The objectives of this course are to introduce you to the theory and practice of: (a) forest restoration and (b) forest plantation development. You need to understand how forests regenerate and develop through stages of maturity, including the emergence of a range of crown classes in a stand. The objectives of this course include revising the ecosystem paradigm and the key ecosystem processes of nutrient cycling and forest productivity, because trees in restored forests and plantations are limited by access to light, water, and nutrients.
Relevant components
- Global perspective of ecosystem ecology and the ecosystem paradigm
- Forest productivity and nutrient cycles
After taking this course you should be able to:
- Define and describe the main processes of forest functioning including forest carbon and nutrient cycles
- Recognize and describe properties of degraded forests and principles of forest restoration
- Explain restoration strategies and describe methods to assess success of restoration activities
- Describe in detail all stages in the development of a forest plantation enterprise, and give examples from existing plantation projects in the Asia-Pacific region