Print Syllabus

Syllabus

SG0273 Planning and analysis with the Heureka system - a forest decision support system, 15.0 Credits

Planering och analys med Heurekasystemet - ett skogligt beslutsstödsystem

Subjects

Forest Science

Education cycle

Bachelor’s level

Modules

Title	Credits	Code
Introduction	1.5	0102
RegWise	1.5	0103
PlanWise	4.0	0104
StandWise	1.5	0105
PlanEval	1.5	0106
Case	5.0	0107

Advanced study in the main field

First cycle, has at least 60 credits in first-cycle course/s as entry requirements
Bachelor’s level (G2F)

Grading scale

Language

Swedish

Prior knowledge

General entry requirements for first-cycle studies and knowledge equivalent to

- 60 credits Forest science

or

- 60 hp Forest management

or

- 60 hp Forest and wood engineering

Objectives

Students will learn the theoretical foundations of forest planning and how an advanced forest decision support system can be used in forest management planning and other analyses related to the future development of the forest ecosystem.

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• present the basics of forest planning and the analysis and planning methods upon which the Heureka System is based;

• present the underlying principles of the processes used in a decision support system;

• use all four Heureka programs to process various problems in forest planning and analysis;

• describe the possibilities and limitations with the four Heureka applications;

• interpret and explain analysis results generated with help from the Heureka system.

Content

The course is a distance learning course equating to ten weeks of full-time study. The course uses an independent study package accessible via a virtual learning environment (VLE). The independent study package is divided into 6 modules:

• Module 1: a general introduction to forest planning and the Heureka system.

• Module 2: StandWise and its interactive simulator.

• Module 3: RegWise and its user-defined regulatory system for silviculture and harvesting measures.

• Module 4: PlanWise and its optimisation tool for finding the most suitable action.

• Module 5: PlanEval and its methods for balancing various objectives in cases involving one or more decision makers and stakeholders.

• Module 6: involves a synthesis block in which students will answer a planning problem using one of Heureka’s applications.

Modules 1–5 include exercises with detailed instructions layered with tasks requiring knowledge of both basic planning theory and system structure. The exercises use the system’s various applications to analyse data from both the entire landscape and individual forest properties. Each module is supplemented with recorded lectures that address how Heureka can be used in various sustainability analyses, the type of input required, how the user can control/steer the system’s various components, basic mathematical optimisation and basic theories on multi-criteria decision analysis.

These are the examining components of the modules:

Modules 1–5:

i) submission of a Heureka-related report

ii) submission of a written literature summary

iii) written examination through the learning platform.

Module 6:

i) submission of a written final report

ii) oral presentation of the report using a video conferencing service (such as Zoom).

Summative assessment and Requirements for passing the course:

In order to pass the course, students must successfully pass the following assessments from modules 1–5:

• Heureka-related report

• written literature summary

• written examination through the learning platform

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

x

• 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 examination of a degree project (independent project), the examiner may also allow the 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

Students on this distance learning course should be familiar with basic forestry concepts.

Students will need access to a computer, headset, webcam and an internet connection to be able to access the high-resolution streamed teaching materials. The course will be cancelled if there are not enough applicants.

Responsible department

Department of Forest Resource Management