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Risk Assessment in Forestry

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Biol1012, Forest Botany

Biol2002, Dendrology

Fizi2037, Physics and Meteorology

LauZ2057, Forest Soil Science

LauZ3084, Forest Protection

MežZ2011, Forest Science

MežZ3003, Forest Tree Improvement

MežZ3068, Intoduction to Forestry

VidZ3006, Ecology and Environmental Protection

Course abstract

The study course “Forestry Risk Management” examines the impact of biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors on the forest ecosystem. Students get an overview of the possibilities of risk forecasting and prevention and the impact of the decisions made in the future. The study process analyses the available decision support system models and tools, and the possibilities of their use in forest management.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Knows and are capable of identifying the diverse types of abiotic, biotic and anthropogenic risks, criteria for the quality and state of health of forest ecosystems, principles of economically justified and nature-friendly forest management - Test work 1 and 2;
2. Are able to identify and formulate forest risk factors, find solutions to minimise the negative impacts of risks – tasks of practical works;
3. Capable of exploiting acquired knowledge and skills by independently diagnosing risks in forestry, preventing and forecasting the effects of sustainable forestry – workshops and test work 2

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introduction. Basics of Risk Theory (2 hours)
2. Risks in forestry, their impacts on sustainable forestry (2 hours)
3. Strategic and tactical planning in forestry (1 hour)
4. Forest management decision support tools (3 hours)
5. Abiotic risk factors. Wind (2 hours)
6. Abiotic risk factors. Solar radiation. Temperature. Changes in vegetation period length. Recurrence of drought periods. Increase in winter period temperatures (2 hours)
7. Abiotic risk factors. Wildfires (2 hours)
8. Abiotic risk factors. Effects of increasing CO2 concentration. Forestry and GHG Emissions (2 hours)
9. Abiotic risk factors. Precipitation (2 hours)
10. Test 1. Strategic and tactical planning in forestry, management decision support tools, abiotic risk factors (1 hours)
11. Biotic risk factors. Cloven-hoofed game animals. Rodents (2 hours)
12. Biotic risk factors. Insects (2 hours)
13. Biotic risk factors. Diseases caused by fungi and bacteria (2 hours)
14. Anthropogenic risk factors. Social risks. Subjectivity in decision making (2 hours)
15. Anthropogenic risk factors. The role of selecting forest reproductive material (2 hours)
16. Anthropogenic risk factors. Working environmental risks in forestry (2 hours)
17. Test 2. Biotic and anthropogenic risks, criteria for health condition of forest ecosystems, principles of economically sound and nature-friendly forest management (1 hour)

Requirements for awarding credit points

75 % attended lectures and practical works.
Two theoretical quizzes have been successfully written (above 50%), duly designed and defended tasks of practical work.
As part of the group work, a summary of results of 4 scientific articles in English has to be submitted to the workshop. Prepared presentation of results correctly designed, results presented.
Test with grade.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

For workshop lessons: Students in groups seek, collect and analyze information on problems, their solutions in scientific articles/studies of researchers and practitioners on a specific topic they choose. The summary of results shall be submitted electronically in the Word/PDF format and presented to the other members of the course.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The countdown rating shall consist of an arithmetic mean of:
• 2 assessment of theoretical test works;
• the accumulated assessment of practical works;
• content assessment of materials prepared for workshops;
• Skills rating for the group presentation.

Compulsory reading

1. Handbook of forest resource economics. Edited by S. Kant and J. R.R. Alavalapati. Abingdon: Routledge, 2014. 559 p.
2. Gardiner, B., Schuck, A., Schelhaas, M.-J., Orazio, C., Blennow, K., Nicoll, B. (Eds.), 2013. Living With Storm Damage to Forests: What Science Can Tell Us
3. European Forest Institute. Edinburg University Forest Risk platform: [tiešsaiste] Pieejams: https://forestrisks.net/

Further reading

1. Seppälä R., Buck A., Katila P. Adaptation of Forests and People to Climate Change: A Global Assessment Report. Tampere: Esa-Print Oy, 2009. 224 p.
2. Mohren G.M.J. Impacts of Global Change on Tree Physiology and Forest Ecosystems. Dordecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997. 196 p.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Nature Climate Change ISSN 1758-678X
2. Global Change Biology ISSN 1365-2486 EFI risks platform: https://www.riskplatform.org/

Notes

Study course of Part B (limited choice) of the academic bachelor study program “Forest Science”