If you work or volunteer in the countryside, parks and greenspace management profession you can apply for Accredited membership.
Our sector is unique in its requirement for wide-ranging knowledge, multiple skill sets and the flexibility to adapt that expertise to different situations, sites and communities.
We’ve developed our Accreditation Scheme to help you be recognised and valued both within and outside the industry. It also provides assurance to employers that an individual has been independently assessed to be competent at the level of membership held and will be proficient and fully capable of undertaking the work at that level of competence.
Our Competency Framework sets out the details of the competencies which have been identified as being relevant to CMA members. There are 22 competencies in total.
Our Accreditation Scheme has been endorsed by the IUCN World Commission for Protected Areas.
Which level of accreditation to apply for
There are four levels of accredited membership to consider. You can decide which level might be appropriate for you, dependent on the knowledge and skills you can provide evidence for.
Who can apply for accreditation?
Accreditation is available to CMA members only. Joining is easy; visit our Membership page for details of membership fees for both Accredited and non-Accredited members.
There is a one-off payment for submitting an application for Accreditation:
Associate Member £75
Practitioner Member £150
Principal Member £200
Fellow £250
Completed an Apprenticeship? If you have successfully completed one of the apprenticeships, you qualify to join CMA in the relevant accredited member category, without needing to go through the application process.
Assessing your application
All applications will be thoroughly checked by our independent assessors.
Introductory Offer
- The first ten Associate applicants will be charged £50 for the accreditation application process.
- The first 10 Practitioner applicants will be charged £100.
- The first 10 Principal applicants will be charged £150 for the accreditation application process.
If interested in this introductory offer, please email admin@countrysidemanagement.org.uk in the first instance to enable us to apply the discounted fee for you.
Application Forms
- Application for Accredited Membership at Associate Level
- Application for Accredited Membership at Practitioner or Principal Level
- Application for Accredited Membership at Fellow Level
Useful Documents
- Accredited Membership – Guidance Notes
- Competency Framework
- Compiling Your Competency Evidence
- CMA Code of Conduct & Ethics
I am happy to be one of the first to achieve PCMA accreditation and hope to see these credentials become more widely recognised within the industry as the scheme grows.
Matt Wilcoxon PCMA
Countryside and Greenspace Manager Shrewsbury Town Council
The accreditation process was challenging but fun, as I am not generally very good at promoting myself, but are any of us in the profession?
Clear instructions were supplied to guide the process, thought provoking, but a worthwhile exercise to complete; surprising how much you know when you write it down and the assessor challenges you at the assessment stage.
A must do for anyone looking to add to their CV, also validates your knowledge to peers and managers alike.
Paul Aubrey PrCMA
Cydgysylltydd – Co-ordinator Gwasanaeth Hamdden Awyr Agored | Outdoor Recreation Service
It did take a bit of effort, but I was amazed how much relevant experience I had accrued over the years and looking through my past experience was a surprisingly pleasant experience. Putting it into words was the difficult bit! Anyone working in the sector should have no problem finding the relevant stuff to meet the relevant criteria.
Colin Hart PrCMA
Broads Authority
Completing the accreditation application was a challenging but rewarding process. I’m sure it will help me in my career both by demonstrating my skills and competence to potential employers and through helping to identify areas for my own personal development.
Mark Baker PCMA
Country Park Manager, Devon County Council
