Overview

The aim of the second-year field trip is to consolidate the learning from across the second year. Students will look at sustainable forest management and forest restoration. They will look at measures to increase the regulating functions of forest systems – including water regulation. They will see examples of forest health issues and conduct inventory and remote sensing exercises.

The students will stay at the BCC Forestry Field station and each day will deal with different aspects of material covered through the year. This will include: GIS and Remote Sensing Practical (3 days); Silvicultural research (3 days); Forest health survey (2-parts, 4 days); Forest inventory practical (4 days).

Assessment Strategy

Threshold (Grade D- to C+)

Basic knowledge of subject and ability to write descriptive reports.

Good (Grade B- to B+)

Sound knowledge of subject and ability to pull together various elements of the course material. Evidence of background reading. Lively, frequent and pertinent contributions to group discussions.

Excellent (Grade A- to A*)

Sound knowledge of subject, ability to contribute constructively to debate, ability to write perceptive and well-argued reports.

Learning Outcomes

• Conduct inventory and characterisation methodologies to inform sustainable forest management practices

• Demonstrate an understanding of modern management practices for both production and protection forests at a range of temporal scales

• Know how to design and execute a small research project including (I) undertaking fieldwork in teams, (II) data analysis and statistics, (III) undertaking a literature search and assimilating information, (IV) writing a scientific report.

• Show a critical understanding of the environmental issues at the forest field site