Forests and Societies

Description

The course explores the interactions between the world’s forests and human societies, the benefits derived by humans and the need for forest management. A mandatory three-day practical course is included which covers material additional to that in the course notes, including tree identification and field trips to forestry operations and the Forest Research Institute.

Syllabus:
Nature and location of forests: the relationship of vegetation to climate, nature and location of the world's forests, significant trees globally, urban forests, NZ's indigenous forests, NZ's plantation forests

Forests and their interactions with humans: human evolution to early civilisation, shifting agriculture, colonialism and forests, case studies

The significance of forests: global roles, roles in developing countries, roles in developed countries, forests/soils/erosion and water quality

Forest management: measurement, economics, history, management systems, operations, silvicultural decision making, agroforestry, harvesting, multiple use and sustained yield, management issues in NZ indigenous and plantation forests

Utilisation of forests: fuelwood, non-wood forest products, solid wood products, pulp and paper, forest products industry, energy and chemicals in the developing world

Forest policies: what are they, examples?

Current issues: greenhouse effect, pollution, conservation, preservation and reservation, long term prospects