Certificate in Urban Forestry

at Fleming College - Frost Campus (Lindsay) Canada

Love trees and want to help preserve our environment? With Fleming’s Arboriculture Co-op program, it’s possible to live in an urban setting and contribute to the environmental effort.

Program Highlights
As an Arboriculture graduate, you'll maintain and preserve trees and shrubs in the urban landscape and green spaces of our communities – providing cleaner air and much needed "green" relief from the concrete jungle.

• The program offers theoretical knowledge for all aspects of urban tree care, as well as such practical skills as safe tree climbing techniques, aerial rescue, pruning techniques, tree removal, power line clearing, and the operation and maintenance of relevant equipment.
• You will be able to identify approximately 140 species of trees and shrubs in both summer and winter conditions, and to diagnose and remedy major pests, disease, and tree disorders using the latest integrated management options to promote plant health.
• In 2nd semester, you can take the Arborist and Utility Arborist exemption exams, to qualify you for the in-school portion of these MAESD apprenticeships (there is no additional cost to you for your first attempt at writing these tests).

Work Experience

• From start to finish, the Arboriculture 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.
• There is a mandatory paid co-op semester from May to September.

Are you passionate about the environment, with a strong belief in sustainable practices? In this unique, post-graduate program you will learn to develop and implement innovative waste management plans and strategies based on new and emerging technologies and concepts.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Waste is one of the leading problems of our time – increasing waste volumes, increasing severity of impact and costs of waste management and the challenge of managing waste in developing countries and emerging markets are causing a dramatic shift in waste management practices within Ontario and world-wide. Countries around the globe are moving towards a circular economy and waste has to be dealt with in new, innovative ways rather than simply sending it to landfill. The new Waste-Free Ontario Act makes producers responsible for their waste management. Failure to take action in managing waste has economic, environmental, social as well as health and safety implications, including toxic discharge leading to pollution, increased greenhouse gas emissions, increased frequency of illnesses, and the loss of valuable resources.

The Sustainable Waste Management program is being offered exclusively at the School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences - it is the only college program in Ontario that is focused on building advanced knowledge and skills in sustainable waste management.

• The training will lead graduates to meaningful careers. You will be well-versed in the relevant legislation and existing as well as emerging technologies, with the skills to effect changes in how business and industry manage their waste and how to move them beyond the three R’s of waste management.
• The program focusses on solid waste management, but does include courses that address hazardous waste management.

Learn advanced environmental principles and applications in the Environmental Technology program, in preparation for a career monitoring and improving the natural environment.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Build on your expertise as an Environmental Technician through an additional year of study, and develop even more competence in preventing environmental problems, resolving environmental issues, and providing education to the public.

Your hands-on environmental training will be an excellent complement to your in-class courses. In the Environmental Technology program, you will learn advanced environmental principles and applications. You'll also complete a two-week work placement where you will gain valuable work experience - and employment contacts that can become invaluable when you start looking for a job. In addition, high level skills in field ecology and specialized wetland evaluation training are delivered, to further increase your career prospects.

WORK EXPERIENCE
You'll have plenty of hands-on experience through the use of our specialized facilities, and you will work with others as a team during the field school off-campus, as well as participate in a multitude of class field trips to both outdoor settings and industrial/municipal facilities. Textbooks are not enough when it comes to preparing capable technologists for the field. Your two-week placement will put your skills to the test.

The Outdoor and Adventure Education diploma program blends the development of people skills with the technical skills of outdoor pursuits, a dynamic combination that allows graduates to thrive in outdoor education and recreational settings. The program utilizes an experiential learning approach to teaching, allowing students to graduate with a solid resume of outdoor field experiences, certifications as well as other important skills such as facilitation, nature interpretation and adventure-based education strategies.

Trained outdoor leaders and facilitators offer safe, fun and educational outdoor programs and activities. These unique opportunities enable individuals or groups to stretch themselves physically, emotionally and socially in a supportive atmosphere. During this program, you will:

Improve your technical outdoor skills by participating in field courses such as, rock climbing, Nordic skiing, mountain biking, backpacking and bush craft.
Obtain certifications such as ORCKA Flat Water Canoeing Tandem and Solo, Certified Hike Leader, Wilderness First Responder, Ice Safety and Royal Lifesaving Bronze Cross.
Take courses covering diverse subjects including trip planning, risk management, trails design and construction, customer service and leadership.
Improve technical skill competencies in wilderness navigation, menu planning and cooking as well as knots, weather predicting and back country camping.
Increase your nature-based identification skills and improve your ecological and environmental awareness.

Ecological Restoration is an emerging discipline that focuses on assisting the recovery of degraded, damaged or destroyed ecosystems.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Become a leader in the Science of Hope. Make your stand in the green revolution by helping to restore our natural environment for present and future generations.

• The collaborative Ecological Restoration program developed by Trent University and Fleming College provides a bold and innovative solution to this challenge. The program:
  • Is interdisciplinary with a foundation of science-based curriculum.
  • Is broad-based so that you will develop an understanding of the big picture - and comprehend ecological principles that can be transferred to any ecosystem and adapted to any project.
  • Was designed to improve traditional college students' access to a university degree.
  • Is integrated to combine applied learning, field skills and experience with theoretical and scientific knowledge and principles from day one.
  • Provides opportunities for field camps, field courses and a capstone course.
  • Encourages and supports students who seek out internships and international opportunities.
  • Offers a unique combination of college and university cultures - the best of both worlds.

ADVANTAGES OF THE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION JOINT DIPLOMA/DEGREE
Through the collaboration between Trent and Fleming, faculty, teaching, field study courses, applied projects and resources are shared over the four years of the program.

• This integrated introduction to both academic cultures will prepare you for the transition from Fleming to Trent.
• The program is carefully designed so that you will truly understand the connections, relevance and fit between courses in the program of study.
• Both institutions are renowned for their environmental focus and commitment to providing support for students to achieve success.

You will begin this adventure by spending two years at Fleming College’s School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences in Lindsay. This School has a 40-year history of preparing graduates for employment in the environmental sector. Here, you will build on your science, math and communications skills while also practicing ecological restoration through field courses and project work. Please note, the Restoration Ecology overnight field camp takes place two weeks prior to start up of semester 3 and provides students with the opportunity to further develop hands-on skills in ecosystem restoration.

Your next two years will be at Trent University in Peterborough, home to one of the first environmental programs to be established in Canada. At Trent, you can choose to either build towards a specialization, or continue to balance theory and practice in a more broad-based degree program.

Since this is an innovative diploma/degree model that infuses elements of both the college and university experience throughout the four-year years, you will not obtain your college diploma at the completion of your two years at Fleming College. Instead, you will graduate at the end of four years with both your Ecological Restoration Technician college diploma and university degree in Ecological Restoration. (The distance between Fleming College's campus in Lindsay and Trent University in Peterborough is 45 kilometres, or about a 45-minute drive.)

The Advanced Water Systems Operation and Management program will prepare graduates to work in water treatment, water distribution, and wastewater treatment, related work in industry, as well as inspection or enforcement.

Program Highlights
The operation and management of water and wastewater treatment systems to safeguard against water-borne diseases, and ensure a healthy environment in an efficient and sustainable manner are paramount in both public and private sector industries. The provision of potable water and the effective treatment of the municipal and industrial wastewater streams are growing fields in the environmental sector. The Ontario government has passed into law rigorous training requirements for water and wastewater treatment operators, in response to recommendations made in the Walkerton Commission of Inquiry reports. Under the Safe Water Drinking Act, operators require training and certification to run these systems safely. This one-year Graduate Certificate program in Advanced Water Systems Operations and Management will provide you with:

• The opportunity to do real, hands-on manipulation of equipment and data collection, learning about water systems operation in our labs and wet-work facilities.
• Faculty expertise to guide you in understanding government regulations on the treatment of water and wastewater in this highly regulated and changing industry.
• The knowledge needed to pass the Ministry of Environment Licensing and Certification exams for Water and Wastewater Operators.
• Project management skills, essential to your success in this field.
• Critical thinking and troubleshooting skills required to respond to emergency or non-routine situations as an operator or supervisor in this challenging field.
• Health and Safety knowledge and awareness training to assist graduates in a safe working career and progression into management roles.
• The knowledge and practical expertise to assist and lead organizations and government agencies in the provision of drinking water and the treatment of wastewater.

Conservation and Environmental Law Enforcement is a career that appeals to people who enjoy outdoor pursuits, and who have a balanced approach to consumption and conservation.

In this program, our mandate is to prepare field ready, entry-level conservation and environmental law enforcement officers. You can really make a difference. This is a challenging program with a heavy workload that is intended for serious students entering a competitive field.

Conservation and Environmental Law Enforcement is about regulating the use of natural resources, and accountability for activities that have an adverse effect on the environment. Examples of regulated activities include fishing, hunting, logging, aggregate extraction, alteration of fish habitat, the use of public land, and the discharge of pollutants.

This one-year, two-semester post-graduate program will prepare you for a variety of positions in the field, with a well-rounded selection of courses offering a good blend of practice and theory. You will be trained in such areas of study as procedural law, fish and wildlife enforcement, lands and environmental law, investigation techniques, forensics, and conflict management and avoidance. In your first semester, your learning will be enhanced through a fall camp, situated in a wilderness setting.

Prepare to become a compliance specialist in worker health and safety, as well as environmental protection. Employment opportunities exist in both the public and private sectors.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
The new Health, Safety and Environmental Compliance program focuses on workplace compliance, including labour, inspection and auditing, public and worker safety, and environmental protection. The program provides a unique, comprehensive combination of training in all aspects of health and safety as well as environmental compliance - a definite hiring asset.

• Acquire knowledge, expertise and professional skills in inspection and investigation relating to occupational health and safety legislation and environmental law
• Develop the ability to plan and implement training to create a safe work environment
• Learn the legal aspects and procedures of inspection, monitoring, investigation and enforcement across a wide range of industries
• Put your new skills into practice through applied learning
• Graduate job-ready

In Ontario, the Ministry of Labour sets, communicates and enforces workplace standards regarding worker protection. Additionally, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change protects and improves the quality of the environment to keep it healthy and protect human health and safety. Private industry and municipal governments also employ compliance specialists.
Graduates will be prepared to find employment in a wide range of jobs, within provincial and federal enforcement, or the private sector, ensuring that legislative obligations in occupational safety and environmental protection are met.

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Upon successful completion of this certificate, graduates will be able to:
  • Plan and perform workplace inspections and audits for compliance with occupational health and safety and environmental legislation.
  • Develop and evaluate health and safety programs for a variety of industries to promote the health and safety of workers.
  • Facilitate legal compliance, reduce accidents and train and lead others in creating a safe work environment through the application of health, safety, and environmental policies and practices.
  • Conduct investigations of workplace injuries, fatalities, work refusals, occupational illness or complaints related to unsafe work conditions and hazards.
  • Develop and propose recommendations to address audit findings and verify compliance.
  • Prepare investigative briefs and other documents for the prosecution of infractions of occupational safety and environmental legislation.
  • Inspect facilities for possible contraventions of health, safety and environmental legislation and prepare control documents to resolve identified issues.
  • Investigate environmental incidents, spills or complaints and determine remediation for health and safety of the surrounding environment and persons.
  • Manage and/or defuse potentially difficult situations by applying conflict management skills and strategies.

Optional Co-op
Students entering the program in September may apply to participate in an optional paid co-op. The deadline to apply is at the end of November, where students must submit an Application Form (including a resume) to the Co-op Office. Students must achieve a 70% (2.5 GPA) average, and pass all courses in Semester 1 in order to be enrolled in the Co-op Option. All students in the program participate in a Career Preparation course. Students who are accepted into the Co-op Option must complete 450 hours of co-op, following semester 2. Generally this takes place between May and August, but start dates and total number of weeks may vary according to the employer. The Co-op Option provides the opportunity to:

• Integrate classroom learning with work-based learning
• Explore the variety of careers available in the field
• Network for future job opportunities

The Co-op Option is not available for students who begin the program in January, as they attend classes over the summer.

The two-semester Blasting Techniques Ontario College Certificate is the only program of its kind in Canada. This is a highly practical, hands-on program, in a rapidly growing industry.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Fascinated by the explosives industry? Do you like to work outdoors, and in challenging environments? If so, you may be interested in exploring a career as a blaster. With our well-developed connections with industry and our specialized resources and drilling compound, students get the hands-on training necessary for their career in blasting.

• Blasters fill blast holes with explosives and detonate them to dislodge coal, ore, rock, or aggregate, or to demolish structures.
• Blasters are employed by construction, mining, and drilling and blasting companies, as well as in the special effects industry.
• You will focus on three types of explosive cuts, and incorporate a wide range of skills in science, mathematics, and communications.
• Courses include explosives, blasthole drilling, blasting theory, blast design, geology, safety and accident prevention, and environmental issues.

You will spend much of your time in labs, field classes and field assignments, and refining your skills in our state-of-the-art drilling and blasting training centre.

WHY CHOOSE FLEMING

• Fleming's Blasting Techniques certificate has several advantages upon completion:
• You will have common core training as a Surface Miner as required by the Ministry of Labour to enter most blasting sites.
• Upon graduation, you will have the option of certifying with the International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) in Quarrying, Basic Construction Blasting, and the Fundamentals of Blasting (Level One).
• Another option upon graduation is to expand your career and job opportunities by continuing at Fleming College in the Resources Drilling Technician diploma program, with direct entry into the program's second semester (subject to availability).

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 the Urban Forestry Certificate.

Program Highlights
Trees clean the air and provide much needed "green" relief from the concrete jungle.
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 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 plus 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.