This course is designed to be taken without an instructor. You will not be submitting any assignments. However, there will be a number of self-assessment tests and quizzes throughout the course to enable you to gauge your learning. To assist you in information exchange, there is an online discussion forum, Knowledge Café, for this course where you can post your insights, comments, inquiries, and other feedback about the topics to other participants of the course. Since this is a self-directed course, the Knowledge Café is a platform for sharing and expanding your online experiences, ideas and field observations with respect to each module. We hope that you will enjoy the course and learn a lot about forest restoration and plantation development.
This online course will provide you with an understanding of the principles of restoration of degraded forests and setting and developing plantations. The course will cover basics of forest ecology, forest carbon and nutrient cycling, and what impact climate and site have on forest functioning. We discuss properties of degraded forests and ways of its restoration, as well as setting up a plantation.
How to advance in the course?
The course consists of three sections called ‘Learning Modules’ with each including three topics and practical exercises. The course is designed to be undertaken on a weekly schedule.
A word of advice
We advise you to establish a routine for taking this course. Just set up some regular times during the week or weekend if you are working, and don’t put it aside once you are started!