testing of soils
• Soil texture, Measuring salinity
• Soil horizons
• Soil Naming
• Soil nutrition
• Fertilisers, etc

4  Diagnosing Tree Problems

• Tree health disorders
• Frost protection
• Minimising frost and wind damage
• Mulch and frost, Mistletoe
• Diagnosing problems
• Conducting a Tree inspection

5  Tree Surgery

• Tree surgery-do you need it?
• Review of techniques
• Tree surgery safety
• Safety and the worker
• Public safety
• Safety regulations
• Cavity treatments
• Bracing
• Cabling
• Propping
• Bark wounds
• Tree climbing techniques, Knots, Anchoring points, etc.

6  Pruning Trees

• Pruning objectives
• Removing branches
• Crown cleaning
• Crown thinning
• Crown reduction
• Crown lifting
• Crown renewal
• Fruit tree pruning
• Felling a whole tree
• Felling sections of a tree: terminology.

7  Aboriculture Equipment

• Secateurs
• Hand saws
• Power tools
• Safety with electricity
• Engine and tool maintenance
• Chain saws
• Hedge trimmers
• Ladders
• Harnesses
• Ropes
• Pole belt
• Spurs etc

8  Workplace Health and Safety

• Duty of Care
• Lifting & manual handling
• Protective equipment
• Handling tools and machinery
• Auditing tools and equipment

Learning Goals:   Arboriculture I BHT106

• Describe measures to provide healthy trees in different situations, including appropriate plant selection.
• Explain tree biology, including morphology, anatomy and physiology, as it relates to arboriculture.
• Develop procedures to manage soils for improved tree growth.
• Develop procedures for managing health disorders with trees, including environmental, pest and disease problems.
• Determine surgical techniques commonly used in arboriculture to repair damage to plants
• Explain tree surgery techniques commonly used in arboriculture to prune growth.
• Determine appropriate equipment for arboricultural practice.
• Determine appropriate workplace health and safety practices for an arboricultural workplace.

Practicals:   The Set Tasks You Will Do in This Course in Addition to the Reading.

• Distinguish between plants in order to identify many different trees.
• Develop a standard tree report form, customised for surveying the condition and use of trees in your locality.
• Explain how to treat three specified soil related problems that can effect trees.
• Develop a twelve month program, for managing a health problem detected by you in an established tree.
• Demonstrate bridge grafting across a bark wound.
• Distinguish between different methods of pruning including:
  • Canopy reduction
  • Cleaning out
  • Topiary
  • Espaliering
• Determine the minimum equipment required to commence business as a tree surgeon.
• Compare different chainsaws, to determine appropriate applications for each.

HOW TO PLANT A TREE

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General

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Q. Practical work – How is this done?
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