LNAK10098U Forest and Nature Management Planning
MSc Programme in Forest and Nature Management
MSc Programme in Agriculture
Students of forest and nature management planning need to
understand the complexity of planning and the challenges of
managing forest and nature areas in a sustainable way. For forest
and nature managers, sustainability managing a particular forest or
nature area means determining, in a tangible way, how to use it
today to ensure similar benefits, health and productivity in the
future. Forest and nature managers must assess and integrate a wide
array of sometimes conflicting factors - commercial and
non-commercial values, environmental issues and community needs to
produce sound and useful forest and nature plans. Modern forest and
nature planning requires a new framework for understanding planning
and policy. Trends of expert driven and rationality based decision
processes are being replaced by nonlinear socially constructed
processes engaging both experts and stakeholders. Trends in
appropriate knowledge, where practice expert knowledge is dominant
is replaced by an understanding that knowledge is a social
construction and not only experts but lay people, and people with
unique knowledge possess valid inputs to the basis for planning.
Therefore, forest and nature managers develop their forest plans in
consultation with citizens, businesses, organisations and other
interested parties in and around the areas being managed.
Additionally, plans must be feasible and economically viable.
Acknowledging the trends of planning in a complex world the course
is interdisciplinary, but rests in particular on economic thinking.
The topics taught in the course rest mostly on the rational
planning paradigm. We see planning as a fundamentally rational
element of in intelligent behaviour. Making rational decisions can
be described using a step by step model: identifying issues and
objectives, clarifying objectives, obtaining information on
preferences and priorities, analysing options and possible policy
tools, implementing the plan, controlling and monitoring the
results and achievement of goals, evaluating the plan, and
determining whether the management actions should terminate,
proceed or be adjusted.
The course works its way through what we know about the
prerequisites of informed decision-making, following the logical
steps in identifying aims and objectives, investigating the state
of forest / nature goods and services, and transforming objectives
into management actions with due consideration of for who, when and
how to implement management actions. Students will also acquire
knowledge about reality planning and the relation between means
(e.g. budgets) and ends (objectives).
Knowledge
- Describe the structure, development and variation of ecosystems as well as understand the causes and effects in a scientific perspective
- Identify possibilities/limitations and the ecological tolerance in relation to people’s utilisation of forests and nature
- Understand interactions between physical and biological environments of forests and nature areas
- Understand the implications of climate change on social and environmental systems related to forest and nature areas
- Explain the principles of sustainable utilisation, protection and stewardship of forests and other semi-natural areas
- Summarise economic and policy theory and demonstrate general knowledge of the planning tools utilised in the economic management of forests and nature
- Reflect on the concept of sustainable forest and nature management
- Reflect on the societal and commercial consequences of legislation, regulations and principles of operation in national and international contexts
- Explain key theories and methodologies for management, planning, negotiation and conflict management on the basis of the opinions, interests and values of people
- Reformulate theories, principles and research findings to independently form hypotheses and theories
Skills
- Develop, quantify and apply theoretical and practical models for the productive functions of forests and natural resources – material as well as immaterial
- Apply economic theory and utilise planning tools to analyse and model the welfare and business economic value production of forests and natural resources
- Assess the possibilities and limitations of theories and methodologies
- Tackle problems by collecting, analysing and evaluating appropriate qualitative and quantitative information and using it creatively
- Develop long-term strategies, operational targets and concrete plans for sustainable utilisation and protection of forests and other green resources while bearing in mind social, ecological and economic objectives and limitations
- Practise economic, dynamic and holistic management planning
- Formulate, plan and implement projects
- Incorporate negotiation and conflict resolution strategies and models in the role as manager, consultant or facilitator
- Communicate professional problems and solutions – both orally and in writing – to different target groups
Competences
- Turn demands on our natural surroundings into concrete actions and projects based on a natural science foundation
- Transfer theories and principles to new situations and assume independent and professional responsibility
- Manage operations and development tasks in the framework set out by society (legislation, regulations, realities)
- Display the competence, key skills, behaviour and attitudes required in a professional working life
- Design decision-making processes that bear in mind the power and interests of the players.
- Transfer problem analysis, theories, empirical data collection and analysis into field based reports to meet the objectives of multitudinous stakeholders
- Collaborate constructively with others in interdisciplinary and intercultural contexts
- Independently evaluate and structure own learning processes and assume responsibility for own professional development with a view to life-long learning
- Category
- Hours
- Exam
- 30
- Excursions
- 55
- Guidance
- 4
- Lectures
- 80
- Preparation
- 73
- Project work
- 140
- Theory exercises
- 30
- Total
- 412
As
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Continuing Education - click here!
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Oral examination, One dayWritten assignmentDescription of Examination: The oral exam includes two parts. In the first part each student presents and discusses the forest and nature management report/plan on location. The second part is an examination based on compulsory material. The exam takes place in the case area.
Weight: Oral examination 100% (defence of plan 50%, examination based on compulsory material 50%). Individual oral examination of the management plan and questions based on subjects within the compulsory material. - Exam registration requirements
- Delivery of forest and nature management project report
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- External censorship
- Re-exam
- If 10 or fewer register for the reexamination the examination form will be oral.
Criteria for exam assesment
See learning outcome
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- LNAK10098U
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedule
- Teaching whole Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- Course capacity
- Ingen begrænsning
- Continuing and further education
- Study board
- Study Board of Natural Resources and Environment
Contracting department
- Department of Food and Resource Economics
Course responsibles
- Henrik Meilby (4-716e766e49726f7b7837747e376d74)
- Niels Strange (3-767b7c48716e7a7736737d366c73)