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Forestry and Environmental Interaction

Course developers

Course abstract

In Latvia, significant part of forests is located in waterlogged or drained areas with specific ecological conditions. These need to be understood, in order to make decisions about management and protection of these areas. Forest drainage and drainage system maintenance has an impact on forest growth, water quality and other ecosystem components, and it needs to be taken into consideration in planning forest management operations. The construction of forest roads is related to significant changes in the landscape and the establishment of new structures. Consequently, aspects of forest road building and forest drainage systems renovation that have environmental impacts, forest ecosystem functions and ecosystem services provided by the forest should be considered. Climate change has significant impact on the hydrological regime, and it may cause a number of management challenges in the future. The course will provide insight into above-mentioned topics.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

After the course the students will have obtained knowledge about hydrological processes in forest ecosystems and ecological significance of forest drainage and the environmental impacts of forest road building. Students will be able to evaluate the management alternatives of waterlogged and drained forests, use of infrastructure to reduce the impact of management (logging) on forest soil and water, as well as the water regime-related management challenges in the context of climate change. Students will have acquired competence in making management decisions and pursuing further scientific studies of questions related to forest hydrology and infrastructure.

Course Content(Calendar)

Total 64 h (36 h lectures, 28 h practical works)
Topic 1. Ecosystem and its influencing factors. Water in nature, water cycle. Interaction between water and terrestrial ecosystems. Types of water. Groundwater. Depression curve. Confined aquifers. Water in forest ecosystems. Water cycle in forest.
3 h lecture, 1 h practice
Topic 2. Latvian forest typology. Forest and wetland ecosystems. Peatlands. Peat resources and their utilization. Recultivation of peatlands.
2 h lecture, 2 h practice
Topic 3. Waterlogging of forests. Water and nutrient transport in the trees. The impact of excess moisture on forest ecosystem. Aeration. Root functions. Mycorrhiza.
4 h lecture
Topic 4. Melioration, history, types. The importance of drainage in increasing forest growth, the impact on soil and tree stand. Drainage methods. Forest drainage systems and its parts.
4 h lecture
Topic 5. The impact of forest management (logging, building of forest infrastructure) on water regime and nutrient cycling. The specifics of nutrient cycling in drained forests. Beaver activity and its impact.
3 h lecture, 1 h practice
Topic 6. Forest drainage system renovation. Requirements and methods for water quality protection.
4 h lecture, 2 h practice
Topic 7. Climate change interaction with water cycle and forest management. Risks and opportunities. Water retention measures. Examples from Latvia and abroad, collaboration and knowledge exchange.
4 h lecture, 2 h practice
Topic 8. Water quality evaluation in forest drainage systems, evaluation of management alternatives. Ecological functionality of forest buffers. Evaluation of beaver activity impact.
16 h outdoor practice
Topic 9. Forest road planning. Calculation of the optimal density of the forest road network. Steps in creating a forest road network.
3 h lecture, 2 h practice
Topic 10. Impact of forest road construction on the environment, forest ecosystem functions and ecosystem services provided by forests.
3 h lecture
Topic 11. Forest road construction technologies. Use of innovative technologies in construction of infrastructure objects. Using wood in road pavement structures and road pavement base.
3 h lecture, 2 h practice
Topic 12. Reducing the impact of forest management (logging) on forest soil and water by using forest infrastructure - roads, drainage systems, bridges, culverts, timber shields and other solutions.
3 h lecture

Requirements for awarding credit points

Two passed tests and test work, active participation in practices and seminars, one presented scientific paper to the audience.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Students are provided with access to study literature in Latvian and English, as well as links to useful online resources. They are given clear requirements for tasks of the course. Consultations are available.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The assessment of tests and test work is calculated according to the proportion of correct responses from the total number of questions (20 questions in test 1,15 questions in test 2 and 4-5 questions in the test work). Participation in seminars and presentation are assessed according to work quality, student engagement and understanding of study topics.

Compulsory reading

Zālītis P. Mežs un ūdens. Salaspils, LVMI “Silava”, ISBN 978-9934-8016-6-2
Zālītis P. Mežkopības priekšnosacījumi. Rīga, et cetera, . ISBN 9984-19-976-2
Chang M. Forest hydrology: An introduction to water and forests. ISBN 0-8493-1363-5
Meža infrastruktūras objektu projektēšanas tehniskie noteikumi. 2015. AS "Latvijas valsts meži". 4. izdevums. Rīga: AS LVM, 2015. 88 lpp.
Meža autoceļu rokasgrāmata. G. Ašmanis, M. Neicinieks, A. Neimanis u.c. Rīga: AS LVM, 2012.96 lpp.
Drēska A. Meža autoceļi: mācību līdzeklis. LLU Meža fakultātes studentiem un nozares speciālistiem, Jelgava: LLU, 2014. 120 lpp.

Further reading

Melecis V. Ekoloģija. LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2011. ISBN 978-9984-45-422-1
Latvijas ekosistēmu dinamika klimata ietekmē. J. Aigars (red.). Rīga: Latvijas Universitātes Akadēmiskais apgāds: Daugavpils Universitātes aģentūra "Latvijas Hidroekoloģijas institūts", 2018. ISBN 978-9934-18-381-2
Beckers J., Smerdon B., Wilson M. Review of hydrologic models for forest management and climate change applications in British Columbia and Alberta [tiešsaiste]. 2009. ISSN 1495-9658 [skatīts 16.06.2021.] Pieejams: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.695.9840&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Kūdras ieguves ietekmētu teritoriju atbildīga apsaimniekošana un ilgtspējīga izmantošana. A.Priede, A.Gancone (red.). 2019.
[skatīts 16.06.2021.] Pieejams: http://baltijaskrasti.lv/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ZEMA_IZSKITRSPEJA_Kudras-ieguves-ietekmetu-teritoriju-apsaimniekosana.pdf
Pakalne M., Strazdiņa L. Augsto purvu apsaimniekošana bioloģiskās daudzveidības saglabāšanai Latvijā. Red.: Ma Pakalne, L. Strazdiņa. Rīga: Latvijas Universitāte, 2013. 244 lpp. ISBN 978-9934-517-37-2
Pieejams arī tiešsaistē. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/80603611.pdf
Jeļisējevs B. Ceļu būves un ceļu uzturēšanas darbu organizācija un tehnoloģija: mācību līdzeklis. Smiltene: Smiltenes 29. arodvidusskola, 2006. 208 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

Baltic Forestry. Pieejams: https://www.balticforestry.mi.lt/bf/
Boreal Environmental Research. Pieejams: http://www.borenv.net/about.html
Hydrological Processes. Pieejams: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10991085
Journal of Hydrology. Pieejams: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-hydrology
Silva Fennica. Pieejams: https://silvafennica.fi/ Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. Pieejams: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/sfor20/current
ROADEX Publications. Pieejams: https://www.roadex.org/services/knowledge-center/publications/

Notes

The study course is included in the section of optional study courses of the Master's study program in Forestry science.