MSc Environmental Forestry

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MSc Environmental Forestry

  • Entry requirements Entry The standard minimum entry qualification is an honours degree in a relevant subject. However, the School also welcomes enquiries from applicants with a combination of different qualifications and relevant experience.
  • Academic title MSc Environmental Forestry
  • Course description This course is suitable for graduates and mature students who are seeking to specialise in forestry, with an emphasis on its role in the environment. The degree allows students to select either “temperate” or “tropical” themes. It is modular in structure, and options for study include modules in Silviculture; Continuous cover forestry; World forest resources; Forest ecology; Forest products; Trees of the drier tropics; Agroforestry; Conservation biology; Countryside Management; Social issues; Economics and Policy; Management planning; Research planning and skills. Visits and field courses are included. Assessment is by written assignments and written and oral examination. The MSc is awarded after the examination of a dissertation.

    This MSc programme has two parts.
    Part 1 consists of eight taught
    modules, including a research skills
    module during which students write
    the plan for their dissertation, and a
    field study tour. Part 1 must be
    completed successfully before
    proceeding to Part 2. Most of the Part
    1 modules are compulsory, though
    there is often a choice of assessment
    titles within modules. The taught part
    of the course runs from late
    September to early June.

    Part 2 of the course runs from June to
    September and students use this
    period for the production of a
    dissertation. The topic selected for
    the dissertation will be agreed with
    your nominated project supervisor
    and could relate to virtually any
    aspect of forestry that particularly
    interests you

    Ecological Sampling and Analysis
    for Foresters develops the basic
    numeracy and statistical skills
    required to conduct ecological
    research in a range of forested
    ecosystems. The approach will be to
    explore five different case studies
    which use robust methodologies to
    generate both parametric and
    non-parametric data. This will form
    the foundation for subsequent
    subject-specific modules, and the
    dissertation research.

    Forest Ecology covers general
    principles relevant across a wide range
    of biomes, but primarily natural forests
    with high biodiversity, that are
    dominated by natural dynamic
    processes. Its focus is on the methods
    used to assess plant biodiversity, stand
    structure and dynamics, and analyse
    and interpret the resulting data. It is
    designed as a specialist module for
    which students will require knowledge
    of plant population and community
    ecology (from previous study or
    preparatory reading).

    World Forest Resources: Policy
    and Management reviews the key
    resource characteristics of the world’s
    main forest types, the scale and
    causes of deforestation and forest
    degradation, the world market for
    forest products, and the policy issues,
    instruments and initiatives for
    achieving sustainable forest
    management. Guest lecturers are
    invited to speak on issues of current
    global concern.

    Environmental Silviculture aims to
    give a detailed introduction to
    silviculture based on ecological
    principles with particular emphasis
    on continuous cover forestry (CCF)
    and practical management methods.

    The module covers the following
    topics: differences between processes
    in virgin forests and managed
    forest; recent polices influencing
    silvicultural activities; ecological
    processes forming the basis of
    environmental silviculture; tree
    species and provenance selection;
    mixed forest stands; stability;
    silvicultural techniques. Students
    will use spreadsheets specially
    designed for applications in
    environmental silviculture.

    Tropical Silviculture and
    Management introduces students
    to the principal systems of tropical
    forest management and silviculture,
    and develops their understanding
    of the factors influencing them.

    It includes several case studies of
    tropical forest management,
    including: management for
    protection of catchments and
    biodiversity; management for
    medicinal plants; reduced impact
    logging; management of secondary
    forests and restoration; participatory
    forest management.

    Forest Products provides a general
    introduction to wood and nontimber
    forest products (NTFPs). It is
    intended for those with no previous
    experience in the subject. It covers
    the following topics: timber
    harvesting systems; processing of
    round wood; technologies of the
    board and pulp and paper industries;
    wood properties affecting timber
    utilisation; classification of NTFPs and
    their significance to people; case
    studies of global NTFPs,
    Forest Biometrics introduces basic
    methods and conventions for
    measuring trees and forest stands,
    estimating basic forestry summary
    characteristics, and assessing the
    patterns of genetic diversity in forest
    tree species. It covers the following
    topics: individual tree variables,
    forest stand / population variables
    and biodiversity measures; adaptive
    genetic diversity and provenance
    tests; molecular methods for
    estimating genetic diversity.

    Natural Resource Economics and
    Policy gives students with no
    previous knowledge of formal
    economics an introduction to the
    basics of the subject as it applies to
    natural resource decision-making.
    It offers the opportunity to specialise
    in a selection from several
    professionally orientated submodules.

    At the end of the module
    participants should be capable of
    undertaking simple economic
    appraisals of land use options, and
    be able to offer intelligent comment
    on professional economic appraisals.

    Field Course / Study Tour Details
    of the course vary from year to year,
    but it is always based on visits to
    forests managed for multiple
    purposes in both the public and
    private sectors. Students meet forest
    owners and managers, and are
    encouraged to engage in discussion
    with them.

    Research Skills and GIS This
    module includes a series of seminars
    on the use of information sources,
    experimental design and statistical
    analysis, and practical classes on the
    use of GIS (geographical information
    systems). Students are also required
    to prepare a research plan and for
    the dissertation they will undertake
    in Part 2 of the programme. The plan
    is written in consultation with the
    student’s supervisor, and includes a
    literature review, a statement of
    objectives and descriptions of the
    methods to be used for data
    collection and analysis.
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