Forest Management I

Specific Foundation

Specific Foundation / Core

Upon successful completion of the course students will: • Understand the principles, methods and tools of forest management (ie be able to describe them) • Have the ability to set appropriate management objectives if given a forest under management • Have the ability to collect the necessary information and data for the rational management of a forest • Be able to make the right management decisions if given the proper data of a managed forest

CHAPTER 1. Forest Ecosystem Management & Forest Management: Introductory Concepts • Historical development of Forest Management Science • Definition of management science (Management functions) • Classical principles and objectives of forest management • Basic management concepts • Management of multiple ecosystem functions • Sustainable management indicators (Forest resources and contribution to the carbon cycle: Area, Timber, Carbon stock, etc. | Health and vitality: Fires, Damage from other biotic and abiotic factors | Productive functions: Increases Biodiversity: Species diversity, Endangered species, Dead biomass, etc. | Protective functions: Corrosion protection, water conservation, Pollution reduction, Natural hazard protection, etc. | Socio-economic functions: Research, Economic , Recreation, etc.) • Adaptive forest management • Integrated management of natural resources • Participatory processes • Forest management and legislative framework • Forest management and forest research • Forest management plans CHAPTER 2. Collection of management data • Geographical databases (Land use map, Management maps, Forest cover maps, Soil maps) • Satellite information (LANDSAT, SENTINEL, MODIS, etc.) • Aerial photographs • Forest data (forest inventory) • Other data (property, research, climate, historical, soil data etc.) CHAPTER 3. Management tools • Basic principles of timber stock management in even aged stands • Yield tables, Individual based models • Basic principles timber stock management in uneven aged stands • Diameter distribution models CHAPTER 4. Optimal management decision making techniques • Introductory concepts of business research • Development of alternative management scenarios • Optimal stand-density management • Optimal management decision making techniques • Linear Programming • Goal planning • Detailed hierarchy process • Heuristic Optimization Methods (Genetic Algorithms, Tabu search, Simulated annealing)

03-04-2024