Introduction & Outcomes

Introduction

This first module of the course sets the stage for the rest of the course on natural forest management in the tropics. It starts with consideration of the various roles played by tropical forest managers, but then provides course participants with the opportunity to introduce themselves to the instructor and each other. To this end there are a series of assignments including your selection of a particular forest on which you will focus for the remainder of the course. This forest can be one in which you work, plan to work, or can imagine working. However you select your forest, it is one about which you will learn and communicate a great deal during this course.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

• Discuss some of the opportunities and limitations on the roles of natural forest managers in the tropics.
• Describe the forest in which you will focus for the remainder of this course.
• Discuss some of the published descriptions of your forest or similar areas in terms of structure, composition, dynamics, and management.

Fundamental Topics

Instructions: Read Topics 1.1 - 1.2 from the embedded FODE014 e-Notebook below for Module 1.

Self-check Quiz (For certification learning only)

After reading fundamental concepts for this topic, take up to 5 minutes to take an online self-check quiz for the topic. The main purpose of the quiz is for you to self-check how well you grasp the contents for this topic. You can take the quiz a second time if necessary. When you are ready, click the link Online Quiz 1 to start taking the quiz.

Recommended Supplementary Readings

• Dawkins, H.C., and M.S. Philip. 1998. Tropical Most Forest Silviculture and Management. CABI, Wallingford, UK.
• Ghazoul, J. and D. Sheil. 2010. Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
• Günter, S., M. Weber, B. Stimm, and R. Mosandl, editors. 2011. Silviculture in the Tropics. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.
• Lamprecht, H. 1989. Silviculture in the Tropics. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Eschborn, Germany.

Activities & Assignments (For certificate learning only)

Online Discussions

On the Module 1 Discussion board , post a narrated 3-5-slide powerpoint presentation of the forest on which you decided to focus for this course. Included should be a map showing your country and your forest and some sort of picture of the forest type (can be downloaded from the web.

Graded Assignments

Follow the instructions at Module 1 Assignment to complete and submit the assignments for this module. 

Summary

The module summary goes here...

Self Review (For self learning)

Please use the reflection question below as study guide to conduct self-review for the topic:

• Why might silviculture be described as both the “art” and the “science” of forest management?