Forest Assessment and Monitoring

Subject FRST90019 (2013)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2013.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2013.

Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 24 hours of lectures, 36 hours practical work and excursions, delivered in a two-week intensive teaching block
Total Time Commitment:

120 hours

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Contact

Dr Luba Volkova and Dr Tom Baker

Melbourne School of Land & Environment Student Centre
Ground Floor, Melbourne School of Land and Environment (building 142)

Enquiries
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352)
Email: 13MELB@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

This subject promotes student understanding of quantitative assessment of forest carbon, timber and biodiversity. Specifically, the aim is to:

  • Present the state of the art of forest assessment for carbon, timber and biodiversity
  • Present methods for formulation and planning an effective and efficient forest assessment
  • Enable participants to implement a modern assessment and determine the advantages and disadvantages of available systems
  • Enable participants to analyse assessment data to determine reliable estimates and confidence limits

Topics include: introduction to statistics and sampling theory, issues in forest assessment design, modern measurement tools and techniques, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and specific techniques for assessment of carbon, timber and biodiversity. Examples of forest assessment are provided.

Objectives:

This subject will provide students with an advanced understanding of:

  • The role of assessment in forest management
  • The use of standard equipment to estimate tree and stand parameters such as diameter, basal area, height, standing volume, bark and crown, stem geometry, stem analysis and defects
  • The use of standard equipment to measure carbon and biodiversity
  • Sources of assessment errors and their significance
  • Use of aerial photographs, remote sensing and GIS in forest assessment and project management
  • Assessment project planning and logistics, costs and implementation issues and project management tools
  • Statistical techniques for sampling design and analysis

At subject completion students should be able to design and implement a forest assessment.

Assessment:

Major Report (50%), Progress exercises (50%)

Prescribed Texts:

J Fowler, L Cohen and P Jarvis, Practical Statistics for Field Biology.

Recommended Texts:
  • P Burrough, Principles of Geographical Information Systems for Land Resources Assessment.
  • M S Philip, Measuring Trees and Forests.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Links to further information: http://www.forests.unimelb.edu.au/subjects.html
Related Course(s): Master of Forest Ecosystem Science

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