Relevant Organisations, Qualification and Training on Tree Management
Local Training Opportunities

At present, local training on arboriculture at degree, professional diploma and certificate levels are offered by various institutions in Hong Kong. Some examples of local courses in arboriculture, tree management, tree risk assessment, landscape management or equivalent, up to or above the standard of Level 3 in the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework or courses in tree climbing and chainsaw operation up to or above the standard of Level 2 in the HKQF, are given below for reference. The courses listed below are currently accepted by the Registration Scheme on Tree Management Personnel (RSTMP) as academic/training qualification under respective personnel type, and/or met the minimum requirements in the academic qualification for Inspection Officer in the Guidelines for Tree Risk Assessment and Management Arrangement (for courses related to arboriculture, tree management, tree risk assessment, landscape management or equivalent, and up to or above QF3).
Local courses in arboriculture, tree management, tree risk assessment, landscape management
Institution / Association / Organisation | 機構/協會/組織 | Course | 課程 | QF Level 資歷架構級別 |
---|---|---|---|---|
City University of Hong Kong | 香港城市大學 | Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Biology | 5 | |
Employees Retraining Board (ERB) | 僱員再培訓局 | Certificate in Tree Preservation and Risk Assessment | 樹木保育及危機評估證書 | 3 |
Certificate in Basic Arboriculture | 基本樹藝學 | 3 | ||
HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE) | 香港大學專業進修學院 | Advanced Diploma in Tree Management and Conservation | 樹木管理及保育高等文憑 | 4 |
Professional Diploma in Urban Forestry | 城市林務專業文憑 | 4 | ||
Hong Kong Baptist University | 香港浸會大學 | Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology | 應用生物學理學士 (榮譽) | 5 |
Bachelor of Science in Applied Science (Biology and Chemistry) | 5 | |||
Hong Kong Baptist University, School of Continuing Education | 香港浸會大學持續教育學院 | Professional Diploma in Tree Management | 樹木管理專業文憑 | 5 |
Hong Kong Design Institute, Vocational Training Council (VTC) | 職業訓練局香港知專設計學院 | Higher Diploma in Landscape Architecture | 園境建築高級文憑 | 4 |
Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, Vocational Training Council (VTC) | 職業訓練局香港專業教育學院 | Professional Diploma in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry | 樹藝及城市林務專業文憑 | 4 |
Higher Diploma in Conservation and Tree Management | 保育及樹木管理高級文憑 | 4 | ||
Certificate in Tree Risk Assessment | 樹木風險評估證書 | 3 | ||
Hong Kong Metropolitan University | 香港都會大學 | Bachelor of Science in Applied Science (Biology and Chemistry) | 5 | |
Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong Metropolitan University | 香港都會大學李嘉誠專業進修學院 | Certificate in Professional Tree Management | 專業樹木管理證書 | 3 |
School of Continuing and Professional Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUSCS) | 香港中文大學專業進修學院 | Certificate Programme in Horticulture Management | 園藝管理證書課程 | 3 |
Diploma Programme in Arboriculture | 樹藝文憑課程 | 3 | ||
Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) | 香港高等教育科技學院 | Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Horticulture, Arboriculture and Landscape Management | 園藝樹藝及園境管理 (榮譽) 理學士 | 5 |
Professional Diploma in Horticulture, Arboriculture and Landscape Management | 園藝樹藝及園境管理專業文憑 | 4 | ||
The Chinese University of Hong Kong | 香港中文大學 | Bachelor of Science in Biology | 5 | |
The College of International Education (CIE) of Hong Kong Baptist University | 香港浸會大學國際學院 | Associate of Science (Tree Management) | 理學副學士(樹木管理) | 4 |
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University | 香港理工大學 | Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Biology with Biotechnology | 應用生物兼生物科技(榮譽)理學士 | 5 |
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | 香港科技大學 | Bachelor of Science in Biology | 5 | |
The University of Hong Kong | 香港大學 | Master of Landscape Architecture | 園境碩士 | 6 |
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Life Science | 5 |
Local courses in tree works and tree works supervision
Institution / Association / Organisation | 機構/協會/組織 | Course | 課程 | QF Level 資歷架構級別 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, Vocational Training Council (VTC) | 職業訓練局香港專業教育學院 | Certificate in Tree Work Supervision | 樹木工作監督證書 | 3 |
Certificate in Tree Climbing | 樹木攀爬證書 | 3 | ||
Certificate in Chainsaw Operation | 鏈鋸操作證書 | 2 | ||
Pro Tree Foundation Limited | 樹木拓展基金有限公司 | Certificate in Modern Tree Climbing Practice | 現代攀樹實務證書 | 3 |
Certificate in Chainsaw Safety Pruning and Maintenance | 鏈鋸安全修剪及保養證書 | 2 | ||
TCHK (Tree Climbing Hong Kong) | 香港樹木學會 | Certificate in Integrated Tree Climbing | 綜合攀樹證書 | 3 |
Certificate in Practical Tree Rigging Skill | 樹上流纜實務技巧證書 | 3 | ||
Certificate in Petrol Chainsaw Use and Maintenance and Tree Trimming | 電油鏈鋸使用及保養和樹木修剪證書 | 2 |
For courses accepted by the RSTMP but institutions no longer accept enrolment, please click here.
The information on the above is intended to be for reference and general information purposes only. It does not purport to be comprehensive. User should approach the course provider direct to acquire more accurate, up-to-date information.
Training programmes in tree risk assessment accepted by Tree Management Office as the 'Training Qualification' of Inspection Officer and the RSTMP
Institution / Association / Organisation | Training Programme |
---|---|
International Society of Arboriculture, U.S.A. | Tree Risk Assessment Qualification |
Lantra Awards, U.K. | Professional Tree Inspection |
Hong Kong Metropolitan University Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong | Certificate of Training in Professional Tree Inspection and Risk Assessment |
Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) | Tree Risk Assessment Course with Assessment |
TCHK (Tree Climbing Hong Kong) | Certificate in Professional Tree Inspection |
Websites of Related Institution / Association / Organisation
- College of International Education (CIE), Hong Kong Baptist University
https://www.cie.hkbu.edu.hk/main/en/ - Employees Retraining Board (ERB)
https://www.erb.org/ - HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE)
https://hkuspace.hku.hk/ - Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), Vocational Training Council
http://www.vtc.edu.hk/ - Institute of Arboriculture Studies (HK) (IASHK)
https://www.ias.hk/ - Integrated Vocational Development Centre (IVDC), Vocational Training Council
https://www.ivdc.edu.hk/ivdc/html/tc/index.html - Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
https://www.hkmu.edu.hk/ - Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC)
https://www.oshc.org.hk/tchi/main/ - Pro tree Development Limited
https://www.protreehk.com/ - School of Continuing and Professional Studies (CUSCS), The Chinese University of Hong Kong
https://cms.scs.cuhk.edu.hk/ - TCHK
https://treeclimbing.hk/ - Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), Vocational Training Council
https://www.thei.edu.hk/
Websites of Related Professional Organisations
- Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects : http://www.hkila.com/
- Hong Kong Institute of Horticulture Science : http://hkihs.org/
- International Society of Arboriculture - Hong Kong Chapter : https://www.isahongkong.org/
- Institute of Horticulture (Hong Kong) : http://www.ihhk.org/
Arboriculture Vocational Assessment
To enhance the professionalism and standardisation of arboricultural industry in Hong Kong, and to step up the skill level of frontline staff and provide them with professional recognition, a new requirement in pruning was introduced to government maintenance contracts to be invited from April 2015 onwards and all other works contracts to be invited from April 2016 onwards.
Under the new requirement, all workers undertaking tree pruning works involving the use of chainsaw for those contracts specified above must have passed the "Vocational Assessment in Safety Use and Maintenance of Chainsaw Operation and Basic Tree Pruning for the Arboriculture Industry" organised by the Vocational Training Council (VTC) or, possess equivalent qualification from a recognised local or overseas training institute or professional body.
Currently, equivalent qualifications being vetted locally and recognised as fulfilling the new requirement include the following:
- Modules "Operate and Maintain Chainsaw" (RTC2304A/ AHCARB205A) and "Prune trees and shrubs" (RTF2017A/ AHCARBPGD203A) of the certificate/diploma courses in Arboriculture, offered by the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT, now known as Melbourne Polytechnic);
- Qualified Chainsaw and Pruning (Ground-based) Technician (QCPT), offered by the International Society of Arboriculture, Hong Kong Chapter;
- Vocational Assessment in Chainsaw Operation, Maintenance and Tree Pruning, offered by Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong Metropolitan University (Formerly known as Chainsaw Operation and Maintenance Training, offered by Li Ka Shing Institute of Professional and Continuing Education, the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK LiPACE));
- Professional Competency Assessment of Petrol Chainsaw Use and Maintenance and Pruning, offered by TCHK;
- Safe Use and Maintenance of Chainsaw and Basic Pruning in Arboriculture, offered by Pro Tree Development Limited.
Overseas Organisations
International Society of Arboriculture
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) was founded in 1924 to promote the professional practice of arboriculture and fosters a greater worldwide awareness of the benefits of trees. ISA currently has six types of memberships in arboriculture, namely ISA Certified Arborist, ISA Certified Arborist Utility Specialist, ISA Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist, ISA Certified Tree Worker Climber Specialist, ISA Certified Tree Worker Aerial Lift Specialist and ISA Board Certified Master Arborist. For details of ISA, please visit the website at: http://www.isa-arbor.com/
Arboriculture Association, the United Kingdom
The Arboricultural Association was founded in 1964 and is the largest body in the United Kingdom (UK) for the amenity tree care professional. Ranging from student to fellow, there are six levels of membership grades, linked to the UK National Qualifications Framework levels. Currently, there are approximately 2,000 Arboricultural Association members. For details of the Arboricultural Association, please visit the website at: http://www.trees.org.uk/
European Arboricultural Council, the European Union
The European Arboricultural Council (EAC) is a forum for European arboricultural organisations with the same object of elevating the status and advancing the profession by liaising on matters ranging from research and education to successful tree establishment and improvement of working practices. EAC has two forms of membership, namely the European Tree Worker and European Tree Technician. For details of EAC, please visit the website at: http://www.eac-arboriculture.com/en/
Arboriculture Australia, Australia
The Arboriculture Australia (AA) is a not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to raising the standard of tree care and maintenance in Australia. AA currently has nine types of membership, ranging from student to Registered Practicing & Consulting Arborist. For details of AA, please visit the website at: http://arboriculture.org.au/
Disclaimer
The above list is for reference only and is not exhaustive of local and/or overseas professional institutions on tree management work. Reference can also be made to other professional qualifications offered by professional institutions through a well-established accreditation and appropriate assessment system.