Award for Tree Care Specialists

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This course will be structured to provide students with the ability to care for different trees. This is a 30-hour guided learning course which may include also onsite visits and hands-on workshops. Lessons are held as indicated on the prospectus and website.

The course is intended for those who wish to start a career as a gardener and for those who are already in this field and wish to refine their tree monitoring and maintenance skills and/or obtain a licenced tree specialist.

This course will entitle a person to become eligible to register as a licenced tree specialist with the Environment and Resource Authority (ERA).

The requirement to become a licenced tree specialist arises from the Trees and Woodlands Protection Regulations, 2018 (S.L. 549.123). Individuals carrying out interventions on certain trees, including all trees found in public urban open spaces, will need to obtain the required licence from ERA. This will ensure that such interventions are done in a professional manner while giving due recognition to the skill that one requires to carry out such interventions.

The course aims at achieving the following learning objectives:

1. To understand the basic tree anatomy, physiology, and forms;
2. To identify the basic principles of pruning and good practice including:
   • Evaluate reasons to prune.
   • The physiology of pruning cuts.
   • Types of pruning: Heading cut, shearing and stub cuts, thinning cut.
   • Trimming of conifers and palms.
   • Timing within the year and within the tree’s life.
   • Wound dressing.
   • Pruning equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
   • Basic principles in use and handling of chainsaws.
3. To identify the basic principles of tree transplanting including:
   • Reasons to transplant and methods of transplanting.
   • Which species can be transplanted.
   • Time of year of transplanting.
   • Transplanting aftercare.
   • Transplanting equipment.
4. To identify the basics of good tree surgery including:
   • staking,
   • anchoring,
   • guying,
   • bracing,
   • cavity treatments,
   •  

5. To become familiar with indigenous Mediterranean and/or Maltese trees.
6. To become familiar with the Trees and Woodlands Regulations, 2018 and other Guidelines including:
   • Requirements of a permit.
   • Overview of protected areas.
7. Identify and capable of applying the basics of Health and Safety during work.
8. To obtain a basic understanding on the pruning practice, Students will have the opportunity to practice with pruning tools, other mechanized trimmers, hedge cutters and/or chainsaws;

No pre-requisites and/or entry requirements are required.

Course participants may be awarded either an MCAST Certificate of Attendance or an MCAST Certificate of Achievement.

MCAST Certificate of Attendance

• An MCAST Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to those candidates who attend at least 80% of the lessons.

MCAST Certificate of Achievement

• An MCAST Certificate of Achievement will be awarded to those candidates who satisfy the 80% attendance criteria and also choose to sit and pass the course assessment/s.
• Students who opt not to sit for the assessment or fail (the assessment/s) will however be awarded the MCAST Certificate of Attendance provided that they fulfill the minimum attendance criteria as stated above.

If the student intends to obtain a Certificate of Achievement, she/he is required to sit for an assessment/s. Assessment/s may take various forms. However, the assessment/s is not compulsory and an applicant may choose not to sit for it.

MCAST Certificate of Achievement

• An MCAST Certificate of Achievement will be awarded to those candidates who satisfy the 80% attendance criteria and also choose to sit and pass the course assessment/s.
• Students who opt not to sit for the assessment or fail (the assessment/s) will however be awarded the MCAST Certificate of Attendance provided that they fulfill the minimum attendance criteria as stated above.

No pre-requisites and/or entry requirements are required.

An MCAST Certificate of Attendance will be issued to all students attending more than 80% of lectures.