Course code MežZ4079

Credit points 6

Innovations in the Forest Sector

Total Hours in Course162

Number of hours for lectures24

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes30

Independent study hours108

Date of course confirmation20.10.2020

Responsible UnitInstitute of Forest Management

Course developers

author

Jānis Krūmiņš

Dr. silv.

author Mežsaimniecības institūts

Agris Zimelis

Ph.D.

Prior knowledge

DatZ5002, Information Technologies

MežZ1015, Forest Work and Machinery I

MežZ1016, Forest Work and Machinery II

MežZ3046, Mechanization of Forestry Work I

MežZ4078, Forest Management

Course abstract

During this study course, students gain theoretical and practical knowledge about the latest innovation in the forestry sector. Such knowledge enables students to provide a keen understanding of the latest trends in harvesting operations and gain a deeper understanding of development concepts. Students will gain practical knowledge by working with software’s OptiOffice, TimberOffice, and QGIS used in the sector. The final part of the study course focuses on review the understanding of basic principles of interaction with finance and innovation.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students will gain deeper knowledge about the concepts of the necessity of innovations for harvesting and their implementations, different planning objects and their setting options in GIS, the procedure of acquisition of EU structural funds, and additional documentation. Practical assignments.
Students will master their skills using new knowledge about the selection of appropriate technology and equipment for forestry operations, to provide advice for the introduction of technologies based on cost-efficiency solutions and assessment of environmental factors. Practical assignments, a test.
Students will gain knowledge-based competencies on forecasting the necessity of innovation and estimation in particular forest sector enterprises. Tests, practical assignments.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. The description of the study course. General concepts. The plan of the study course and evaluation system. General terms used in the forestry sector and their content. Systems of units of measure used in practice, their remeasurements, and applied coefficients (1 hour).
2. The concept of innovation and its necessity. The history of innovation. What is innovation? The dynamics and system of innovation (1 hour).
3. Perspectives of applied forest harvesting equipment and its suitability for use in different Latvian forest types (2 hours).
4. The latest innovations of the harvester equipment and additional use. The latest models of leading equipment manufacturers, their overview, and technical support. Modeling of technical approaches on wet forest types. Additional recommendations from manufacturers for the most appropriate types of felling (2 hours).
5. The latest innovations of the forwarder equipment and additional use. The latest models of leading equipment manufacturers, their overview, and technical support. Modeling of technical approaches. Additional recommendations from manufacturers for the most appropriate types of felling (2 hours).
6. The overview and use of StanFord 2010, OptiOffice, TimberOffice (4 hours).
7. The impact on work productivity depending on the chosen technical equipment. The analysis of productivity for different types of harvesters and forwarders. Ergonomic solutions in forestry techniques. Optimal workloads for shifts and their assigned factors (3 hours).
8. The opportunities of European Structural Funds in the forest sector. Different programs of structural funds. Where to find the information for applying possibilities for structural funds? Management of structural fund resources (monetary) (2 hours).
9. The planning of money flow for innovative project applications. The forecasts of income and expenses, and profitability. Project return and payback phases of time (2 hours).
10. Forest management planning using QGIs software (3 hours).
11. GPS and GIS systems and their opportunities. Different perspectives in Latvia and other countries (presented by the guest lecturer) (1 hour).
12. The importance of innovations in JSC “Latvijas valsts meži” (1 hour).
The list of practical/lab works (hours in classes/ hours of assignment preparation):
1. Adequacy of innovative ideas for the company “….’’ (1 hour/ 2hours).
2. The essence/ outline of the reasonable idea (1 hour/ 4hours).
3. The description of literature (1 hour/ 5 hours).
4. The analysis of EU structural funds for the implementation of the personal idea (the implementation of an idea for one particular EU structural fund with no specific time conditions) (3hours/-).
5. The elaboration of money flow (1 hour/ 6 hours).
6. The analysis of money flow (2 hours/ 4 hours).
7. The preparation of the report of the innovative idea (formatting and analysis) (4 hours/ 5 hours).
8. The presentation of the innovative idea (8 hours/-).
9. Report preparation using OptiOffice, TimberOffice (2 hours/ 6 hours).
10. Site-specific object description using QGIS software (3 hours/ 8 hours).
11. Final evaluation of harvesting work, the preparation of the report (4 hours/ 12 hours).

Requirements for awarding credit points

Successfully passed the final exam.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Additional study of literature regarding developed course description (54 hours).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The final grade comprises:
1. written all tests (contributes 35% of the final grade);
2. Final exam with a passing grade (contributes to 40% of the final grade).
3. Practical work assignment (contributes 25% of the final grade);
Course attendance – at least 80% for lectures and practical work. The necessity to accomplish and submit all tests and practical assignments.
It is possible to receive a final grade automatically (if all practical assignments and tests are passed with a grade “7” or higher). All written tests and practical assignments must be written only once at a specified time regarding the course plan.

Compulsory reading

Inovatīvi risinājumi ceļā uz ilgtspēju: sabiedrība, ekonomika, vide: kolektīvā monogrāfija/ zin. red. AijaZobena. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskaisapgāds, 2018, 292 lpp. ISBN 9789934183096
Sarmulis Z., Saveļjrevs A. Meža darbi un tehnoloģijas. Mācību līdzeklis. Jelgava, 2015. 146 lpp. ISBN 9789934859939
Stūrmanis E. Ģeoinformācijas sistēmas. Mācību līdzeklis. Jelgava: LLU/RTU, 2006. 90 lpp.
Vanags V. Fotogrammetrija. Mūsdienu Latvijas topogrāfiskās kartes. Rīga: Valsts zemes dienests, 2003. 275 lpp. ISBN 9984950891

Further reading

1. Uusitalo J. Introduction to Forest Operations and Technology. JVP Forest Syst., 2010, 287 p.
2. Riski lauksaimniecībā un privātajā mežsaimniecībā. Jelgava: LLU, RTU, 2005.
3. Speciālo datorprogrammu literatūra
4. Saliņš Z. Cirsmu izstrādes mehanizācija.R.: Zvaigzne, 1987. – 190 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Baltijas koks, ISSN 1407-6667
2. Meža avīze, ISSN 1407-6187
3. SkogForsk Results, ISSN 1103-6222
4. Research for rural development, ISSN 1691-4031

Notes

The study course is included in the compulsory part of full-time and part-time studies of the professional higher education bachelor study program “Forest Engineer” of the Faculty of Forestry.