Intensive forest managementLaajuus (3 cr)

Objective

After completing the course, the student will be able to • understand how intensive forests management can be used to increase the forest biomass production in a sustainable and cost-efficient way in boreal conditions. • understand the carbon cycle in both forest ecosystem and related technosystem (i.e. biomass use). • apply this knowledge when evaluating the potential of forest production and biomass use in climate change mitigation. The course develops the following generic skills: ethics, leadership and development, internationality, sustainability and responsibility, critical thinking, identification and development of expertise, interaction and communication.

Content

Intensive forest management and cost-efficient production of forest biomass (timber and energy biomass), the production potential of forest biomass for different tree species and site fertility types (main focus on boreal conditions), the gains of tree breeding and use of qualified seed and seedling material in forest regeneration (main domestic tree species), environmental impacts of intensive forest management (e.g. nutrient losses and CO2 balances) and their governance. Use of forest ecosystem modeling and life cycle assessment (LCA) for evaluation of sustainability of forest production and biomass use in boreal conditions.

Qualifications

In order to participate in this M.Sc. course, basic/advanced level understanding is required on the silvicultural practices and dynamics of boreal forest ecosystems and on interactions between environmental conditions and silviculture. As pre-reading material, Rantala, S. 2011. Finnish Forestry – Practice and management (pp. 1-142 and 173-234) is suggested for M.Sc. students having no B.Sc. (Agr. and For.) degree at the School of Forest Sciences.

Materials

Lecture materials and other material indicated in the lectures. Kellomäki, S., Kilpeläinen, A. & Alam, A. (Eds.) 2013. Forest BioEnergy Production: Management, Carbon sequestration and Adaptation. Hetemäki, L., Kangas, J. & Peltola, H. (Eds.) 2022. Forest bioeconomy and climate change. Chapters 6, 7 ja 8.

Further information

Course will be organised every two years (in odd years in the autumn).

Execution methods

Contact teaching

Accomplishment methods

Lectures (16 h) ja independent work (80h). Examination of lectures and essays based on course literature. Evaluation criteria: 0-5 (examination of lectures 50% and essays 50%). Both examination and essays are needed to be done for passing the course. The essays cannot be redone or complemented.