Farm Trees & Agroforestry

Subject FRST90033 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

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

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

May, Creswick - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable

Intensive teaching, Creswick, Burnley and in the field.



Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 24 hours lectures and 24 hours practical work, 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:

Attendance of at least 80% of the lectures and field trips; unless alternative arrangements are made.

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/

Coordinator

Mr Rowan Reid

Contact

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

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

Subject Overview:

This subject covers the principles and practices of integrating trees into the rural agricultural landscape for both conservation and profit. The farming community require trees and shrubs for shade and shelter, soil conservation, salinity control and aesthetics. Farmers can also produce commercial tree products such as timber, fuel, fodder, essential oils and food. Because farmers manage the majority of the Australian landscape governments, community groups and industry are increasingly working in partnership with them to grow trees for environmental services including carbon sequestration, biodiversity and downstream water quality.

Objectives:

By the end of the subject students should:

  • Have a working knowledge of farm planning and agroforestry diagnosis and design as tools for developing farm re-vegetation plans;
  • Have an understanding of the role of trees in providing for landowner, community and industry needs and aspirations;
  • Be able to develop technical design criteria for effective re-vegetation for resource conservation, agricultural production and commercial purposes;
  • Be able to measure and monitor the growth, productivity and environmental impact of forests on farms;
  • Be familiar with extension and development approaches for promotion of re-vegetation and forest management on farms;
  • Have an understanding of multipurpose tree research methodologies and economic evaluation; and,
  • Recognise the potential for trees on farms, both in Australia and overseas, to contribute to international development goals such as poverty elimination, human health, environmental protection and mitigating climate change.
Assessment:

Exam 40%, two assignments (totalling 2000 words) 60%

Prescribed Texts: None
Recommended Texts: Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management, Nuberg, George and Reid 2009. CSIRO Publishing
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): Graduate Diploma in Urban Horticulture
Master of Forest Ecosystem Science
Master of Urban Horticulture
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Bachelor of Environments (Honours) Landscape Management
Climate Change
Sustainable Forests

Download PDF version.