I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Silviculture and Forest Management
2. Course Prefix & Number:
NATR 2235
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 2
Lab Hours: 3
4. Course Description:
This course is designed to familiarize students with basic silvicultural techniques and forest management considerations needed to take care of today’s forests. Topics include cultural techniques used in harvesting, thinning, timber stand improvement, and regeneration. Management considerations for wildlife, watershed, and recreation will be discussed as well. Other topics of discussion will include yearly management and allowable cut information.
5. Placement Tests Required:
6. Prerequisite Courses:
NATR 2235 - Silviculture and Forest Management
All Credit(s) from the following...
8. Prerequisite (Entry) Skills:
Needs to be able to use a compass and read various maps, have pacing skills, and be able to use GPS and GIS. Needs to be able to identify trees and understand the silvics and site ecology and characteristics of an area.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
NATR 2235 - Silviculture and Forest Management
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:
Name of Institution |
Course Number and Title |
Credits |
University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point |
Forestry 320 – is a summer camp credit |
3 |
University of Minnesota – Crookston |
Natr 1244 Elements of Forestry – it includes our Dendrology as well |
4 |
2. Transfer - regional institutions with which this course has a written articulation agreement:
Name of Institution |
Date of Acceptance |
Discipline/Area/Program of Transfer |
University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point |
Updated 4-16-09 |
NRES 250 + Forestry 320 + Soils 359 |
University of Minnesota – Crookston |
12-04-2008 |
NatR Emphases - Elements of Forestry |
3. Prior Learning - the following prior learning methods are acceptable for this course:
- Written
- Oral
- Demonstration
- Portfolio
III. Course Purpose
1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):
Natural Resources, AAS Degree
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
Utilize appropriate technology |
Use GPS/GIS technologies as well as other forest tools to collect data |
Apply ethical principles in decision-making |
Use appropriate environmental and ecological forest principles to create management plans |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
- Take various tree measurements appropriately.
- Determine a site index from a particular site.
- Collect the appropriate data using different timber cruising techniques.
- Classify the various categories of trees within the forest.
- Determine best harvesting techniques for any particular forest type.
- Determine best kinds of timber stand improvement methods.
- Determine thinning procedures for a particular stand.
- Determine various kinds of site preparation and regeneration techniques.
- Work safely in a forest environment throughout the year.
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
1. Discuss and analyze the differences between Silvics, Silviculture and Forest Management and why we study these aspects of forestry |
2. Discuss and determine and analyze tree age, site index and site factors such as soil, light and moisture |
3. Discuss and analyze the classification of trees within the forest |
4. Discuss and analyze the various classifications of Forests |
5. Describe, discuss and analyze the characteristics that govern the handling of forest types |
6. Describe and discuss the various intermediate cuttings |
7. Describe and discuss spacing determination |
8. Describe and discuss the various harvesting systems |
9. Describe and discuss the considerations for marking damaged and defecting trees |
10. Describe consideration in selecting trees under partial cutting systems. |
11. Describe site prep and the various kinds of reforestation |
12. Describe consideration in caring for the young forest |
13. Describe and discuss seasonal work loads |
15. Describe, discuss, and analyze the forest Management plan |
14. Describe, discuss and determine from data sustained yields, growing stock, and allowable cut |
15. Discuss stumpage values |
- Discuss and analyze the differences between Silvics, Silviculture and Forest Management and why we study these aspects of forestry
- Discuss and determine and analyze tree age, site index and site factors such as soil, light and moisture
- Discuss and analyze the classification of trees within the forest
- Discuss and analyze the various classifications of Forests
- Describe, discuss and analyze the characteristics that govern the handling of forest types
- Describe and discuss the various intermediate cuttings
- Describe and discuss spacing determination
- Describe and discuss the various harvesting systems
- Describe and discuss the considerations for marking damaged and defecting trees
- Describe consideration in selecting trees under partial cutting systems.
- Describe site prep and the various kinds of reforestation
- Describe consideration in caring for the young forest
- Describe and discuss seasonal work loads
- Describe, discuss, and analyze the forest Management plan
- Describe, discuss and determine from data sustained yields, growing stock, and allowable cut
- Discuss stumpage values
2. Laboratory/Studio Sessions
- Determine site index using appropriate tools and charts
- Determine dominant, co-dominant, intermediate and suppressed trees with a forest stand
- Work with line a plot method of timber cruising – discussing cords and board foot volumes and calculations
- Work with wedge prism method of cruising
- Mark trees for thinning suing wedge prism – mark crop trees within the stand
- Cruise a timber sale and write it up on DNR Timber sale form – 2 weeks
- Make type maps for timber sale
- Work in teams on a timber management plan – 3 weeks
- Calculate growing stock and allowable cut determinations from given data
- Visit a logging job and discuss the logging operation with logger
- Go to a paper mill
- Work with Forester and discuss the various aspects to the Forest site.
- Present management plans to class
1. Determine site index using appropriate tools and charts |
2. Determine dominant, co-dominant, intermediate and suppressed trees with a forest stand |
3. Work with line a plot method of timber cruising – discussing cords and board foot volumes and calculations |
4. Work with wedge prism method of cruising |
5. Mark trees for thinning suing wedge prism – mark crop trees within the stand |
6. Cruise a timber sale and write it up on DNR Timber sale form – 2 weeks |
7. Make type maps for timber sale |
8. Work in teams on a timber management plan – 3 weeks |
9. Calculate growing stock and allowable cut determinations from given data |
10. Visit a logging job and discuss the logging operation with logger |
11. Go to a paper mill |
12. Work with Forester and discuss the various aspects to the Forest site. |
13. Present management plans to class |