HomeCoursesEnvironmental scienceCertificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management
Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management
You learn to read a site before you change it: checking what plants, animals, waterways and cultural heritage are there, then carrying out work that restores, rehabilitates or manages the land.
- Duration: 8 months to 2 years
- Study mode: Online, on campus and workplace based
- Course code: AHC31424
Where you can study this course
- Campuses
- 13 campuses
- Duration
- 8 months to 2 years
- Study mode
- Varies by campus
- Full fee
- $12,730
- Eligible students: subsidised from $2,190, concession $240
What students say
Many students speak well of the facilities and campus, and some rate the trainers and teaching highly, though opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching and student support, and some found the organisation and admin frustrating.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Charles Darwin University
- Campuses
- 12 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Students often praise the facilities and campus, while some value student support and course content. Some found organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on trainers and teaching, with communication also a concern.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
TAFE Gippsland
- Campuses
- 11 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
- Visit course page → (opens in a new tab)
TAFE Queensland
- Campuses
- 7 campuses
- Duration
- Not stated by provider
- Study mode
- On campus
- Full fee
- $6,420
- Eligible students: subsidised from $3,170, concession $2,465
What students say
Many students rate the facilities and campus highly. Some found course content and organisation and admin frustrating, while opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching.
- Campuses
- 26 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Students rate the trainers, teaching, facilities and campus highly, though some found the organisation, admin and communication frustrating; opinions are mixed on facilities and campus.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Holmesglen Institute
- Campuses
- 14 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Students have mixed views on the trainers and teaching, and many also mention problems with communication and with organisation and admin.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Central Queensland University
- Campuses
- 18 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
A number of students praise the student support and campus facilities, while many found the organisation and admin frustrating and some had trouble with the enrolment process. Opinions are mixed on student support.
- Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
Axiom College
- Campuses
- 4 campuses
- Duration
- Not yet checked
- Study mode
- Not yet checked
- Full fee
- Not yet checked
What students say
Most students rate the trainers and teaching highly, and many value the student support. A number of students found communication frustrating.
Last reviewed 20 September 2026.
Is this course right for you?
Entry requirements
There are no entry requirements for this qualification.
- Providers can set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or a current job in the industry, and practical training may need a workplace placement. Check each provider above.
Entry recommendations
To be prepared for this course, it helps to have:
- an interest in working outdoors on country
- a willingness to follow safety procedures on site
- an eye for detail when recording what you find
- an interest in caring for plants, animals and waterways
What will you learn?
Training covers safety on site alongside practical conservation tasks, and providers usually let you focus on one area such as Indigenous land management, ecological restoration, parks and wildlife, pest control, marine work, fire or mined land rehabilitation. It suits people who want to work outdoors on country, in reserves or on degraded sites, often as part of a team with rangers, land councils, councils or environmental contractors. The core of the job is a mix of hands on field work and recording what you find so the next person can act on it.
- Site inspections before works
- Ecological and cultural values
- Working safely on site
- Restoring degraded land
- Habitat and wildlife management
- Weeds, pests and rehabilitation
Units of competency (2 core, 14 elective)
The qualification is made up of 16 units. Everyone completes the 2 core units below, and the remaining 14 are electives chosen from the list on training.gov.au, so they vary by provider. Select a unit to see what it covers.
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Where this fits
Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management in environmental science: the study that leads into it, the study that follows, and other routes at the same level.
Before
No earlier step listed.
You are looking at
Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management
Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).