Advanced IT Applications in Forestry and Natural Resource Management

Description

This course is designed to illustrate how information technology can be applied to a range of forestry management problems. Students will develop geospatial technology skills applicable to a range of natural resource management and forestry disciples. The course will also include an emphasis on using cutting edge technologies, which are of value to forest and natural resource management operations.

The course is arranged into three sections:

1) a discussion of a range of forest management situations to which information technology can be applied, including conservation management, forest biosecurity management, forest inventorying, forest roading, forest harvesting, forest asset management, product transportation and logistics, and product chain of custody;
2) the teaching of the software and hardware skills required to analyze and solve spatial problems in forest management; and
3) work on the successful application of information technology, including ArcGIS software, GPS technology, data logging and time-series analysis, to such problems.

The division of the course into three sections allows students to gain experience in developing critical analyses for the application of the technology to typical problems.