Arboriculture
Getting Ready for your Arboriculture Degree Course
The following information aims to ensure that you are well prepared for your ‘FdSc Arboriculture and Tree Management’ or ‘BSc (Hons) Arboriculture and Urban Forestry’ course at University Centre Myerscough when you start in September.
Apart from the more practical things like making sure that you have sorted funding and accommodation there are two main things that you can usefully do.
Plant and Soil Science
Both the FdSc and the BSc are science based courses and there will be a certain level of knowledge of plant science assumed when you are doing the more science based modules. It maybe that you have already got this level of science knowledge from your previous courses, but if not it is important that you bring your knowledge up to a suitable level before you start so that you can make the most of what you are being taught. Reading the following 3 booklets over the summer would be a really good way to get yourself up to speed. The associated quiz will then allow you to check if you have understood the basics.
Plant Morphology Booklet Plant Morphology Quiz
Plant Cells and Anatomy Booklet Plant Cells and Anatomy Quiz
Plant Physiology Booklet Plant Physiology Quiz
Tree Identification
The ability to correctly identify trees and to use their scientific names is obviously a key skill in arboriculture and as part of your course you will be introduced to a wide range of tree species and their suitable uses. Whatever your current level of skill in this area it would be of great benefit to you to develop your skills in tree identification over the summer period whilst they are in leaf.
We suggest that you buy a good guide book and keep it with you at all times, even if you can only identify some of the more common species by the time you start it will stand you in good stead. One of the best guide books is the Collins Tree Guide by Owen Johnson and David More (2004).
The Woodland Trust have produced a useful app on tree identification. The link below will take you to their website, where you can download it. Regular use of such aids when you are out in the field will help develop your tree identification skills.
Select this link to access the Tree ID App
The link will below will give you access to another useful resource. You could print this out and carry it around with you to help you identify the trees you see.