Postgraduate Forestry 2015-2016

Current theory and practice of silviculture will be covered in five themes to allow you to explore the science of establishing and maintaining forest stands, building resilience to abiotic damage, thinning, regenerating forests, and understanding the dynamics of regular and irregular forest structures . Weekly lectures will consolidate the processes of growth and development of single trees and of whole forest ecosystems. Discussions during the lectures will encourage inquiry and informed argument. One main assignment based on a real forest scenario will allow you to demonstrate individual thought and analysis.

·         This course looks at wood as a natural resource: how it is harvested and also its properties and how it is used.   This includes learning about how forest management practices affect timber quality.

·         Students learn about efforts to develop techniques of sustainable timber harvesting with minimal negative environmental impacts, in both the tropics and in temperate forests, and why best practice is not always followed.

·         Visits to an active harvesting site and a local sawmill enable students to experience these operations first hand and discuss them with the people in charge.

Lectures and tutorials provide the basic framework for considering the range of abiotic and biotic agents that cause forest damage.

A specialist on forest insect pests delivers a section of the course, providing students with an expert’s insights into current issues in forest health.

Preparation of two case studies, one on a disease and one on an animal pest, provide students with an opportunity to pursue their own interests and develop specialist knowledge. Presentations of these case studies broadens the range of forest health problems covered.

An extended essay provides an opportunity to strengthen skills in synthesis and written presentation.

• This course focuses on two topics: the measurement of trees and forest stands, usually for forest management; and on the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems).

• Practical exercises in a local forest allow you to become confident in a range of forest measurement techniques.  These sessions are followed by computer classroom sessions where data gathered are analysed and discussed.

• GIS practicals include both classroom sessions using existing forest datasets and also data gathering in the field using GPS (Global Positioning System) devices so you learn some of the practical skills used in modern forest (and other land use) management.

· This five day residential field course held during the Easter vacation and follows one of two alternating programmes of visits: one in northern Scotland (in 2014-2015) and the other in the Borders (S Scotland) and the Lake District (in 2015-2016). 

· Students visit various multi-functional forests (again at least one with a conservation designation) and learn about balancing different management objectives: including timber production, environmental services and amenity – with visits hosted by the local forest managers.

· This residential field course is based in Freiburg in SW Germany.  6/7 days are spent visiting different forests and meeting German forestry professionals.

· This is a joint course with Freiburg University and University College Dublin which allows you to share ideas with students who have studied in different institutions.

· Visiting forests overseas challenges many assumptions of how forests should be managed and allows you to reflect on how culture and policy as well as forest type affect forest management.

This course explores a number of important forest management topics including the concept of sustainable forest management, forest economics, environmental impact assessment (EIA) and forest health.

· Students learn about the long history of sustainable forest management – it’s not just a modern idea! – and how forest management plans are developed.

· Two visits to different forests help students recognise forest management issues in the field.  One visit is hosted by the Regional Manager and the Senior Ecologist of a major forest management company which gives students the opportunity to discuss issues with professional practitioners.

The sessions are tutorial based that allow critical discussions on topical issues related to forestry and forest science.

Two of the topics for discussion are chosen by you and there is the opportunity lead the group.

Three assignments are required including the preparation of a newspaper article and a special topic in a subject of your choice.

The discussions allow you to listen to alternative points of view, to develop reasoned arguments and to communicate your ideas in a coherent and concise way.

FY5903   Forestry Project

·        Independent research project that can cover any area of forestry: it may be computer, laboratory, greenhouse or field based;

·        The project provides a thorough training in managing all aspects of a research project from inception to delivery of a thesis in the format of a paper for an international scientific journal;

·        Projects can be based anywhere in the world and often are associated with on-going cutting-edge research by academic staff;

·        Collaboration with external organisations is encouraged to enable students to gain a greater range of experience.