LNAK10104U Location Specific Knowledge and Fieldwork in Temperate Forest and Nature Management

Volume 2022/2023
Education

MSc Programme in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management

Content

The course is a preparatory course for the subsequent course in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management. The course includes training in locating and assessing location specific literature; conducting critical online discussions as part of project preparation; preparing and analysing empirically based studies on contemporary sustainable forest and naturemanagement topics; discussing the selection of appropriate data collection instruments; discussing a potential fieldwork project proposal.

The course deals mainly with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):

 

SDG 7: Clean and affordable energy:  Forests contribute to SDG 7 through four pathways: sustainable use of traditional wood fuels, processed wood fuels, liquid biofuels and biopower. In this course we focus on the role of forests as a clean and affordable energy in the green transition.

 

SDG 12. Responsible consumption and production. This course focus on how sustainable forest and nature management contributes to responsible consumption and production, promoting resource and energy efficiency, providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs and a better quality of life for all. Sustainable forest management helps society to achieve overall development, reduce future economic, environmental and social costs, strengthen economic competitiveness and reduce poverty.

 

SDG13. Climate Action: Forests play a significant role in mitigating climate change. The course specifically focuses on how forests can be managed to mitigate rather than contribute to global climate change.

 

SDG15. Life on Land: In addition to carbon storage and C02 sequestration, forests, especially natural forests, are habitats for most of the Earth's terrestrial life forms. Further, the hydrological functions of forests contribute to life-supporting rivers and streams throughout the world.

 

Digitization is included in the course as part of: digital information collection as part of literature search

Learning Outcome

The aim is to impart a thorough understanding of the importance of field work preparation. It includes a systematic review of literature within contemporay topics  within sustainable forest and nature management. The course is providing the fundament for the course Sustainable Forest and Nature Management.

Knowledge: An in-depth factual location specific knowledge, building on theoretical knowledge obtained in other courses, relevant to temperate forest and nature management issues

Skills: The course will develop students’ theoretical and practical skills with emphasis on (i) ability to collect, analyse and evaluate appropriate qualitative and quantitative information, and combining this with (ii) choice of appropriate research tools in order to plan high quality field work.

Competences: Students will learn to apply theory and methods within sustainable forest and nature management to describe and predict problems and develop suggestions for their solutions. In-depth location specific factual knowledge; ability to collect, analyse and evaluation qualitative and quantitative information; ability to select and design relevant data collection instruments; ability to design coherent research project proposal; ability to reflect on risks and ethics in relation to data collection in developing countries.

this course is a prerequisite course for the summer course Sustainable Forest and Nature Management

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Teaching is done through internet based e-modules. Each module contains well-defined learning objectives, literature and exercises, including multiple-choice self-tests and mediated online discussions. Students will work in inter-institutional virtual groups to arrive at project proposals that will form the basis for field work in the Joint Summer Module
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 10
  • Preparation
  • 20
  • Project work
  • 166
  • Guidance
  • 10
  • Total
  • 206
Continuous feedback during the course
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Type of assessment details
Description of Examination: Each student will develop a literature and research synopsis. Final grade will be based 100 % on the synopsis.

Weight: Research synopsis 100%.
Exam registration requirements

Each of the 3-5 topical modules must be approved.

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
One internal examiner
Re-exam

Same as ordinary.

If the 3 -5 modules has not been approved before the ordinary exam, the students must get them approved before the reexam.

 

Criteria for exam assesment

To obtain the grade 12 the student must fullfill the Learning Outcome