Fleming College: Experience More

This program focuses on the "non-climbing" aspects of urban forestry and landscape care. You can help make our cities a better place to be after completing Fleming's new Urban Forestry Certificate. Trees clean the air and provide much needed "green" relief from the concrete jungle in our towns and cities.

Program Highlights

You will learn how to care for urban trees and tree canopies, and gain a basic understanding of the landscape industry. As an Urban Forestry graduate, you'll be able to work maintaining and preserving trees and shrubs in the urban landscape and green spaces of our communities. You'll have the theoretical and practical knowledge to work on all aspects of urban tree care. While this program emphasizes the non-climbing aspects of tree and landscape care, you'll be able to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot chainsaws, wood chippers, stumpers, and other relevant mechanical equipment. You will expand your knowledge and will be able to identify approximately 140 species of trees and shrubs in both summer and winter conditions. In order to better protect trees and shrubbery, you will be able to diagnose and remedy major pests, disease, and tree disorders - using the latest techniques and treatments to promote plant health.

Why Choose Fleming?

Simply put, students choose Fleming College because of our reputation in the industry. Employers look to our Urban Forestry and Arboriculture programs to find well-trained graduates. The School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences has a 40-year reputation among professional organizations and employers working in the field.

Work Experience

From start to finish, the Urban Forestry program is hands-on. You'll be spending a lot of time working with trees and shrubs outside in addition to your time in the classroom. In the first semester, you will do a field placement, and be able to put your learning and practice to work.

What it Takes to Succeed

In order to be a successful urban forest technician, you've got to love the outdoors and working with trees and landscaping. Here are a few skills and personality traits that will help you:

• desire to take on a challenge
• physical fitness
• good oral/written communication skills
• computer skills/experience
• problem solving ability
• attention to detail

You would benefit by having basic computer skills including e-mail, word processing, file management and internet web browsing. It's also an asset if you have studied biology or forestry, or have worked or volunteered for an organization that works with trees.

Career Opportunities

When you graduate, you'll be qualified for jobs such as:

• urban forest technician
• plant health care technician
• tree and shrub specialist
• urban parks manager
• landscape tree specialist

Employers include municipalities, private companies, utility companies, and provincial ministries.

Minimum Admission Requirements

OSSD with the majority of credits at the College (C) and Open (O) level, including:

• 2 College (C) English courses (Grade 11 or Grade 12)

When (C) is the minimum course level for admission, (U) or (U/C) courses are also accepted.

• completion of Standard First Aid and Heart Saver CPR is required for entry to the program.
• students are recommended to have a strong background in plant biology and/or horticulture
• preferably be in possession of a valid "G" driver's licence
• good physical condition

Mature Students
If you are 19 years of age or older before classes start, and you do not possess an OSSD, you can write the Canadian Adult Achievement Test to assess your eligibility for admission. 

Related Programs

If you haven't decided on which program to take at Fleming College, and want to work with trees, also consider the Arboriculture or Forestry Technician programs.

Course	Hours
Semester 1
Human Relations	45.00
Arboriculture Practices	60.00
Dendrology	60.00
Forest Entomology and Pathology	45.00
Managing Turf in the Urban Forest	45.00
Operation and Maintenance of Equipment	90.00
Semester 2
Arboriculture Skills and Techniques	90.00
Field Placement	80.00
Forest Horticulture	45.00
Plant Health Care	45.00
Urban Forest Science	45.00
General Education Elective

Semester 1

Human Relations

Course Number: MGMT005

This course examines self-awareness, interpersonal relations, motivation, stress, small group dynamics, and organizational behaviour. Particular attention will be paid to leadership and conflict management in employment situations. Contemporary developments reshaping human relations will be introduced for study and discussion.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Arboriculture Practices

Course Number: FSTY003

This course covers the value that trees have in urban landscapes and objective valuations of urban trees. Students will understand site and species assessment, tree installation, establishment and pruning of newly planted trees for improved urban settings. Shade tree inventory will be done in class and in the field.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Dendrology

Course Number: FSTY007

This course deals with the identification of approximately 125 tree and shrubs found in urban settings in Ontario. Tree features including leaves, twigs, bark and fruits are studied. The accuracy level for identification tests is 80 per cent. The lecture series includes the physiology of fall colour, fruit adaptations for seed dispersal, forest geography, vegetative reproduction and sexual reproduction. The cultural requirements of major urban tree species are studied.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Forest Entomology and Pathology

Course Number: FSTY011

Students of the Forestry, Arboriculture and Park's and Forest Recreation programs possess an excellent foundation in the 'normal growth' of trees. This course introduces students to the study of insects and diseases of forest and urban trees. Identification, classification, and control measures of commercially important insects and diseases are examined. The emphasis is on the pests of forest and urban trees and a collection of such specimens.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Managing Turf in the Urban Forest

Course Number: FSTY059

In urban landscapes, trees and turf are most frequently found growing together - in parks, boulevards, golf courses and gardens. Unfortunately, this co-existence is not the best environment for either trees or turf. This course builds on existing knowledge of tree culture and maintenance while integrating it with introductory turf management. It focuses on effective practices that will enhance turf quality through effective tree management. Topics include the assessment of turf quality, the establishment of turf in proximity to trees, the trees best suited to planting in such contexts, and turf cultivation and maintenance in the proximity of trees.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Operation and Maintenance of Equipment

Course Number: MECH045

This course instructs students on the safe operation and maintenance of chainsaws and machinery associated with the arboriculture and line-clearing industry. Chainsaw operation, maintenance, and tree felling techniques are competency-based training standards set out by the Ministry of Education and Training (Program #750000). The techniques introduced in this course are transferable to other courses within the program. Students will be required to purchase items of personal protective equipment (safety glasses, safety boots, chainsaw pants, safety gloves, hard hat, and hearing protection) as recommended, before the course begins.

Units: 90.00
Hours: 90.00

Semester 2

Arboriculture Skills and Techniques

Course Number: FSTY058

Arboriculture Skills and Techniques provides classroom and hands on experience in many aspects of tree work from a ground-person's perspective. The focus is on preparing ground workers with the skills and knowledge to provide safe and efficient support to their crew, through in-depth understanding of the tools, equipment and techniques used for aerial work. Classes will provide opportunities to examine tree operations through team work.

Units: 90.00
Hours: 90.00

Field Placement

Course Number: FLPL020

This course allows students the opportunity to obtain arboriculture-related experience through a two-week placement with an organization selected by the student and approved by the course instructor. It provides students with the opportunity to apply existing knowledge and skills either through observation or application. This placement must be unpaid.

Units: 80.00
Hours: 80.00

Forest Horticulture

Course Number: FSTY076

This course deals with woody plant propagation within greenhouse and bare-root nurseries for both natural and urban landscapes as well as for forest management. This course also addresses preservation and care of horticultural plants for human well-being in urban settings. Topics include tree seed processing, stratification, germination, seedling culture, cutting propagation, nursery soils, fertilizers, irrigation, and quality control. Special emphasis will be placed on placed on plant selection, plant growth and responses, horticultural practices, preventative maintenance, nursery stock handling, plant-to-soil relationships, and overall seedling physiology.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Plant Health Care

Course Number: FSTY032

Students of the Arboriculture Program possess an excellent foundation in the 'normal growth' of trees. This course introduces students to the study of insects and diseases of forest and urban trees. Identification, classification, and control measures of commercially important insect and diseases are examined. The emphasis is on the pests of forest and urban trees and an appraisal of tree damage. Students are introduced to other insects and fungi from a plant health care perspective.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Urban Forest Science

Course Number: FSTY060

This course introduces the students to tree anatomy, tree physiology, urban soil conditions, tree installation and the impact of construction on tree health. Field trips deal with tree selection, tree pruning, tree reaction to wounding and an introduction to hazard tree assessment.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00