Sustainable Forestry in Southern Sweden
The main objective is that students should get an understanding of why modern forestry is conducted as it is, in relation to silvicultural research, nature conservation issues, societal needs, current forest technology and the wood market. The course contains two major parts, silviculture and forest ecology.
The course starts with a module where forest production and management is discussed on the basis of ecophysiological processes and correlations, to obtain an in-depth understanding of how forest production could be measured, estimated and modelled. The next module focuses on how forest ecosystems and management systems could be evaluated with regard to ecological resilience or economy. Differences regarding stand dynamics, succession and biodiversity will also be discussed. The third and main module of the course takes on issues of regeneration, stand development and production from four perspectives; clearcut management, continuous cover forestry, management in mixed forests and multiple use forestry.
Students engage in different learning activities including lectures, seminars, individual assignments group works, exercises and excursions. Statistical data treatment and analysis will be performed with supervision from teacher and on an introductory level. For many of the students, both Swedish and international, the course is the first on master level and the first course held in English, why some emphasis in teacher response will be on increasing the skills in presentations in written and spoken English.
Representatives from authorities and practical forestry in southern Sweden are invited to speak about urgent matters in forestry and about their view on future threats and opportunities. Thanks to the international student group, comparisons and discussions about differences and similarities in forestry between countries are frequent and constantly brought up during the course. Mandatory in the course is a field trip to two of the forest research units in southern Sweden.
Information from the course leader
Welcome to apply for the course autumn 2023! Detailed schedule and literature list will be available later. The two mandatory forest excursions will be 11-15 September and 9-12 October. During this time the students will stay together in rented cabins and hostels. Cars and accommodation is booked by the course leader. The other weeks are campus based (Alnarp).
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is now closed
SG0231-10130 - Course evaluation report
Once the evaluation is closed, the course coordinator and student representative have 1 month to draft their comments. The comments will be published in the evaluation report.
Additional course evaluations for SG0231
Academic year 2022/2023
Sustainable Forestry in Southern Sweden (SG0231-10196)
2022-08-29 - 2022-10-31
Academic year 2021/2022
Sustainable Forestry in Southern Sweden (SG0231-10089)
2021-08-30 - 2021-11-01
Academic year 2020/2021
Sustainable Forestry in Southern Sweden (SG0231-10020)
2020-08-31 - 2020-11-01
Academic year 2019/2020
Sustainable Forestry in Southern Sweden (SG0231-10166)
2019-09-02 - 2019-10-31
Academic year 2018/2019
Sustainable Forestry in Southern Sweden (SG0231-10089)
2018-09-03 - 2018-11-11
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
SG0231 Sustainable Forestry in Southern Sweden, 15.0 Credits
Uthålligt skogsbruk i södra SverigeSubjects
Forest Science Biology Forest scienceEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Exam | 5.0 | 0001 |
| Silviculture | 5.0 | 0003 |
| Biometrics | 5.0 | 0004 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
The equivalent of 120 credits at basic level including- 60 credits Forest Science or
- 60 credits Forest Management or
- 60 credits Biology or
- 60 credits Environmental Sciences or
- 60 credits Landscape Architecture or
- 60 credits Agricultural Sciences or
- 60 credits Natural Resource Management
and
- English 6
Objectives
The course will provide an overview of key theoretical and practical elements for sustainable forestry in southern Sweden. Silvicultural questions associated with contemporary forestry will be studied in depth and discussed in relation to sustainability issues.
After completing the course the students should be able to:
Analyse and present important processes in forest ecosystems and their interactions with growth responses on both tree and stand level.
Analyse variations in forest management due to differences in tree species, management traditions, owner objectives, economic circumstances and social needs and preferences.
Discuss and evaluate management measures in relation to ecological and plant physiological factors.
Identify the most significant conservation values in the boreal and boreo-nemoral zones of southern Scandinavia and analyse the impact of modern forestry on these values and suggest measures to mitigate adverse effects
Read scientific literature and communicate key ideas, results and conclusions
Manage forest data and produce introductory statistics and figures.
Content
The main objective is that students should get an understanding of why modern forestry is conducted as it is, in relation to silvicultural research, nature conservation issues, societal needs, current forest technology and the wood market. The course contains two major parts, silviculture and forest ecology.
The course starts with a module where forest production and management is discussed on the basis of ecophysiological processes and correlations, to obtain an in-depth understanding of how forest production could be measured, estimated and modelled. The next module focuses on how forest ecosystems and management systems could be evaluated with regard to ecological resilience or economy. Differences regarding stand dynamics, succession and biodiversity will also be discussed. The third and main module of the course takes on issues of regeneration, stand development and production from four perspectives; clearcut management, continuous cover forestry, management in mixed forests and multiple use forestry.
Students engage in different learning activities including lectures, seminars, individual assignments group works, exercises and excursions. Statistical data treatment and analysis will be performed with supervision from teacher and on an introductory level. For many of the students, both Swedish and international, the course is the first on master level and the first course held in English, why some emphasis in teacher response will be on increasing the skills in presentations in written and spoken English.
Representatives from authorities and practical forestry in southern Sweden are invited to speak about urgent matters in forestry and about their view on future threats and opportunities. Thanks to the international student group, comparisons and discussions about differences and similarities in forestry between countries are frequent and constantly brought up during the course. Mandatory in the course is a field trip to two of the forest research units in southern Sweden.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Successful completion of the course requires pass grades in all written examinations and participation in compulsory subjects.
The grading criteria state what is required for different grades and what aspects of performance are assessed.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
In total nine days are spent in the field including visits to SLU’s experimental forests in Tönnersjöheden and Asa.A student who has been admitted to and registered on a course is entitled to receive teaching only for the course date he/she was admitted to. A student who for special reasons is unable to participate in compulsory elements, is entitled an opportunity to recover those elements during a course given at a later date. More information is available in the regulations for education.
SLU is environmentally certified according to ISO 14001. A large part of our courses cover knowledge and skills that contribute positively to the environment. To further strengthen this, we have specific environmental goals for the education. Students are welcome to suggest actions regarding the course’s content and implementation that lead to improvements for the environment. For more information, see webpage www.slu.se.
Further details on the course topics and learning activities are provided in detailed syllabus that can be obtained from the course leader.
Responsible department
Department of Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre
Further information
Litterature list
Course literature, Sustainable forestry in southern Sweden 2023
Books or book chapters, available online through SLU library or online on link:
Title: Growing plantation forestry
Link: https://slu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/46SLUB_INST/kl53n/springer_s978-3-319-01827-0_129010
Author: P.W. West
ISBN: 9783319018263
Note: Selected chapters and sections
OpenIntro Statistics. Online pdf. https://leanpub.com/os
David Diez, Mine Cetinkaya-Rundel and Christopher Barr. Selected chapters in combination with R labs.
*Alternative for those who want to buy a book: *
Title: Statistics: An Introduction using R
Link: https://slu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/46SLUB_INST/1sl36d2/alma9919290193805121
Author: R. Crawley
ISBN: 9781118941119 (ebook)
Note: Selected sections in combination with R labs.
Literature available as pdf in Canvas, first listed thematically, then in a reference list
Introduction to Swedish forestry and forest history
Swedish Forest Agency report 2020/4. Forest management in Sweden. Current practice and historical background. https://www.skogsstyrelsen.se/globalassets/om-oss/rapporter/rapporter-2020/rapport-2020-4-forest-management-in-sweden.pdf
Sustainable development and Climate Change
Larsen et al. Closer to Nature Forest Management
https://efi.int/publications-bank/closer-nature-forest-management
Rist et al. Applying resilience thinking to production ecosystems 2014
Felton et al. How climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies can threaten or enhance the biodiversity of production forests: Insights from Sweden 2016
Achim et al. The changing culture of silviculture 2021
Nagel et al. Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change: A National Experiment in Manager-Scientist Partnerships to Apply an Adaptation Framework
Bravo et al. Book chapter: A Mechanistic View of the Capacity of Forests to Cope with Climate Change. In the book Managing Forest Ecosystems: The Challenge of Climate Change. Managing Forest Ecosystems, vol 17. Springer, Dordrecht.
Growth & Yield
West Resources: chapter 1-2, Growth: chapter 3-4, Competition: chapter 7-8.
Bergh et al. The effect of water and nutrient availability on the productivity of Norway spruce in northern and southern Sweden 1999
Skovsgaard et al. Forest site productivity: a review of the evolution of dendrometric concepts for even-aged stands 2008
Hennigar et al. Development and evaluation of a biomass increment based index for site productivity 2017
Silviculture and Forest Conservation
West chapter 5-8, 13+14
Mixed forest
Kelty Compare productivity of monocultures and mixed-species stands 1992. Chapter 1+8
Schulze et al. Management breaks the natural productivity-biodiversity relationship in forests and grassland: an opinion 2018
17 The Functional Significance of Forest Diversity: a Synthesis. Scherer-Lorenzen et al. Chapter 17,
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fb137862.pdf
Continuous cover forestry
Pommerening et al. A review of the history, definitions and methods of continuous cover forestry with special attention to afforestation and restocking 2004
Lundqvist Tamm Review: Selection system reduces long-term volume growth in Fennoscandic uneven-aged Norway spruce forests 2017
Mason et al. Continuous cover forestry in Europe: usage and the knowledge gaps and challenges to wider adoption 2021
Kuuluvainen et al. Natural Disturbance-Based Forest Management: Moving Beyond Retention and Continuous-Cover Forestry 2021,
Lula et al. Modelling effects of regeneration method on the growth and profitability of Scots pine stands 2021
Multiuse forestry
Potschin et al. Ecosystem services:Exploring a geographical perspective 2011
Betts et al. Producing wood at least cost to biodiversity: integrating Triad and sharing–sparing approaches to inform forest landscape management 2021
Forest conservation
Gustafsson et al. Retention as an integrated biodiversity conservation approach for continuous-cover forestry in Europe 2020
Petersson et al. Tree species impact on understory vegetation: Vascular plant communities of Scots pine and Norway spruce managed stands in northern Europe 2019
Kuuluvainen Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation Based on Natural Ecosystem Dynamics in Northern Europe: The Complexity Challenge 2009