Demonstrating safe technique on a real tree is an essential part of completing training in manual tree felling. However, sourcing appropriate trees can be challenging for most registered training organisations (RTOs), creating a barrier to training skills that are crucial across a wide range of industries, including development, construction, landscaping, parks and gardens and forestry.
Skills Insight and ForestWorks are undertaking this project to develop a mechanism for sourcing trees for delivery of the tree felling units. In consultation with stakeholders, we will investigate ways to establish partnerships between RTOs and organisations that can facilitate access to trees, such as forestry companies, councils, landowners, national parks services and other relevant stakeholders.
Our team will consult to understand existing partnerships, practices and regulations relating to tree allocation, as well as the challenges associated with each. From here, we will develop protocols and guidelines to support partnerships for identifying, allocating, and managing trees for training purposes, which will be tested with a small selection of RTOs and stakeholders. Implementation support materials and a virtual workshop will be developed to help roll out the protocol to a broader cohort of stakeholders. Our team will follow up with participants to assess the effectiveness of the protocol and produce a report outlining these findings.
The project aims to support continued delivery of the tree felling units, so that all workers are equipped with the skills to safely fell trees using a chainsaw.
Opportunities to contribute will be available throughout the project via this website.
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Timeline
Project team
Belinda Tierney
General Manager
ForestWorks
[email protected]
Tim Cleary
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
ForestWorks
[email protected]
Rob Stowell
Project Consultant
[email protected]
Project background
This project follows the 2023-24 Tree Felling Project which updated the units for basic, intermediate and advanced tree felling skills. A key finding of the project was the need for additional support to help RTOs access trees for training and assessment. Another project is also underway to investigate potential pathways into tree felling units to ensure learners have the appropriate skills prior to enrolment. See the Pathway to Tree Felling Skills Project for more information.
This project aims to address challenges in sourcing trees for training and assessment of the basic, intermediate and advanced tree felling units.
A Project Working Group has been formed with representatives from various stakeholder groups to provide guidance on the proposed Tree Allocation Partnerships Protocol. This protocol is designed to establish a broad framework that enables registered training organisations (RTOs) to collaborate with tree/land owners including forestry companies, plantation managers, government departments, and other relevant stakeholders in sourcing trees for training and assessment purposes.
The Project Working Group met three times during May 2025 and has developed an initial draft of the Protocol. Amongst other things, the Protocol will outline the roles and responsibilities of tree and landowners, as well as RTOs, in accessing trees for training and assessment purposes. The project team is currently investigating several issues that have arisen during the development of the draft, including matters related to insurance, the management of the Protocol, and the final wording of the document. Following investigation of the issues, a working draft of the Protocol will be reviewed by the Project Working Group before pilot testing can commence.
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If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘forestry and timber’ as one of your industries of interest.
Project background
This project follows the 2023-24 Tree Felling Project which updated the units for basic, intermediate and advanced tree felling skills. A key finding of the project was the need for additional support to help RTOs access trees for training and assessment. Another project is also underway to investigate potential pathways into tree felling units to ensure learners have the appropriate skills prior to enrolment. See the Pathway to Tree Felling Skills Project for more information.
Pilot phase
A suite of resource materials were developed to help registered training organisations (RTOs) work with tree and landowners/managers to enable access to trees for training and assessment activities.
To test the draft materials in real-world settings, expressions of interest were invited from organisations interested in participating in a pilot program.
Three pilot sites were selected:
- Yea, Victoria
- Mount Gambier, South Australia
- Brisbane, Queensland.
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If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘forestry and timber’ as one of your industries of interest.
At each site, an RTO partnered with a tree or landowner/manager to trial the Protocol and agreement. The pilots were conducted between November and December 2025.
Pilot participants included:
- public and private RTOs
- a small landowner
- a government agency
- a community recreation and sports organisation
- a commercial forestry company.
The pilot phase tested how the resources – including a Protocol – could support practical partnerships between RTOs and tree or landowners. It also assessed the usefulness of the supporting materials and identified areas for improvement.
Implementation support
Following the pilot phase, three implementation support sessions were delivered to help RTO staff apply the draft Tree Allocation Partnerships Protocol and supporting template agreement in practice.
The sessions:
- explained the purpose and structure of the Protocol and Tree Access Agreement
- clarified the roles and responsibilities of RTOs, industry stakeholders, and tree or landowners/managers
- explored practical considerations such as site inspections, safety, insurance, cultural heritage and environmental factors
- demonstrated how to use the supporting toolbox resources, templates and checklists
- shared lessons and insights from the 2025 pilot phase
- outlined next steps for implementation and ongoing support.
This project piloted a solution to address one of the most significant barriers to manual tree-felling training: access to suitable trees for delivery of tree felling units of competency. Without access to trees, registered training organisations (RTOs) face challenges delivering practical training and assessment. This affects learner access, training consistency and workforce capability.
To address these challenges, the project developed a structured Tree Access Package, comprising a protocol, agreement and practical toolbox. The package provides a framework to support safe, consistent and scalable partnerships between RTOs and landowners/managers. These resources support a more coordinated approach to sourcing trees for training and assessment, providing greater certainty for stakeholders and improving access to practical training opportunities.
Resources available
Download the Tree Access Package and supporting toolbox.
The protocol was developed in close partnership with RTOs, tree/landowners and managers, and other stakeholders, supported by legal advice from Minter Ellison. A Project Working Group representing arboriculture, forestry, emergency services and land management approved the protocol for testing. Pilot testing and implementation support activities helped refine the approach and ensure the final resources are practical, adaptable and informed by real-world experience.
Thank you to everyone who contributed feedback throughout the project, including during the pilot and implementation support phases.
The final report presents a nationally relevant response to a long-standing challenge.
This Skills Insight JSC project is being managed with the support of ForestWorks as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. ForestWorks has an enduring and strong connection working with the forestry, timber, paper, fibre and furnishing industries and have been engaged by Skills Insight to deliver this project in partnership.