Landscape Level Forest Management Planning

Abstract

This course covers and integrates knowledge from the disciplines of landscape level forest management planning, ecology, and forest economics. Students will apply knowledge and methods acquired throughout their studies to real-world case studies, make forecasts about the development of forest ecosystems, prescribe realistic management solutions, and assess the economic consequences.

Objective

After participating in this course, students will be able to: • Identify and integrate environmental, social and economic objectives for managing a forest. • Design landscape level forest management concepts to meet these objectives. • Identify criteria and indicators appropriate for assessing and monitoring the success of alternative forest management approaches in achieving their objectives. • Select and apply appropriate investment appraisal methods to assess the short- and long-term monetary consequences of forest management alternatives. • Critically evaluate economic indicators in relation to decision-makers’ preferences, risk attitudes, and decision contexts. • Examine different management strategies applying the theoretical concepts and develop a forest management plan for a real-world forest enterprise aligned with defined objectives. • Construct and defend a comprehensive landscape level forest management plan. Additionally, students will strengthen their soft skills, such as giving constructive peer feedback and collaborating effectively in diverse teams.

Content

The course combines lectures with applied group work. During the first seven weeks, students explore key topics in forest management planning and forest economics. In the second part of the course, they apply these concepts by developing a forest management plan for a real-world forest enterprise. This includes addressing multiple stakeholder objectives, developing and evaluating management scenarios, presenting their plan to their peers and local stakeholders, and peer-feedback. The lecture topics include: • Introduction to Forest Management Planning (FMP):What is FMP? What is a Waldentwicklungsplan and how does it relate to long-term forest development? • Historical and Classical Planning Approaches: Evolution of forest management, from sustained yield to multi-functional and ecosystem-based planning. • Understanding the Forest System: Forests as complex, dynamic systems – key ecological and management concepts relevant to FMP • Defining Management Goals: Translating societal, ecological, and economic objectives into actionable management targets. • Planning Activities and Forecasting Tools: How to select management measures and apply forest models to support decision-making and scenario development. • Structure and Components of a Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP): From inventory to implementation – the essential building blocks of a strategic and operational plan. • Forest Policy and Legal Frameworks: National and international policy context, legal constraints, and planning mandates. • Certification and Indicators of Sustainability: Role of forest certification and the use of sustainability criteria and indicators (with input from external FSC experts). • Foundations of forest economics, including types of preferences and frameworks for rational decision-making. • Static methods for investment appraisal to support forestry-related decision-making. • Time preference and dynamic investment methods, including net present value and internal rate of return. • Estimation and analysis of cash flows from forest management measures, from stand establishment to harvesting. • Economic management of scarce resources based on the Faustmann-Pressler-Ohlin theorem, including opportunity costs and Land Expectation Value. • Risk preferences and economic approaches to account for natural disturbances in forest management decisions. • Introduction to innovation in forest enterprises, with application of the Business Model Canvas.

Resources