FOR 468: Forest Management Planning

Course Code: FOR 468

Course Description

Depending on the type of ownership, foresters must assume varied roles and use different tools to identify and manage given objectives. Therefore, this course addresses the fundamental decisions foresters and land managers make in managing forests for diverse ownership objectives across stands and forests. The general focus is on timber production to generate revenue, maintain active forest management, and facilitate other ownership objectives. The course considers basic tools used in making informed and defensible management decisions, including financial analysis at the stand and forest levels. The course also addresses contemporary topics, such as management strategies for non-timber products, including biomass, mass timber, and carbon.

Course Objectives

Students will be able to:

Recognize and manage diverse ownership objectives.
Apply financial analysis to evaluate stand-level management decisions.
Calculate forest property value based on expected revenues from timber production and/or alternative products.
Explain, calculate, and interpret management tools such as land expectation value, standard forest values, and long-term sustained Yield for forested properties.
Develop an ownership-specific forest management plan.
Demonstrate skills with visualization software and spatial presentations of data and resources.
Identify critical variables needed to develop and evaluate a timber sale bid.
Know key inputs to harvest schedule—when to harvest which sales, given constraints on operating season, production targets/limits, and expected revenue.
Demonstrate improved problem-solving, written and oral communication, and computer skills.