Reduced Impact Timber Harvesting SNR Credits

Transcription

1 Instructor Loren Kellogg, PhD, CF Lematta Professor of Forest Engineering Oregon State University Phone: Reduced Impact Timber Harvesting SNR Credits Prerequisites: Graduate standing. This course is a component of the 18-credit Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Natural Resources (SNR), and is also open to other graduate students. There are no required prerequisites for non-degree seeking students. Recommended: Students should have a bachelor s degree in the arts, humanities, or science and preferably at least two years experience working in a natural resources-related field. Students seeking the SNR Graduate Certificate should take SNR 511 their first term because it explains overall Certificate Program goals. Co-requisites: Students seeking admission to the SNR Graduate Certificate Program must apply before completing more than 6 credits of SNR course work. More information, including international admissions requirements, can be found at COURSE CONTENT With a global projection of an increasing population and higher world wood consumption, along with a shrinking natural forest resource base, the harmony between sustainable forest production and a healthy environment is crucial. Environmentally, socially and economically sound forest harvesting is a fundamental requirement of sustainable forestry. One means to maintain and advance sustainable forest management is through reduced impact forest harvesting an approach that involves appropriate planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating forest harvesting operations. Students will learn about alternative forest harvesting methods and approaches for meeting sustainable timber utilization objectives while also protecting critical soil, water and other forest resource values. The following course topics are covered: Setting the stage: What is reduced impact timber harvesting and why is it important? What is the broader context of the timber harvesting process with regards to linkages between logging, roads, transportation systems, forest management and wood utilization? How does forest harvesting connect with other steps in the supply chain from stand establishment to timber and non-timber product utilization?

2 The tools: An overview of the forest harvesting process from tree felling and processing, to transporting trees to the roadside, loading timber on trucks, and transportation to wood utilization facilities. Students will learn about appropriate logging system equipment and technology for a range of different operating environments. Logging systems covered include ground-based skidding such as horses and skidders, mechanized operations such as fellerbunchers and harvesters, cable yarding, and helicopter operations. Students will also learn about techniques for reducing impacts from different harvesting technology including designated skid trail systems, directional timber felling, and skyline corridor layout. Planning: The importance of different levels of harvest planning to achieve sustainable forest resource management objectives, and a framework for completing timber harvest plans Resources: Further resources, education and training programs available for developing proficiency in forest operations management and engineering. MEASURABLE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of SNR 534, students will demonstrate their abilities to: describe the concepts and practices of reduced impact timber harvesting within the context of managing forest resources; describe the timber harvesting process and explain interactions between logging, roads and transport systems; describe linkages between timber harvesting and other aspects of natural resource management, and components of the wood supply chain; summarize the characteristics, capabilities, limitations, and applications of alternative logging equipment and systems including ground-based skidding and forwarding, cable and helicopter yarding; explain timber harvest planning objectives, differentiate between levels of harvest planning, and describe the harvest planning process; recognize a range of appropriate harvesting technology in the field and be able to explain how the appropriate technology is matched with the characteristics of the physical, environmental, economic, and social operating environments; and describe a range of appropriate mitigating measures to reduce timber harvesting impacts. Student mastery of these learning outcomes will be demonstrated by their ability to articulate these concepts, practices, processes, objectives, components, technologies, harvest systems and plans, and environmental considerations, through the course of the term, in these formats: discussion board postings and four short reaction papers (2-3 pages) midterm exam final exam course project Course Project Students will identify a harvesting or operations topic of interest and prepare a short summary report (approx. 10 pages) on the topic. The report will either be (1) based on a personal field trip to a harvesting or other forest operations project and summary of the student s observations related to the information covered in the course; or (2) a literature review on a specific topic of interest and

3 summary report on the topic selected. Students will present their projects on Blackboard and lead a discussion with the Instructor and other students on their topic. The project evaluation will be based on the written report and the organization/leadership of the Blackboard discussion. EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE Student s performance will be evaluated based on a total of 475 points that are broken out into the following areas: Midterm Exam Final Exam 125 Assignments; 25 points each points Course Project 75 TOTAL 475 points Weekly discussion board postings are required but are not graded. Grading Courses letter grades (A-F) will be earned based on the following breakdown (+ and letter grades will be approximately +/- 2 % points from the letter grade break points: % of total course points = A 80 89% = B 70 79% = C 69 55% = D Below 55% = F Late work Students are expected to complete required reading, review other assigned course material such as PowerPoint presentations, participate in online discussions, and complete assignments and exams by the due dates assigned. Late work will be penalized 20% of the total points for the assignment for each day past the due date. Extensions may be granted ahead of time, but not retroactively, for extenuating circumstances (e.g. major personal illness, family emergencies). Other personal time conflicts with scheduled course dates must be presented to the Instructor by the Student well in advance of the due date for a mutually agreed upon alternative. LEARNING RESOURCES Learning resources consist of weekly outlines of objectives and summary of topical information, PowerPoint and Video presentations, readings, supplemental references, and assignments. Most materials will be provided electronically through the Oregon State University Blackboard system. Optional visits to nearby forest operations with specific guided learning objectives will enhance understanding of the course content. Required Textbook: Harvesting Systems and Equipment in British Columbia; FERIC Handbook No. HB-12; A.J. MacDonald (editor); Crown Publications, Inc., Victoria, BC. ISBN STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Services for Disability Access Services (DAS). Student with accommodations approved through DAS are responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week of the term to

4 discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through DAS should contact DAS immediately at LINK TO STATEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT CONDUCT Academic Integrity (OSU policy): This course conforms to the Oregon State University Administrative Rules Related to Student Conduct. Please respect your fellow students by not exhibiting disruptive behavior. More expectations for student conduct can be found at Plagiarism You are expected to submit your own work in all your assignments, postings to the discussion board, and other communications, and to clearly give credit to the work of others when you use it. Academic dishonesty will result in a grade of F. COURSE EVALUATION We encourage you to engage in the course evaluation process each term online, of course. The evaluation form will be available toward the end of each term, and you will be sent instructions by Ecampus. You will login to Student Online Services to respond to the online questionnaire. The results on the form are anonymous and are not tabulated until after grades are posted. COURSE CONTENT Course Format This online course "meets" two hours per week per term. The online learning resource material is organized in ten weekly folders, with two hours of online lecture material presented each week in the form of online lecture outlines, notes, learning objectives, videos, and PowerPoint slides. Students are expected to spend another four hours per week reading the assignments, posting online discussions, writing papers, and completing the course project. Optional visits to local harvest operations may be included. Students will have a final exam during week eleven. Main topics for each week will be posted in Blackboard, with accompanying lecture outlines and notes, PowerPoint slides, videos, reading assignments, and discussion questions. After reviewing the online materials and completing reading assignments, students will participate in an online discussion each week by posting thoughtful responses to questions centered around weekly reading assignments, learning objectives, and experiences. Some discussion topics will be connected with a specific assignment. Students will also write a total of four short reaction papers throughout the term (2-3 pages each) during weeks 2, 4, 6 & 7. Course Outline of Major Topics (presented as lectures, PowerPoint slides, notes and videos posted on Blackboard each week) Week 1 Topics: Course Introduction, requirements, expectations What is reduced impact logging? Blackboard : Lecture outline and notes PowerPoint: Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) overview Assignments Readings: RIL references and supplemental readings

5 Week 2 Discussion posted on Blackboard: Self-introductions, RIL personal perspectives Topics: Overview of the Forest Harvesting Process Linkages with Forest Management and the Supply Chain Blackboard : Lecture outline and notes Videos: Harvesting Systems Overview Forest Operations Part of the Solution #1 Short reaction paper on topic and discussion board posting: Harvesting as a tool and linkages with natural resources management Week 3 Topics: Harvesting Methods: Felling and primary transport equipment Blackboard: Lecture Outline and Notes; Learning Objectives PowerPoint: Equipment and operations Discussion board posting Week 4 Topics: Harvesting Methods: Mechanized harvesting and soil mitigating techniques for groundbased operations Blackboard: Lecture Outline and Notes; Learning Objectives PowerPoint: Mechanized harvesting systems Video: Managing Soil Compaction #2 Short reaction paper on topic and discussion board posting: Management alternatives for soil impacts Week 5 Topics: Harvesting Methods: Cable yarding Blackboard: Outline and Course Notes: Learning Objectives PowerPoint: Cable yarding equipment and harvesting Systems Videos: Skylines of the Pacific Northwest Skyline Symposium Field Trip Discussion board posting: Midterm Exam: Cover everything up to Cable Systems

6 Week 6 Reminder/Review of Project Assignment; submit topic and outline by week 7 (focus for second half of course) Topics: Harvesting Methods: Cable yarding continued PowerPoint: Cable yarding equipment and harvesting systems #3 Short reaction paper on topic and discussion board posting: Cable yarding systems Week 7 Topics: Harvesting Methods: Helicopter yarding PowerPoint: Helicopters and operations Video: Aerial logging systems #4 Short reaction paper on topic and discussion board posting: Helicopter logging Week 8 Topics: Pulling it all together Harvest Planning PowerPoint: Harvest Planning Discussion board posting Week 9 Topics: Pulling it all together ---- Harvest Planning continued PowerPoint: Harvest Planning Video Discussion board posting Week 10

7 Topics: Review and Summary of course Project reports and discussion Final Exam Discussion: * Final Project Reports due Final Exam next week Week 11 FINAL EXAM OVERVIEW OF THE SNR GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM STRUCTURE SNR 511 is the introductory overview course, and SNR 506 is the capstone project course for the Certificate Program. In SNR 511, students are presented an overview of the social, economic, and ecological aspects of sustainable natural resource management. You will synthesize and apply these basic interdisciplinary principles in the creation of an outline for your project. This is the skeleton of the program. The three core courses (SNR 520, 521 and 530) provide more in-depth theory and principles of these three aspects of sustainable natural resources. The other SNR courses provide additional breadth in the nontimber aspects of SNR management, sustainable silvicultural practices and certification, reduced impact timber harvest methods, and ethical aspects of NR management. This is the 'meat' of the program, which you are expected to synthesize and apply in your capstone project in SNR 506. Each course is intended to add to your knowledge base and tool kit, which you will apply to your defined certificate project step by step as you work your way through the courses. SNR 506 is the finale, where you bring together everything you have learned in each course into an interdisciplinary approach to solving a complex natural resource management problem. There is no double-counting of any of the course assignments for any of the SNR courses.