Integrated Resources Management

FOR 490

Mondays 12:45 – 4:45pm

313 Bray Hall

 

Instructor:                                                                     Teaching Assistant:

Dr. René Germain                                                         Frank Cetera

316 Bray Hall                                                               414 Bray Hall

rhgermai@esf.edu                                                        

470-6698                                                                    

Office Hours: Open Door Policy                                   Office Hours: TBA

(or by appointment)                                                                            

                                                          

 

Introduction

The goal of this course is to have students prove their competency in eight broad subject and skill areas prior to graduation. Students will show evidence of each of the eight areas through a comprehensive management plan of a section of Heiberg Forest in Tully, New York. Your grade will be influenced by the degree to which you and your team demonstrate knowledge of the concepts and skills outlined below.

 

  1. Understanding Forests and Natural Resources
    1. Know the general relationships between flora and fauna including the biological and physical requirements of different plant and animal species.
    2. Know how to identify plant species. That is, know the process by which a plant species, particularly trees, can be correctly identified.

 

  1. Manipulating Forests and Natural Resources
    1. Describe alternative ways to change or maintain forest and stand structure.
    2. Prescribe, justify, and implement forest and stand level treatments in accord with owner objectives.

 

  1. Measuring Forests and Natural Resources
    1. Be able to correctly identify the number of major species of flora in a given area.
    2. Plan, conduct, and analyze forest inventories including biological, physical, and social. Be able to describe and apply different statistical sampling methods.
    3. Project stand and forest development.

 

  1. Managing Forests and Natural Resources
    1. Evaluate tradeoffs among biological sustainability, economic feasibility, and social acceptability. Be able to describe and apply different economic and related decision techniques including investment analyses, to evaluate alternative stand and forest management practices.
    2. Specify and implement management practices appropriate to owner objectives.

 

  1. Interpreting Forest and Natural Resources Policy
    1. Explain how forest policy at the national, state, and local levels affect forest management.

 

 

  1. Communicating
    1. Explain forest development, manipulation, and management to different audiences in both written and oral form.
    2. Describe technical forestry terms to many different audiences.
    3. Use consistent and accurate terminology.

 

  1. Ethics
    1. Take responsibility for the work of the team and your actions.
    2. Act in an honest and credible manner.
    3. Exhibit tolerance for different viewpoints and opinions of others that may not agree with yours.
    4. Understand values and value systems used by people to reach decisions and to take actions.

 

  1. Leading
    1. Recognize the union between leading and following.
    2. Function effectively as a member of a team.
    3. Demonstrate effective teamwork.

 

  1. Problem Solving
    1. Identify short and long-term objectives.
    2. Describe current and future situations.
    3. Distinguish between causality and correlation. Distinguish between symptoms and signs.
    4. Develop alternative solutions.
    5. Evaluate and choose among alternatives.
    6. Monitor progress, continuous improvement.

 

Acquisition and demonstration of knowledge can occur at up to six different levels depending on how one classifies knowledge. The outline presented below is drawn from Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Levels. The activities listed for each level are measurable and capable of evaluation.

 

Cognitive Levels                       Activities

1.      Knowledge             remember facts, terms, concepts, definitions

2.      Comprehension                  explain, predict, interpret, infer, summarize, give examples

3.      Application             apply, solve problems, modify, demonstrate

4.      Analysis                              breakdown material into component parts, describe

                                                interrelationships

5.   Synthesis                            produce something new or original from component parts

6.   Evaluation                           make a judgment based on set of criteria, appraise, judge

 

The Faculty of Forest and Natural Resources Management expects students to demonstrate abilities in the eight areas up to levels three and four – application and analysis.

 

Attendance Policy:

Please see Mr. Slocum in 110 Bray Hall for formal excuses for late work and absences caused by illness, family problems or other legitimate reasons.

 

 

 

 

Physical Fitness for Field Work:

Each student will be required to participate in field activities under potentially difficult conditions due to terrain and winter weather. Please contact me immediately if you have health issues that may limit your ability to perform in the field.

 

Student Code of Conduct:

You have all signed an agreement to abide by the College’s Code of Conduct. As young professionals, I expect you to act respectfully to me and your classmates.

 

Heiberg Forest Management Plan

 

Each group will be assigned a section of the Heiberg Forest to complete a management plan. Each section will average approximately 200 acres in size. The management plan will integrate many of the aforementioned eight concepts and skills. The management plan must include the following:

 

  1. Background: historical, biological and cultural setting
    1. Provide context for plan with description of land use history, both social and biophysical across entire compartment (i.e. agricultural and forestry practices)
    2. Deeded ownership (based on ESF archives)

                                                               i.      Note: When writing the report, assume that ESF is no longer the owner

    1. Special issues that make this compartment unique
    2. Land use and harvesting regulations or any other restrictions/regulations placed on management activities

 

  1. Methods:
    1. Describe inventory methods used to collect data (forest inventory plots, wildlife transects, recreation survey, water samples, etc.)
    2. You must provide statistical proof that your forest inventory is within an acceptable allowable error (in this case the estimated average basal area of each stand must be within 20% of mean at the 95th percentile).

 

  1. Describe Current Conditions (provide tables to summarize data)
    1. Forest Stands (species mix down to 1-inch DBH) (minimum acreage for stand is 1 acre)

                                                               i.      Breakdown by species, basal area, stems/ac, relative density, volume (bdft, cords), acceptable growing stock, unacceptable growing stock

                                                             ii.      Economic assessment of stumpage value (timber valuation)

                                                            iii.      Note: you must submit all your inventory data files with plan as a separate appendices

    1. Recreation trails and facilities

                                                               i.      Hiking activity

                                                             ii.      Hunting activity

                                                            iii.      ATV and snow mobile use

    1. Existing roads, skid trails
    2. Soil and Water Resources (ponds and streams)

                                                               i.      Define watershed at various spatial scales

                                                             ii.      Physical soil limitations for operability

                                                            iii.      Physical soil limitations for plant growth and development

 

    1. Wildlife

                                                               i.      Species known to exist on property

    1. Natural and manmade disturbances

                                                               i.      Pest and pathogen problems

                                                             ii.      Windthrow

                                                            iii.      Erosion

 

  1. Property maps must be generated using GPS/GIS technology describing:
    1. Roads, trails, streams, water bodies, fences, buildings, other landmarks
    2. Forest cover types
    3. Soil types
    4. Land use classification (when appropriate)

 

  1. Recommendations for the parcel will be based on the landowner objectives of three hypothetical owners. For further inquiries about landowner objectives, please see instructor. I will play role of landowner.
    1. Landowner #1: Nonindustrial private forestland owner

                                                               i.      Full-time resident of property (not absentee landowner) with long-term outlook

                                                             ii.      Primary reason for owning land is recreation

                                                            iii.      Landowner has a passive attitude towards forest management 

                                                           iv.      No knowledge of forestry but wants what is best for the woodlot

                                                             v.      Considering timber harvest because they were told it was good for the woodlot, plus could use the money to pay property taxes

                                                           vi.      The landowner is seeking a recommendation on whether to enroll in the NYS Forest Tax Law (480A). What will this require?

 

    1. Landowner #2: Forest products company

                                                               i.      The company manages their forestlands to ensure the production of forest products for this and future generations while also providing a diversity of wildlife, clean air and water, soil conservation and recreational opportunities.

                                                             ii.      The lands are strategic for supplying wood fiber to the mill and creating cash flow.

                                                            iii.      The company uses both hardwood and softwood species.

                                                           iv.      The company is seeking a recommendation on whether to become third party certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. What will this require?

 

    1. Landowner #3: Nature Conservancy

                                                               i.      The Nature Conservancy's mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.

                                                             ii.      The Nature Conservancy's vision is to conserve a set of places that, if managed appropriately, will ensure the long-term survival of all their native life and natural communities—not just those that are threatened.

                                                            iii.      They work with resource-based industries to alter their business practices to have less environmental impact.

                                                           iv.      They are seeking a recommendation on whether to become third party certified under the Forest Stewardship Council. What will this require?

 

 

 

  1. Your group will generate management recommendations for each owner scenario. Components should include the following:
    1. Silvicultural prescriptions

                                                               i.      Provide tables with pre- and post-harvest data by species

                                                             ii.      Discuss management of non-commercial species

                                                            iii.      Provide harvest schedule for next 20 years

    1. Provide a 20-year NPV analysis

                                                               i.      Make adjustments for growth and proposed removals

    1. Forest Operations

                                                               i.      Provide detail on harvest system

                                                             ii.      Provide map of harvest system (landings, roads, skid trails)

    1. Recreation development
    2. Soil and Water conservation
    3. Wildlife management

                                                               i.      Specify species

    1. Economic justification

                                                               i.      Not looking for detailed cost-benefit analysis, but recommendations must be economically viable.

    1. Other pertinent information associated with Landowner descriptions (i.e. certification programs)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Course Grade will be Based on the Following Criteria:

Attendance                                                       10% (Individual)

Draft – Management Plan                                             15% (Group)

Final – Management Plan                                              30% (Group)

Class Presentation/Field Interpretation               15% (Group) (bonus pts for early groups)

Class Presentation/Field Interpretation               15% (Individual)

Peer Evaluation                                                 15% (Individual)

Grading Criteria for Management Plans

                                                                                                                                                               

 

Total Points (200)

 

Background: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _____(20)

  • Historic Land Use               
  • Special Issues

Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _____(20)

 

Description of Current Conditions: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .              _____(40)             

  • Forest Stands
  • Recreation Resources
  • Roads and Trails
  • Soil and Water
  • Wildlife
  • Natural and Manmade Disturbances

 

Quality of Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                _____(20)

 

Management Recommendations

  • NIPF: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  _____(25)
    • Silvicultural Prescriptions
    • NPV Analysis
    • Harvest Systems
    • Recreation
    • Soil and Water
    • Wildlife
    • Forest Tax Law
  • Forest Products Company: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .             _____(25)
    • Silvicultural Prescriptions
    • NPV Analysis
    • Harvest Systems
    • Recreation
    • Soil and Water
    • Wildlife
    • Certification Program
  • Nature Conservancy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            _____(25)
    • Silvicultural Prescriptions
    • NPV Analysis
    • Harvest Systems
    • Recreation
    • Soil and Water
    • Wildlife
    • Certification Program

 

Writing (organization, clarity, grammar, references) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            _____(25)             

 

 

 

 

 

Total _______(200)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Presentation/Field Interpretation

 

·        For the last six sessions of the semester, each group will give an oral presentation of their management plan to the class at the Heiberg classroom.

 

·        The classroom presentation will be followed by a field tour of your compartment.

 

  • Your group has from 1:15 to 4:00 to conduct both activities. Please monitor your time.

 

  • The class and field presentations should be conducted in a highly professional manner.

 

  • Please see the instructor if you have any questions.

 

 

  • Group presentation grades include the following criteria:
    • Knowledge of subject matter
    • Organization of subject matter
    • Presentation
    • Creativity
    • Flow from individual to individual
    • Ability to answer questions

 

 

  • Individual presentation grades include the following criteria:
    • Eye contact
    • Demeanor
    • Articulation and clarity
    • Accuracy
    • Professionalism
    • Polish

 

 

  • The audience has the responsibility to be polite and courteous, listen intently, and ask good questions to the “group of the day”.

 

  • If the audience is not asking enough questions for either the classroom presentation or the field tour, we will randomly select individuals to ask questions.

 

Integrated Resources Management (FOR 490)

Course Schedule

 

Date                                         Topic                                                  

January 14                                Introduction

 

January 21                                No Class – Martin Luther King

 

January 28                                Heiberg Forest (field work)*

 

February 4                               Review Session – 313 Bray Hall (12:45 – 5:00pm)

·        Recreation: Rudy Schuster/Diane Kuehn

·        Soils: Russell Briggs

·        Silviculture: Ralph Nyland

·        Time Value of Money: John Wagner

·        Forest Certification: Chris Nowak

·        Forest Measurements and Sampling: Eddie Bevilacqua

·        Watershed Man./Hydrology: Laura Lautz/John Stella

 

February 11                             Heiberg Forest (field work)                              

 

Text Box: *Field Trips: All students must take the bus. Hard hats are required. Watches to monitor time are required. Please dress appropriately. Snowshoes are highly recommended. Field work must be conducted in groups of two or more persons (no solo work). February 18                             Heiberg Forest (field work)

 

February 25                             Heiberg Forest (field work)

 

March 3                                   Heiberg Forest (field work)

 

March 10                                 No Class – Spring Break

 

March 17                                 Heiberg Forest (field work)

 

March 24                                 Workshop 1 – Heiberg Forest (Early Bird Incentive of 10 pts)

 

March 31                                 Workshop 2 – Heiberg Forest (Early Bird Incentive of 5 pts)

 

April 7                                      Workshop 3 – Heiberg Forest (Early Bird Incentive of 5 pts)

 

April 14                                    Workshop 4 – Heiberg Forest

 

April 21                                    Workshop 5 – Heiberg Forest

 

April 28                                    Workshop 6 – Heiberg Forest

 

 

Deliverables:

Draft 1 – Written Management Plan due by noon on March 24, 2008 (minus 10 pts for each day late)

 

Final Draft – Final Written Management Plan due by noon: April 28, 2008 (minus 10 pts for each day late)