Multifunctional forest management

Abstract

Multifunctional forest management needs to controle natural processes such that they efficiently provide the diverse services and goods for society in a sustainable and close to nature way. This course provides the the basic knowledge, the principles and the management tools for succesfull multifunctional forest management

Objective

Forests in heavily populated areas need to provide diverse ecosystem services and goods for the benefits of society. Multifunctional forest management thus needs to control natural processes such that they efficiently provide these services and goods in a sustainable and close to nature way. This course provides the knowledge, the principles and the management tools for multifunctional forest management. Different strategies and mangsement options are presented and discussed

Content

Identification of social needs for the multi-dimensional ecosystem goods and services and their transformation into detailled objectives (profiles) regarding ecosystem functions, stuctures and processes Understanding of the important natural processes and their spatial and temporal dynamics in the most important forest ecosystems of Europe Identification of critical, relevant processes and ecosystem conditions for the different objecitves (profiles) Development of managementoptions and -strategies and assessement of their effects on ecosystem goods and services Requirements for modern, multifunctional forest management from a Swiss and European perspective - strategies and possible solutions

Resources