Your first step to becoming a Chartered Forester or Chartered Arboriculturist is choosing your career path. The forestry sector offers a diverse range of roles, from forest pathologist, forest ranger or forest manager to arboriculturist, urban forester or biodiversity officer. Here you’ll find a range of resources to take your first step in choosing a forestry or arboricultural career, including ICF-accredited courses and links to case studies.
Forestry and Arboriculture Courses
ICF-accredited forestry and arboricultural courses have a given number points awarded for the level of qualification. These points may be used as part of the chartership process, along with work experience.
If you possess a qualification that is no longer taught or isn’t currently accredited, please contact the Institute. The Institute maintains an archive database of historic qualifications, which can be used to determine qualifying points awarded.
ICF-Accredited Courses
| Institution | Course | ICF Points |
| University of Aberdeen | MSc Environmental and Forest Management | 6 |
| Bangor University School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography |
BSc (Hons) Forestry BSc (Hons) Conservation with Forestry BSc Forestry and Environmental Management MFor Forestry MSc Agroforestry MSc Environmental Forestry MSc Forestry (distance learning) MSc Tropical Forestry (distance learning) |
8 6 7 8 5 6 5/6 6 |
| Harper Adams University |
MSc Forestry Management MSc Conservation and Forest Protection BSc (Hons) Countryside Management BSc (Hons) Countryside and Environment Management |
6 6 5 5 |
| Plumpton College University of Brighton |
FdSc Arboriculure FdSc Forestry & Woodland Management |
5 5 |
| Pershore College Warwickshire College |
FdSc Arboriculture BSc (Hons) Arboriculture and Tree Management |
5 8 |
| National School of Forestry University of Cumbria |
BSc (Hons) in Forest Management BSc (Hons) in Woodland Ecology and Conservation FdSc Forestry |
8 6 5 |
| Myerscough College University of Central Lancashire |
MSc Arboriculture & Urban Forestry BSc (Hons) Arboriculture & Urban Forestry FdSc Arboriculture |
6 8 5 |
| Scottish School of Forestry Inverness College UHI |
BSc (Ord) Sustainable Forest Management (with Forest Conservation) BSc (Ord) Sustainable Forest Management (with Arboriculture & Urban Forestry) HND Arboriculture & Urban Forestry HND Forestry |
7
7 5 |
The following HEIs have courses accredited by ICF, which are not currently running:
| Moulton College University of Northampton |
FdSc Arboriculture | 5 |
| Sparsholt College University of Portsmouth |
BSc (Hons) Woodland Conservation Management FdSc Woodland Conservation Management |
6 5 |
Forestry Careers Advice
Looking for more information on arboricultural or forestry careers? Here’s a list of organisations providing useful resources: