Agriculture and Nature Conservation Forestry and Wood Technology

Key Elements of Commercial Forestry Training

SAQA US 123130 | NQF 1 | Credits 2 | Duration 1 Day
From $691 per delegate

Description

This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the key elements of commercial forestry, including tree biology, silviculture, harvesting, and environmental sustainability. Learners will gain foundational knowledge to support effective decision-making and operational efficiency in forestry enterprises. The course aligns with industry best practices and regulatory requirements in South Africa.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate knowledge of tree growth, physiology, and species selection for commercial forestry.
  • Explain silvicultural practices including site preparation, planting, and tending operations.
  • Describe harvesting methods, log grading, and transport logistics in commercial forestry.
  • Identify environmental sustainability principles and legal compliance requirements in forestry.
  • Apply basic forest management concepts including yield regulation and record-keeping.
  • Analyze the economic and social contributions of commercial forestry to South Africa.

Target Audience

This course is designed for new entrants to the forestry sector, forestry workers seeking formal recognition, and supervisors or managers who require foundational knowledge of commercial forestry operations.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Day 1: Key Elements of Commercial Forestry

Objectives:
• Understand the economic and environmental importance of commercial forestry in South Africa
• Identify the key components of a commercial forestry enterprise
• Describe sustainable forest management practices
• Recognize the legislative and regulatory framework governing forestry
• Outline the roles and responsibilities within a forestry operation

Topics:
• Introduction to commercial forestry: definition, scope, and economic significance
• Tree species selection and silvicultural practices
• Land preparation, planting, and establishment techniques
• Forest management: thinning, pruning, and pest control
• Harvesting methods and logistics
• Environmental management and conservation in forestry
• Legal framework: forestry laws, permits, and compliance
• Health and safety in forestry operations

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 07 Sep 2026 Mon 07 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $691 Register
Fri 02 Oct 2026 Fri 02 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $691 Register
Thu 22 Oct 2026 Thu 22 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $691 Register
Thu 10 Dec 2026 Thu 10 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $691 Register
Wed 13 Jan 2027 Wed 13 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $691 Register
Tue 16 Feb 2027 Tue 16 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $691 Register
Mon 01 Mar 2027 Mon 01 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $691 Register
Fri 12 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $691 Register
Thu 18 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $691 Register
Wed 09 Jun 2027 Wed 09 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $691 Register
Tue 29 Jun 2027 Tue 29 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $691 Register
Mon 19 Jul 2027 Mon 19 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $691 Register
Fri 10 Sep 2027 Fri 10 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $691 Register
Thu 30 Sep 2027 Thu 30 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $691 Register
Wed 20 Oct 2027 Wed 20 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $691 Register
Thu 09 Dec 2027 Thu 09 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $691 Register
Wed 29 Dec 2027 Wed 29 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $691 Register
Tue 18 Jan 2028 Tue 18 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $691 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 532 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Tue 23 Jun 2026 Tue 23 Jun 2026 Mbabane, Eswatini Winter 2026 $1,550 Register
Tue 23 Jun 2026 Tue 23 Jun 2026 Windhoek, Namibia Winter 2026 $1,712 Register
Wed 24 Jun 2026 Wed 24 Jun 2026 Mombasa, Kenya Winter 2026 $2,468 Register
Fri 26 Jun 2026 Fri 26 Jun 2026 Maseru, Lesotho Winter 2026 $1,550 Register
Mon 29 Jun 2026 Mon 29 Jun 2026 Mbabane, Eswatini Winter 2026 $1,550 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 24 Jun 2026 Wed 24 Jun 2026 Your Premises Winter 2026 $896 Register
Tue 15 Sep 2026 Tue 15 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $896 Register
Mon 05 Oct 2026 Mon 05 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $896 Register
Fri 30 Oct 2026 Fri 30 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $896 Register
Fri 18 Dec 2026 Fri 18 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $896 Register
Thu 21 Jan 2027 Thu 21 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $896 Register
Wed 24 Feb 2027 Wed 24 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $896 Register
Tue 09 Mar 2027 Tue 09 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $896 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Mon 15 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $896 Register
Fri 26 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $896 Register
Thu 17 Jun 2027 Thu 17 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $896 Register
Wed 07 Jul 2027 Wed 07 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $896 Register
Tue 27 Jul 2027 Tue 27 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $896 Register
Mon 13 Sep 2027 Mon 13 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $896 Register
Fri 08 Oct 2027 Fri 08 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $896 Register
Thu 28 Oct 2027 Thu 28 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $896 Register
Fri 17 Dec 2027 Fri 17 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $896 Register
Thu 06 Jan 2028 Thu 06 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $896 Register
Wed 26 Jan 2028 Wed 26 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $896 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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