Gardeners are in charge of organising, managing execution and supervising gardening works in large landscaped urban spaces and forests (hydrological-forest corrections), linear infrastructure margins (road restoration and slopes in general), plant nurseries, gardening at a smaller scale (both public and private) and trees on streets.

They have to schedule and organise human and material resources for executing the jobs required to attain the objectives of the gardening, reforestation or environmental restoration projects, aiming to use native species that are adapted to the different environments and microclimates and minimising resource consumption, particularly of water, fertilisers and chemical pesticides.

In case these professionals specialise in ecological gardening, they must fulfil several basic criteria: use indigenous plants that are better adapted to the site's conditions; employ a diversity of plants and respect natural associations; cover all of the ground; do not use chemical fertilisers and let leaves that fall rot to be employed as natural fertilisers; do not use chemical weed killers or fungicides; save water through the selection of species for the space; reduce maintenance and machinery, also attained by using native plants; take advantage of solar energy, etc.

• Correctly interpret projects for installing gardens or recovering a degraded area, defining procedures according to established budgets.
• Organise reforestation and garden design and restoration programmes.
• Control and organise the execution tasks for gardening, reforestation or environmental restoration projects, defining and applying the most appropriate procedures and techniques in accordance with quality criteria and current legislation.
• Perform the tasks required to plant trees, bushes and flowers, as well as maintenance tasks. Select ornamental indigenous plant species.
• Perform tasks for producing plant fertiliser and apply the correct doses in nurseries and gardens. Install watering systems.
• Organise the conservation, maintenance and restoration services for infrastructures, equipment and furniture, if necessary, associated with the landscaped or restored area.
• Supervise nursery reproduction, propagation and plant production tasks.
• Prepare budgets.
  

Regulated training and graduates

• Certificat de Professionalitat de la Família Agrària: Activitats auxiliars en vivers, jardins i centres de jardineria (Nivell 1)
• Certificat de Professionalitat de la Família Agrària: Instal·lació i manteniment de jardins i zones verdes (Nivell 2)
• Certificat de Professionalitat de la Família Agrària: Horticultura i floricultura (Nivell 2)
• Certificat de Professionalitat de la Família Agrària: Gestió d'aprofitaments forestals (Nivell 3)
• Certificat de Professionalitat de la Família Agrària: Gestió de repoblacions i de tractaments silvícoles (Nivell 3)
• Certificat de Professionalitat de la Família Agrària: Jardineria i restauració del paisatge (Nivell 3)
• Certificat de Professionalitat de la Família Agrària: Gestió i manteniment d'arbres i palmeres ornamentals (Nivell 3)
• Professional Training Course(s) in the field of Agricultural Activities - Intermediate Level: Gardening and florist
• Professional Training Course(s) in the field of Agricultural Activities - Intermediate Level: Use and environmental conservation
• Professional Training Course(s) in the field of Agricultural Activities - Advanced Level: Landscaping and rural environment

Other specific skills

Initiative: Level 2

Orientation within reach: Level 2

Customer orientation: Level 1

Analytical thought: Level 2

Planning and organisation: Level 3

Concern for order and quality: Level 2

Mechanical handling

People related to the field of mechanical handling are interested in the assembly, maintenance, repair and use of machines, tools and installations. Some good examples of professional activities in the field of mechanical handling are adjusting and configuring machines, reviewing technical equipment to detect incidents in their operation, handling machinery in production processes and driving specialised vehicles.

Environment

People who work in this field focus their professional interests on the preservation, improvement or restoration of the environment (vegetation, fauna, flora) in both built-up areas and natural spaces. Some of the activities that represent this field are the detection, analysis and control of pollutants, the carrying out of measurements and tests in relation to climatic or environmental variables and the reduction of the harmful effects of human activity on the environment. The carrying out of these activities requires knowledge of the environment, for its planning and use, and of environmental regulations.

Senior gardener and landscapist

Facilities Maintenance Technician

Satellite assembly technician

Landscaper

Private network operator

• Work hours

  Usually full-time job, with special hours in critical phases of programmes, projects and works.
  

• Salary

  The salary ranges from 15,615 to 21,346 euros gross per year. The average salary is around 18,257 euros gross per year.
  Source: Report "Observatory of Jobs and Salaries of the Labour Market. Barcelona Activa", elaborated by ICSA Grupo. April 2015.
  

• Other features

  This activity can be performed with permanent associates or on a project-by-project basis in the fields of architecture, city planning and biology.
  
  

• Professional category

  Technician

• Human resources and equipment

  It varies significantly depending on whether this professional is the owner of a nursery or facility or not.