Course Outline
- Assignments
- Field Exercises
- Final exam
Course Description
Detailed analysis of the engineering, economic, and environmental factors influencing forest operations planning. Topics on advanced forest road location, slope stability, harvest unit design, and harvest scheduling in an integrated resource framework are centered around practical planning projects.
Intended Student
You will have a basic knowledge of forest measurements and surveys and will be familiar with the equipment used in the field and office. Normally you will have completed courses in basic forest surveying and an initial course in Forest Operations (FOPR 361).
As a student in this course, you will probably relate to one of the following descriptions:
- You are planning to enter the Faculty of Forestry at UBC and you want to complete some of the required courses in the BSF program in advance. You may be entering from other programs, transferring from community colleges, or are progressing from a technical program after having worked in a forest resource environment.
- You are a professional or technician associated with or working directly in forest resource management and wish to advance your professional credentials while maintaining your employment. You may have a related degree or diploma in biological, environmental, or applied sciences, but do not have all the course requirements to become a professional forester (RPF) or a professional forest engineer (P.Eng.).
- You are interested in advancing your knowledge of this phase of the management of forest resources.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be prepared to:
- Recognize methods or systems that can be used to plan for both timber and non-timber resource objectives and to integrate objectives in operations planning.
- Plan an area with several resource objectives.
- Determine basic optimum alternatives.
- Plan for safe and effective operations.
You will also exercise your independent thinking skills, and you will develop in your understanding of professional expectations in this field.
Course Overview
The course is divided into 9 modules:
Module 1: Setting Objectives and Measuring Results
Module 2: Overview of Harvesting Systems
Module 3: Operational Planning
Module 4: Optimization
Module 5: Landscape Level Planning and Scheduling
Module 6: Harvesting Systems
Module 7: Production Analysis
Evaluation
Your course grade will be based on the following breakdown of marks:
Assignments 60%
Final exam 40%
TOTAL 100%
In order to pass the course, you must:
- complete all lessons and exercises
- submit all assignments for grading prior to the final exam
- obtain a passing grade (50%) in the final exam
- obtain an overall passing mark (50%) for the course
Assignments
You will apply some of the technical training through self-supervised assignments. If you have practical experience in the area of any assignment, you may obtain exemption from all or part of the assignment by presenting adequate evidence of that experience.
Final Exam
The Final Exam will be an invigilated, 2.5-hour session at a convenient location.
Textbooks and Readings
There are no required textbooks for the course. Rather, you will be asked to complete a variety of readings. Most readings are available online.
