Course Listing

Courses

BASIS Registration Ltd offer a wide range of training courses of relevance to the agricultural, amenity, fertiliser and environmental industries.

Soil & Water Management Certificate

Duration

For further information on duration please see the Training Syllabus and contact your Trainer.

Other Relevant Courses

BASIS Diploma in Agronomy
Plant Protection Award
BETA/Conservation Management
Crop Protection Certificate
Advanced Module / Advanced Nutrition Management Planning Module

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View course syllabus

This course focuses on the management of soil and water, two essential components for advisers in modern agriculture. The management of these two vital resources is at the centre of farming activity. Both elements are under pressure from modern living and current farming practice.

The development of roads, houses and other buildings has encroached on the countryside putting pressure on water / drainage management to reduce flooding risk. The creation of larger fields over the last 50 years has also changed drainage patterns and in some cases filling in ditches and hedge removal have taken away natural borders to areas previously contoured to minimize erosion or recognise soil type changes. All these issues make the careful and considered use of the two vital resources of soil and water, a most important element of on-farm agronomy advice.

As the agricultural industry moves to a more environmentally conscious approach, the focus of advice is changing and the “food at all costs” type of management will not be, in the current way of thinking, the way for the future.

Who is this course for?

To formally position the wide range of knowledge needed by modern agronomists, BASIS has structured the attainment of the BASIS Diploma in Agronomy, with key components already in every-day use as qualification modules, leading to the BASIS Diploma in Agronomy. The Soil and Water Management Certificate is now positioned alongside two new modules (BETA and Plant Protection Award) as part of the new BASIS Diploma in Agronomy.

The primary content of the Soil & Water Management Certificate is concentrated on: soil and air protection; cultivation techniques and systems; erosion risks; soil water, drainage and irrigation; plant nutrient and fertiliser planning; the use of bulky organic materials to enhance crop growth and their effects on diffuse pollution.

Course contents

Soil and Air Protection
Cultivation techniques and systems
Soil water, drainage and irrigation
Plant nutrients and fertiliser planning
The use of bulky organic materials to enhance crop growth and their effects on diffuse pollution

Entry Requirements

The FACTS qualification is a requirement for successful completion of the BASIS Diploma and strongly recommended for those wishing to train for the Soil and Water Management certificate

Course Quick Link
http://www.basis-reg.co.uk/Exams-and-Courses/Course-Listing/CourseAreaID/9a6d4a01-9a27-4969-bbb2-0ed85c5cdc73/CourseID/1ccdafae-291c-446c-81b6-15e64d426bde

BASIS Quality of Soils – Level 6

Duration

Building on the success of existing BASIS modules, the ‘Quality of soils’ module aims to give farmers, growers and advisers further insight into how to make farming and production systems more resilient through an increased understanding of how soil functions as an ‘ecosystem’. One which can function optimally to produce food, fibre and biofuels.

This course will enable farmers, growers and advisers to understand the relationship between the physical structure, biology and the chemical processes that contribute to a healthy soil. It will demonstrate the interrelationships between these aspects of soil and how it is a dynamic and subtly changing ecosystem which can be influenced, both positively and negatively, by farming practices.

Indeed, land managers who focus more on soil structure, monitoring, maintaining and enhancing organic matter, integrating cover crops and green manures, using compost and farmyard manure and altering grazing strategies (for example) are recognising that the benefits can be seen fairly rapidly

Course contents

Introduction to soil
The Physical, mechanical and morphological properties of soil. Water and air in soil
Chemical properties of soil
Soil organic matter. Carbon cycle
Soil microbiota. Rhizosphere. Nitrogen and phosphorus cycles
Soil mesobiota and macrobiota
Soil, a non-renewable resource. Major threats to soil in the UK. Soil Health remediation practices. Soil testing methods

Course Quick Link
http://www.basis-reg.co.uk/Exams-and-Courses/Course-Listing/CourseAreaID/9a6d4a01-9a27-4969-bbb2-0ed85c5cdc73/CourseID/e0e060ae-d97c-49f9-b50c-32a111006364

BETA Conservation Management

Duration

That will depend on the trainer / training provider, the chosen course and on the candidate’s previous experience to date. Courses can run for a minimum of 4 days.

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View course syllabus

Currently the majority of the environmental advice of farm is provided by BASIS qualified agronomists that successfully passed their training and examination of the following modules “BASIS BETA - Biodiversity and Environmental Training for Advisers” and “BASIS Conservation Management”.

Due to the fact that there is substantial crossover between the 2 modules it was decided to merge them and create a new course that will deliver a complete and up to date content on Conservation and Environmental issues across the UK and across sectors (Farming environment and Natural environment). In order to meet the requirement of both sectors, the training was structured in 3 units: a core module that will cover all the general aspects related to the subject and 2 skill areas one with Agronomic Specialism for on-farm advisors and one with an Environmental Specialism designed for non-farmed area.

This descriptor is for the core module that is designed to deliver all necessary knowledge and information for farm advisors and environmental advisors in the UK. This module can be followed either by one of the specific skill modules Agronomic Specialism for farm advisors and Environmental Specialism for natural environment experts, or both.

Course contents

BETA Conservation Management Core

Conservation and improvement of the environment and biodiversity on farms coupled with sustainable farming practices are key goals of the UK farming sector.

Legislation related to sustainable ways of farming, integrated farm management, environmental protection and conservation issues on farms and guidance literature developed to help farmers to meet the statutory requirements produced an enormous volume of reading. Many farmers are finding it difficult to comprehend the scale of what is required and the depth of knowledge needed to achieve the rewards for the Environmental Stewardship Schemes. Most farmers are excellent production managers but their expected role is now demanding a change of emphasis to build up the countryside management element of their job.

BETA Conservation Management – Agricultural Specialism

BASIS BETA Conservation Management – Agricultural Specialism is a module that is designed to reinforce the aspects related to Integrated Farm Management and builds on the study completed in the Core module. This specialism is designed and aimed at professions involved in providing environmental advice on farms and the farmed environment.

BETA Conservation Management – Environmental Specialism

BASIS BETA Conservation Management – Environmental Specialism is a module that is designed to reinforce aspects related to Conservation Management of natural environment and builds on the study completed in the Core module. This specialism is designed and aimed at professionals involved in environmental advice in a farming and non-farming context, e.g. Natural England, Water companies, etc.

Course Quick Link
http://www.basis-reg.co.uk/Exams-and-Courses/Course-Listing/CourseAreaID/9a6d4a01-9a27-4969-bbb2-0ed85c5cdc73/CourseID/d92cbfa6-ed33-4743-aa07-a9401e7e4e31

BASIS Registration Ltd

St Monica's House, 39 Windmill Lane,
Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 1EY
T: 01335 343945
F: 01335 301205
E: help@basis-reg.co.uk

BASIS is a registered charity (No. 1077006) and a
company limited by guarantee registered in England (No. 1365343)

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