Qualifications

Ben has been working in arboriculture since 1993, starting as a tree contractor and working his way up to managing a team of climbers, large contracts and a tree contracting company overseas. He has worked for local authorities including Hampshire County Council and has run his own consultancy practice since 2005.

His qualifications include:

• Professional Diploma in Arboriculture (Prof Dip (Arb)) hosted by Royal Forestry Society – previously known as the ‘Masters in Arboriculture and the Professional Diploma in Arboriculture’, this is currently the highest qualification in arboriculture.
• MICFor (Professional membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters) – a postgraduate course accredited by the ICF, as well as a period of mentoring, a written assessment and an oral examination.   Continuing professional development is a requirement of membership.   
• Technicians Certificate in Arboriculture (Tech Cert) hosted by the Arboricultural Association – a Level 4 qualification in the National Qualifications Framework providing a good level of understanding of current arboricultural industry best practice to help professionals progress to the Prof Dip (Arb).
• Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Forestry – an entry level course for arboricultural or forestry contractors and supervisors
• Certificate in Arboriculture (Royal Forestry Society) – a Level 2 qualification in the National Qualifications Framework based on practical competencies such as chainsaw use and tree climbing.