SV0095, Forestry in Northern Sweden, 7.5 Hp
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Syllabus

Valid from : Spring semester 2027 (2027-01-18)

Level

First cycle (G1F)

Main field of study

Forestry Science, Biology

Biology Area

Ecology

Sub-area forestry science

Objectives, planning and policy, 2 credits, Natural processes 3,5 credits, Work processes 1 credit

Grading Scale

Pass / Fail

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.

Course language

English

Entry Requirements

Objectives

The aim of the course is to provide students with practical field skills in assessing past and current land use, describing forest stands and landscapes, and characterising site conditions from different perspectives, including suitability for forestry and other economic values, as well as conservation and social values.

The course also provides a historical overview of forestry and an introduction to forestry and other forms of land use in central and northern Sweden, including ownership and land-use arrangements, soil conditions, geology, climate, pests and pathogens, vegetation, habitat types, and common and important species.

Sustainable management and stewardship of natural resources are covered, with a focus on forests in their landscape context, as well as different silvicultural systems and management methods. The terms landscape and landscape perspective refer to ecological, social, and economic relationships across larger geographical areas.

The course also covers ecosystems and fundamental ecosystem processes, as well as issues relating to mountain and subalpine areas, Sámi culture, reindeer husbandry, competing demands on forest land, forest policy, and the conditions for multiple-use forestry.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate the following through their own field observations and measurements:

• Use concepts and basic principles of forest management, forest inventorying, and forest planning, and have practiced skills to perform these concepts and basic principles
• Identify common species in the forests of northern Sweden, use basic species identification methods, and carry out basic site productivity assessments.
• Assess, describe, and discuss stand structures, vegetation types, geology, soil conditions, climate, and risks of damage, as well as how these factors influence the prospects for sustainable forestry and the choice of silvicultural systems and management methods in the forests of northern Sweden.
• Describe and discuss, together with various stakeholders in the field, ownership and land-use arrangements, forest resources, forest values, and forest policy relating to the forests of northern Sweden, and explain how these factors influence the prospects for sustainable forestry.
• Identify traces of previous land use and describe the historical development of forest use in northern Sweden.
• Orally present field-based group projects, participate in discussions, and critically reflect on and evaluate the group’s working methods and the different roles within the group.

Content

*Subject-related content
*The course builds on fundamental theoretical knowledge of the conditions required for sustainable forestry, encompassing social, economic, and environmental dimensions, with a focus on the forests of northern Sweden.

As the course is largely field-based, considerable time is devoted to developing students’ practical skills. Through their own observations, species identification, and field measurements, students are expected to be able to describe and assess the conditions for sustainable forestry. This includes forest stand inventory, ground vegetation classification, terrain classification, and soil type classification.

Understanding these conditions also requires a basic knowledge of land uses other than forestry, including reindeer husbandry, nature conservation, tourism, and recreation. This encompasses an understanding of forestry from a multiple-use perspective and of forests in their broader landscape context.

The course also provides fundamental knowledge of forest history through the study of historical traces in the field. In addition, students develop an understanding of how the bedrock of northern Sweden was formed and shaped by the last Ice Age, and how these geological processes influence the conditions for forest production.

*Teaching formats
*A substantial part of the course consists of field-based teaching, during which students practise proposing appropriate forest management measures, silvicultural systems, and technical solutions based on vegetation types, soil properties, evidence of previous management practices, and forest stand structure.

In doing so, students learn to account for other values and forms of land use, with particular emphasis on reindeer husbandry.

Throughout the course, students travel from the forested mining and ironworking districts of central Sweden to the coastal and mountain forests of northern Sweden, exploring the variation in forestry conditions across the boreal forest region.

*The course focuses on the following generic competencies:
*As a field-based course in which students live together, solve problems collaboratively, and discuss the conditions and challenges associated with forest management in the boreal forest, the course develops students’ communication skills, understanding of group dynamics, and critical thinking.

*Compulsory Course Components
*All field-based teaching sessions and practical exercises are compulsory.

*Engagement with the wider community 
*Engagement with the wider community takes place through meetings with representatives of large-scale forestry companies, private forest owners, the reindeer husbandry sector, government agencies, and interest organisations. Together with these stakeholders, students discuss the conditions for forestry in northern Sweden, with particular emphasis on cooperation and interactions with other stakeholders and land-use interests.

Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course

- Approved written assignments - Complete compulsory course components.

•  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.

Responsible Department/Equivalent

Department of Forest ecology and Management

Supplementary information

Included in program

• Forest Business Management (BSc)
• Forest and Landscape (BSc)

Other Information

The Department of Forest Ecology and Management is responsible for the course in collaboration with the School for Forest Management, which is responsible for the first 2.5 credits of the course. During this part of the course, the teaching infrastructure in Skinnskatteberg is utilised. The study trip involves certain costs. Further information is available on the course website.

• 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.