Landscape Management AAS, Arboriculture Option

Do you love working with trees? Are you looking for a career that combines art and science, as well as balancing between physical and intellectual work? The Landscape Management, Arboriculture Option degree from Clackamas Community College is for you! The program will prepare you for positions in exciting jobs like tree climbing, pruning and plant health care management. This industry is booming and tree care companies are hungry for skilled employees.

For horticulture advising, please Contact April Chastain at 503-594-3292 or april.chastain@clackamas.edu

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Landscape Management, Arboriculture Option AAS

Skills

Job Outlook

Related Organizations

Description and Outcomes

PROGRAM CODE: AAS.LANDMGMTARBOR

This degree prepares students for a career in arboriculture and urban forestry, providing the necessary knowledge base to pass the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist exam. Courses within this program are useful for both beginning students and working arborists trying to expand the breadth and depth of their knowledge. It provides a learning environment free of the demands of production arboriculture to practice techniques used in climbing, rigging, and operations management. We focus on safety, efficiency, and the reasoning behind industry standard planting, pruning, communication, tree health, and risk assessment. Students use common tree care equipment to manage CCC’s arboretum and campus trees, gaining practical experience to enhance their knowledge.

Students are encouraged to start as a cohort in fall, as several classes in this program have pre- or co-requisites. Following the course offerings in the order listed allows for completion in a 2-year period, but isn’t required. Part-time students should check with the Horticulture advisor to determine an appropriate schedule. Working arborists are encouraged to attend and can have the prerequisites waived for higher-level classes, with enough on-the-job experience.

RELATED INSTRUCTION OUTCOMES

Computation (1 course- MTH-050 Technical Mathematics I or MTH-065 Algebra II or higher)

Use appropriate mathematics to solve problems.

Communication (1 course- WR-101 Workplace Writing or WR-121Z Composition I)

Read actively, think critically, and write purposefully and capably for professional audiences.

Human Relations (1 course- BA-285 Human Relations in Business or COMM-100Z Introduction to Communication)

Engage in ethical communication processes that accomplish goals.

Physical Education/Health/Safety/First Aid (1 course- HE-252 First Aid/CPR/AED)

Use effective life skills to improve and maintain mental and physical wellbeing.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:

demonstrate competency with the use of standard arboriculture equipment, including: climbing gear, chainsaw, chipper, hydraulic sprayer, truck and trailer;
identify common woody and herbaceous plants in the landscape;
recognize and identify key biotic and abiotic disorders in trees;
perform site assessments, including: plant health inspections of key plants, hazard tree identification, and water audit interpretations;
effectively communicate with co-workers and customers through speaking, report writing and computer technology.

OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY TRANSFER AGREEMENT

Some horticulture classes transfer to Oregon State University as part of a bachelor’s degree. Arboriculture students planning to continue their studies at a four-year college should consult the Horticulture advisor to obtain the most recent transfer information.