Arborist / Utility Arborist Pre-Apprenticeship

The Training Centre will be offering our first Arborist / Utility Arborist Pre-Apprenticeship Program in January 2013.  This program will run in partnership with Fleming College and the Learning Centre for Georgina.  There is no cost to participate in this program due to the funding received from the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities.  Please call for an interview.

The changes in our climate, shipping and receiving of international goods, and personal traveling have resulted in new challenges for Canada including the York Region area.  Some of those challenges have included the Long Horn Asian Beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer.  As a result, our forests have been profoundly affected by their presence.

The Emerald Ash Borer was discovered in 2008 in the York Region area, and the Long Horn Asian Beetle was discovered in 2003.  Both newcomers to our region have become a threat to healthy adult trees.  The Emerald Ash Borer alone has killed tens of millions of Ash trees in Canada.  The Long Horn Asian beetle has affected many different species of trees including maple, elm, ash, poplar, alder, arbutus, and willow trees.

The Long Horn Asian Beetle is native to Japan, Korea, and southern China and is believed to have landed in North America in untreated wood packing materials.  This insect feeds on the leaves and bark of trees which causes considerable damage.  They are capable of laying over 80 eggs under the bark of a tree.  Once the tree has been infected it can then be vulnerable to secondary diseases from other insects.

The Emerald Ash Borer is native to Asia and is believed to have made its way to North America the same way the Long Horn Asian Beetle did.  This insect attacks the healthy ash trees and is difficult to detect in the early stages of the tree infestation.  Eggs are laid in bark crevices and take 20 days to hatch.  Once the eggs hatch the larvae will tunnel beneath the bark cutting off the transportation of nutrients and water that the tree needs to stay alive and healthy.

The Regional Municipality of York has implemented control tactics and techniques in order to protect our local forests and prevent further spread.  Our mild winters, however have made controlling these critters even more difficult.  With Global Warming and the mild winter temperatures these visitors are increasing more rapidly instead of being killed off from a harsh cold winter.

With the continued efforts to control the infestation there has been more of a demand, and job opportunities for Arborists and Utility Arborists.  Arborists are able to diagnose and detect infestations in trees and forests, as well as, remove infested trees.  These are vital components to controlling the infestation by these immigrated insects.