FORE342-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025

Geospatial Science in Forest Monitoring and Management

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 22 June 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 2 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 11 May 2025

Description

This course explores the role and use of geospatial technologies in the context of vegetation management. Theory and practical application of geographic information system (GIS) software, global positioning system (GPS) technology, and remote sensing (e.g. satellite imagery, LiDAR) will be used to analyze and solve spatial problems in forests and other vegetated landscapes.

This course is designed to illustrate how geospatial technologies can be applied to a range of vegetation management problems. Students will develop understanding and skills applicable to a range of spatial challenges in vegetated landscapes. The course emphasizes cutting-edge technologies.

The course content is arranged into themes:

• Data collection - this includes spatial data collection using global navigation satellite systems and attribute data collection using ground-based methods or remote sensing;
• Remote sensing - an applied introduction to the various remote sensing technologies including aerial photography, satellite imagery, and LiDAR; and
• Geographic Information Systems - developing capabilities to analyze and solve complex spatial problems in vegetation management, inclusive of forests and other vegetated landscapes.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:

Appreciate and understand the role of specialised geospatial technologies in solving a range of forest management problems (Washington Accord WA2; UC EEI3, 4)
Understand the limitations and the theoretical background of GPS, GIS, and remote sensing with respect to complex problems in forest management (WA2; EEI3, 4)
Have developed the practical skills to confidently apply GPS, GIS software, and remote sensing techniques to complex problems in forest management (WA3; EEI3, 4)

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

Employable, innovative and enterprising

Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Globally aware

Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Restrictions

FORE442 prior to 2011

Lecturer

Justin Morgenroth

All students must bring their own personal external storage to laboratory sessions. This will allow you to store data necessary in the GIS labs on your storage device. It is recommended your storage device has at least 2 GB of free storage space.

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Literature Review 30%
ArcGIS Practical Test 30%
Mid-Year Exam 40%

Textbooks / Resources

There are no formal texts for this course. Lecture material, laboratory notes and data can be found on the class (K) drive. Lecture and lab notes will also be supplied via the Learn site.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,122.00

International fee $5,650.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Forestry .

All FORE342 Occurrences

  • FORE342-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025