Course Code: C185

Course Title: Sustainable Forest Management

College: SOAS CEDEP

Course Director: Laurence Smith

Course Description: Forests are important sources of products and environmental services, and yet are disappearing or threatened in most tropical and many temperate regions. Well managed forests with appropriate conservation measures can deliver society’s needs in a sustainable way. Understanding how and why is central to this module. Beginning with an introduction to key concepts, issues and protocols and an overview of the global forest estate, the module builds an understanding of sustainable forest management from its foundation in ecological principles, markets for forest products and environmental services and local to global forest and environmental policies. A solid knowledge of the principles and practice of forest management planning, implementation and monitoring is developed and related to the requirements of sustainable forest management certification.

Overall learning aims:
1.    Provide a broad appreciation of the extent and character of the global forest estate, as well as drivers of, and responses to, changes in forest cover.
2.    Explain how forests function and interact with wider ecosystem processes to provide environmental services.
3.    Illuminate the different ways in which people and societies relate to and utilise forest resources: livelihoods, lifestyles, and legal and policy frameworks.
4.    Explain the concept of ‘silvicultural system’ and provide examples of their practical application in semi-natural and plantation forests.
5.    Examine the process of forest management planning, implementation and monitoring.
6.    Provide an introduction to sustainable forest management certification protocols and examine the principles and criteria of Forest Stewardship Council certification and the certification process.
7.    Consider carbon offsetting and ‘payment for ecosystem services’ models as mechanisms for funding biodiversity conservation and alleviating poverty in forest-dependent communities.
8.    Discuss and analyse the history of international forest policy and consider future development trajectories.

Scope and Syllabus

PART I: Introduction to Sustainable Forest Management
Unit 1: Introduction to Sustainable Forest Management: Concepts, Issues and Protocols
Unit 2: The Global Forest Estate and International Trade in Forest Products and Services
Unit 3: Forest Ecology and the Biosphere
Unit 4: Forests and Society

PART II: Learning to Manage Forest Sustainably
Unit 5: Silvicultural Systems and the Management of Semi-natural Forests and Plantations
Unit 6: Elements of Silvicultural Systems: Forestry Operations and Technology
Unit 7: Management Planning, Implementation and Monitoring

PART III: Forest Certification and Carbon Credits
Unit 8: Forest Certification
Unit 9: Carbon Offsetting: Funding afforestation, conserving biodiversity and alleviating poverty
Unit 10: SFM: Progress towards a more sustainable future?

Assessment: Exam: 100%

Course Credit: All SOAS CeDEP short course students receive a certificate of completion. Students of SOAS CeDEP Short Courses who may wish to transfer credit to Certificate, Diploma or Masters-level programmes are advised to select short courses which also act as Core Modules on CeDEP’s various programmes.

Course Study Hours/Duration: 240 hrs over 35 weeks

Schedule of Availability: Feb –Oct (Enrolment deadline of 30th November to start in February the following year).

Delivery Mechanisms: , CD-Rom, Online Discussion/Learning Environment

Cost: £960

How to apply: To enquire about applying for this course, or for any other information, please contact the Course Administrator using the online Enquiry Form below