Concepts of Forest Management

Abstract

Forests and landscape are influenced by the numerous needs of society. Current conditions are largely the result of historical and modern forms of forest management. For a profound understanding of these systems and for the development of future, adaptive management concepts, basic knowledge of the past and current concepts of forest management are essential.

Objective

At the end of this course, students will be able to: - Describe and compare historical and contemporary forest management approaches, and explain their effects on forest ecosystems and landscapes. - Assess the multiple functions of forests (e.g., ecosystem services and products), and propose forest management and silvicultural strategies that aim to fulfill these functions while minimizing potential conflicts. - Explain the particularities of different silvicultural systems, and evaluate their ecological, economic and social effects and implications for forest dynamics, including their suitability for fulfilling various forest functions.

Content

- Historical concepts of forest management, experiences and "lessons learned" - Goods and services of forests (in the past, today) - Introduction to forest management concepts (even aged and uneven aged systems, historical forms, multifunctional utilisation concepts) - Advantages and disadvantages of the various concepts (economy, ecology, forest and landscape functions, environment, habitats, biodiversity)

Resources