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Silviculture in Forest and Landscape

15.0 hp
2026-08-31 - 2026-11-01
Alnarp
English
Application Code: SLU-M1186
Course Code: SV0053

This course instance is exclusively for incoming exchange students

You need to be nominated by one of SLU:s partner universities to apply for it. The course is also available as a standard course instance.

See more information about nomination and application

Entry Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to

- 15 credits in forestry science
- 15 credits in landscape architecture
- English 6

Exceptions are allowed from the requirement for basic competence in Swedish.

Course facts

Course name
Silviculture in Forest and Landscape
Swedish course name
Skogsskötsel på bestånds- och landskapsnivå
Level
First cycle (G1F)
Main field of study
Forestry Science, Landscape Architecture
Credits
15.0 credits
Rate of study
100 %
Study location
Alnarp
Form of instruction
Campus-based instruction
Application code
SLU-M1186
Course code
SV0053
Course language
English
Offered as a freestanding course
Ja
Tuition fee
Tuition fees only for non-EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens
0 SEK

SV0053, Silviculture in Forest and Landscape, 15.0 Hp
Print syllabus

Syllabus

Finalized by: Ordföranden för programnämnden för utbildning inom skog (PN-S), 2023-12-22
Valid from : Autumn semester 2024 (2024-09-02)

Level

First cycle (G1F)

Main field of study

Forestry Science, Landscape Architecture

Sub-area forestry science

Goal, planning and policy 6 credits, Natural processes 5 credits, Work processes 4 credits

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.

Course language

English

Entry Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to

- 15 credits in forestry science
- 15 credits in landscape architecture
- English 6

Exceptions are allowed from the requirement for basic competence in Swedish.

Objectives

After the course, students shall be able to:

  • describe the knowledge-base of common silvicultural methods in Scandinavia and northern Europe
  • propose appropriate silvicultural methods depending on forest structure and aim with the forest management
  • analyse how various silvicultural methods affect forest ecosystem services on stand- property- and landscape scale
  • propose forest management methods that can replace current methods and identify potential knowledge-gaps within the field of silviculture
  • show how future forest development can be determined and visualized with growth-models and how future climate change affects these prognosis
  • develop forest management plans for individual stands and show how these affect the forest landscape
  • describe physical and economical constraints that limits practical application of forest management methods
  • describe common work-practices and machine-systems that are used for various operational forest management methods.

Content

The aim of the course is to provide the student with tools and understanding for how forest stands and landscapes can be changed by active management of individual forest stands. With this understanding of the connection between management on stand-level and landscape-level forest structure, the student will apply stand-level forest management methods in different landscape-types with different aim of future forest structure. Effects of climate change on future forest landscapes is central for all discussions and learning during the course. The student should have basic knowledge in silviculture on stand-level and measurement of forest stands. This basic knowledge is the foundation for studies of forest management on stand level, how this affects the forest landscape and how it can be modified depending on different future forest structure goals on property- and landscape level. The understanding and perception of forests that the student has acquired in earlier studies will be used as a foundation for all learning in this course. Forest development on various scale will be analysed with a decision support system (Heureka). Models underlying the decision support system will be described and discussed during the course.

Implementation
The course will be given via classes, excursions, assignments and individual studies.

The course focuses on the following general competences:
Problem solving, Scientific methods, Oral and written communication

The following elements are compulsory:
Excursions

Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course

The course will be given via classes, excursions, assignments and individual studies.

Responsible Department/Equivalent

Department of Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre

Supplementary information

Module set

Title Credits Code
Written assignments 4.5 0001
Excursion to northern Sweden 4.5 0002
Final exam 6.0 0003

Literature

Please note that all listed course literature will be available in PDF format on Canvas (the student portal) before the start of the course.

General

  1. Fries C & Roberge J-M. 2020. Forest management in Sweden. Current practice and historical background. Swedish Forest Agency, Report 2020/4. (The whole report 1-78).
  2. West P W. 2014. Growing Plantation Forests. Springer (Selected parts)

Regeneration

  1. Béland, E. Agestam, P. M. Ekö, P. Gemmel & U. Nilsson (2000) Scarification and Seedfall affects Natural Regeneration of Scots Pine Under Two Shelterwood Densities and a Clear-cut in Southern Sweden, Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 15:2 (The whole paper)
  2. Nilsson U, Luoranen J, Kolström T, Örlander G, Puttonen P. 2010. Reforestation with planting in northern Europé. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 2010:25, 283-294. (The whole paper).
  3. Sikström U, Hjelm K, Holt-Hanssen K, Saksa T, Wallertz K. 2020. Influence of mechanical site preparation on regeneration success of planted conifers in clearcuts in Fennoscandia – a review. Silva Fennica 54. (The whole paper page 1-27)

Pre commercial thinning

  1. Ara M. 2022. Establishment and early management of young forest in Sweden. Stand structure, spatial design, and pre-commercial thinning. SLU, Faculty of Forest Science, Doctoral Thesis No 2022:22. Introduction page 11-25)
  2. Fahlvik N. 2005. Aspects of precommercial thinning in heterogeneous forests in southern Sweden. SLU, Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae, 2005:68. (Introduction page 7-17 and discussion page 24-31)
  3. Holmström E. 2015. Regeneration and early management of birch and Norway spruce mixtures in southern Sweden. SLU, Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae, 2015:122. Introduction page 11-25)

Thinning

  1. Attocchi G. 2015. Silviculture of oak for high-quality wood production. Effects of thinning on crown size, volume growth and stem quality in even-aged stands of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) in northern Europe. SLU, Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae, 2015:39. (Introduction page 16-28)
  2. del Rio M, Bravo-Oviedo A, Pretzsch H, Löf M, Ruiz-Peinado R. 2017. A review of thinning effects on Scots pine stands: From growth and yield to new challenges under global change. Forest Systems 26. (The whole paper)
  3. Nilsson, U., Agestam, E., Ekö, P-M., Elfving, B., Fahlvik, N., Johansson, U., Karlsson, K., Lundmark, T., Wallentin, C. 2010. Thinning of Scots pine and Norway spruce monocultures in Sweden – Effects of different thinning programs on stand level gross- and net stem volume production. Studia Forestalia Suecica 219: 1-46. (Selected parts)
  4. Wallentin C. 2007. Thinning of Norway spruce. SLU, Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae, 207:29. Introduction page 9-57)

Continuous cover forestry

  1. Ekholm A, Lundqvist L, Axelsson PE, Egnell G, Hjältén J, Lundmark T, Sjögren J. 2023. Long-term yield and biodiversity in stands managed with the selection system and the rotation forestry system: A qualitative review. Forest Ecology and Management, 537. (The whole paper)
  2. Kuuluvainen T, Tahvonen O, Aakala T. 2012. Even-aged and uneven-aged forest management in boreal Fennoscandia: A review. AMBIO 41, 720-737. (The whole paper)
  3. Rautio, P., Routa J., Huuskonen S., Holmström E., Cedergren J., Kuehne C. 2025. Continous Cover Forestry in Boreal Nordic Countries. Springer. Managing Forest Ecosystems, 45. (Selected parts)

Tree species

  1. Dahl Kjaer E., Lobo A., Myking T. 2014. The role of exotic tree species in Nordic forestry. 2014. Scandinavian Journal of Forestry Research. 29, 323-332. (The whole paper)
  2. Hynynen J., Niemistö P., Vieherä-Aarnio a., Brunner A., Hein S., Velling P. 2010. Silviculture of birch ( *Betula pendula *Roth and *Betula pubescens *Ehrh.) in northern Europe. Forestry 8, 103-119. (The whole paper)
  3. Karlman, L. (2010). Genetic variation in frost tolerance, juvenile growth and timber production in Russian larches (Larix Mill.)(Vol. 2010, No. 30). (Introduction page 7-36)
  4. Larsson-Stern Larch in Commercial Forestry: A Literature Review to Help Clarify the Potential of Hybrid Larch (Larix × eurolepis Henry) in Southern Sweden (The whole paper)

Carbon

  1. Peichl, M., Martinez-Garcia E., Fransson, J E S., Wallerman J., Laudon, H., Lundmark T., Nilsson MB. 2023. Landscape-variability of the carbon balance across managed boreal forests. Global Change Biology 29, 1119-1132.
  2. Englund, G., Eggers, J., Jonsson B-G., Schulte M., Skytt, T. 2025. Why we disagree about the climat impact of forestry – A quantitative analysis of Swedish research. Environmental Management.

academic year 2025/2026

Silviculture in Forest and Landscape (SV0053-10343)
2025-10-26 - 2025-11-16

academic year 2024/2025

Silviculture in Forest and Landscape (SV0053-10134)
2024-10-24 - 2024-11-14