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Silviculture I

Course developer

Course abstract

The aim of the course is to provide information on the importance and impact of young stand management (tending, precommercial thinning) on the future development of the stand. After completing the course, students are familiar with the types, techniques, technology of precommerical thinning and are competent to prepare and justify (based on financial calculations) recommendations for the precommercial thinning plan for forest estate with defined forest management objectives.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. The student is familiar with techniques of management of young stands and the possibilities of changing the composition of stands (seminars, Test 1).
2. The student is able to calculate the impact of precommercial thinning on the growth (forest inventory parameters) and financial value the stand over the rotation period (seminars, Test 2).
3. The student is competent to prepare and justify a management plan for young stands for a given forest property / manager (seminars and practical clases).

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Dynamics of precommercial thinning in private forests and factors affecting it, possibilities to improve the outcome of young stand management.
2. The aims of precommercial thinning and its influence on the productivity of the stand.
3. Influence of precommercial thinning on the stem quality, outcome (amount and structure) of different assortments and probability of damages; influence of management of young stands in financial value over its rotation period (life cycle).
4. Assessment (calculation) of the financial effect of the precommercial thinning – group work and individual assignments.
5. Impact of regeneration and precommercial thinning of resistance and resilience of stands, probabilities of occurrence of different damages – field seminar. Test 1.
6. Stand density and thinning in plantation forests.
7. Technologies of precommercial thinning.
8. Technical solutions of precommercial thinning, their advantages and disadvantages.
9. Precommercial thinning in natural regeneration, change of main species in the stand.
10. Effective precommercial thinning regime – field seminar. Test 2.
11. Impact of delayed precommercial thinning; intensive self-thinning and decline of stands.
12. The role of forest regeneration and reforestation in determining the carbon pool and sequestration.
13. Carbon sequestration in young stands on different soils - field seminar

14.Preparation of precommercial thinning plan - group work and individual assignments.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Course assessment - exam
The seminar should be attended and the given tasks performed. Individual tasks completed and credited; two tests given during the course completed. Exam in the form of test (choice) and open questions at the end of the course. For a successful completion of the exam, at least 50% of answers must be correct.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Systematic studies of theory based on the course plan and assignments. Preparation for seminars (based on provided literature), active participation in discussions and preparation and completion of individual assignments.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Knowledge, skills and competencies are assessed on a 10-point scale.
Student is admitted to exam (100 %) if 2 tests, practical work, and submitted 2 reports are successfully arranged.
The exam consists of 3 theoretical questions and a calculation task.
It is possible to obtain an automatic knowledge assessment if the grade of 3 tests (each 20 %) and independent work (total 40 %) until the exam is 8 (very good) or higher.

Compulsory reading

1. Uotila K. Optimization of early cleaning and precommercial thinning methods in juvenile stand management of Norway spruce stands. UH, Finland, 2017. 42 p. ISSN: 2323-9220 Pieejams:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312036738_Optimization_of_early_cleaning_and_precommercial_thinning_methods_in_juvenile_stand_management_of_Norway
2. Amacher G.S., Ollikainen M., Koskela E. Economics of Forest Resources. London, England: The MIT Press, 2019. ISBN 978-0-262-01248-5
3.Zālītis P., Jansons J. Mērķtiecīgi izveidoto kokaudžu struktūra. Salaspils: Latvijas Valsts Mežzinātnes institūts "Silava", 2009.

Further reading

Fahlvik N. Aspects of precommercial thinning in heterogeneous forests in southern Sweden. SLU, Sweden 2005. ISSN: 1652-6880 Pieejams: https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/862/

Notes

For students of academic bachelor program “Sustainable forestry”