Tree Planting Best Practices

Overview

This 2-week microcredential certificate gives you the knowledge and skills to plant trees to industry standards. You learn how to plan your work, take care of young trees, work well with others in remote environments and keep track of where you've planted. 

The Tree Planting Best Practices certificate consists of 3 courses that must be completed to receive the microcredential.

Health and Safety for Remote Forest Operations

Learn how to:

• Apply the rights of the worker as outlined in the Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Act. 
• Follow safe work practices and procedures for remote forest work and produce an Isolated Workplace First Aid Plan. You also learn to implement practices to support your well-being while working remotely.

Forest Navigation

Learn how to:

• Develop the skills needed to navigate remote forest work sites using a map, GPS and digital tools. 
• Use forest landmarks and features to support navigation and orient yourself while working in remote areas.

Tree Planting and Quality Assessment 

Learn how to:

• Safely plant trees in remote forest areas. 
• Develop the skills to plan efficient planting routes and demonstrate the ability to plant to industry standards.

Choose NSCC

• This program is delivered through NSCC’s Centre of Forest Innovation, which is helping to advance the shift to ecological forestry in Nova Scotia. We’re training the next generation of forest professionals from diverse communities with innovative programming that meets industry needs.

Availability

Admission requirements

• Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents or have been granted refugee status in Canada ages 18+

Career options

• Graduates work as tree planters for a variety of companies and organizations including private contractors, government agencies and conservation non-profits.

Courses may include

These are some of the courses offered in this program. It is not a complete list and courses are subject to change in advance of the academic year.

Recognizing prior learning / transfer credits
If you have previous learning (course, employment, etc...) that's relevant to your program, you may be able to apply to earn credit. Not all programs are eligible. Learn about our recognizing prior learning (RPL) process.

FORT 100M - Health and Safety for Remote Forest Operations
In this course students apply the rights of the worker as outlined in the Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Act. They also follow safe work practices and procedures for remote forest work and can produce Isolated Workplace First Aid Plans. They also learn to implement practices to support their well-being while working remotely, including positive nutrition and sleep habits, maintaining appropriate hygiene, and working safely with others.

FORT 105M - Forest Navigation
In this course students develop the skills needed to navigate to, from, and through remote forest work sites using a map, GPS, Avenza tools. Through applied practice, they also use forest landmarks and features to support their navigation and to orient themselves while working in remote areas.

FORT 110M - Forest Planting
In this course students safely plant trees in remote forested areas. Through applied practice, they develop the skills to plan efficient planting routes, and demonstrate the ability to plant to industry standard levels of density and quality. In doing so, students also develop the skills to follow ergonomics and health and safety practices, while also tracking planted areas and collaborating with other tree planters.