Forestry Consulting and Wood Procurement
Fall 2006

FOR 415 (sec 1)

FOR 615 (sec 1)

Lecture: Monday & Wednesday, 11:40 – 12:35, 111 Marshall Hall

Field Lab: Thursday, 12:30 – 4:30 

 

Instructor

René H. Germain                                                         

222 Marshall Hall                                                                    

rhgermai@mailbox.syr.edu                                                       

470-6698; fax 470-6956

 

Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday: 1 – 2pm,

                        Thurs: 10 – 11am (or by appointment)

 

Scope:

Anecdotal evidence suggests that roughly half of our forestry graduates find work as procurement foresters with either solid wood producers or pulp and paper companies. Many others find work with established forestry consulting firms, while a smaller group of entrepreneurs prefer self-employment and start their own consulting firms. The goal of the course is to provide graduates with the skills and professionalism to succeed as forestry consultants and procurement foresters. Both have an immense impact on the sustainability of the region’s forest resources. Students considering career opportunities with the forest products industry, as independent consultants or as field foresters with a government agency should take this course.

 

Content:

The course introduces students to the structure of the forest products industry in the United States and more specifically the issues and challenges surrounding wood supply and management. The following topics will be addressed in the course:

·        overview of forest products industry

·        status of wood supply, both national and world-wide

·        industrial procurement theory base

·        defining a mill’s woodshed

·        identifying sources of stumpage

·        timber appraisals

·        setting up timber sales

·        purchasing stumpage

·        incorporating landowner assistance into the procurement program

·        legal issues and ethics

·        log yard management

 

Objectives:

The student will:

1.      understand and communicate the issues influencing regional and world wood supply.

2.      understand and communicate the theoretical basis for industrial wood supply management.

3.      demonstrate knowledge to function in private and public sector forest management.

4.      demonstrate field skills to function as a forestry consultant and procurement forester.

 

 

 

 

Format:

  • There will be 2 to 3 lecture periods per week, one organized lab at Heiberg Forest, and independent individual/group work at Heiberg Forest.
  • Class participation is critical to your success in this course.
  • There will be written exercises, either take-home and/or in-class. The exercises are designed to ensure that students read and understand the material from the readings and lectures. Students will be expected to explain why certain concepts are important as well as apply the knowledge in a variety of contexts.
  • Invited speakers will provide real-world perspectives on the core issues of the course. You will be responsible for the material covered by all speakers.
  • The field component of the course will focus on sharpening field mensuration skills (cruising timber), and establishing and bidding on a timber sale.
  • Each student will complete a one-day internship with a consulting or industrial forester to gain a better appreciation for his or her duties and responsibilities. See instructor for help finding a host.
  • Graduate students will write a research paper pertaining to a problem faced by the forest products industry. Please confirm your topic with the instructor.

 

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.

 

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.

 

General Directions for Internship Report and Graduate Student Research Paper

·        Put your name and the date on your title page.

·        Use one-inch margins, 12-point font, double line spacing, and page numbers.

·        Use headings if you feel they help block your ideas into clear groupings.

·        Always start a paper with an introduction and close with a summary/conclusion.

·        Always state your purpose at the end of the introduction. (The purpose of this paper        is . . .)

·        Avoid using second person in your papers – it is less professional and formal.

·        Citations should appear in text as follows: (Author Year)

·        References should appear at the end of the paper. Please use Journal of Forestry format.

 

Assignments:

Internship Report 

The report should provide a description of your day with the forester, including the following:

·        name of your host

·        company 

·        description of company operations

-         wood procurement forester: primary business, amount of forestland, sources of wood, species mix, size of woodshed

-         forestry consultant: primary business, types of clients, size of working territory, average size of woodlots, number of timber sales per year, degree of involvement with 480A Forest Tax management plans

·        job description of your host

·        based on what you have learned thus far, provide three positive aspects of the company’s forest management and/or procurement system

·        based on what you have learned thus far, provide three areas for improvement

·        provide some insights on whether your host company is adequately addressing external societal forces that may impact their business in the future

 (Length -- six pages)

 

Grading Criteria for Internship Report

Company description                                                                            20%

Job description of host                                                                          20%

Analysis (positive aspects, improvements)                                             20%

Addressing external societal forces                                                        20%

Writing (organization, clarity, concision, grammar, directions)     20%

 

Timber Sale Exercise

Group Exercise – Forestry Consulting Firm

·        You will work in teams of two

·        Your team will simulate the role of a forestry consulting firm.

·        Based on the objectives of the landowner (provided) you will develop a management plan and mark a timber sale for your assigned forest block.

·        You will write a report for the landowner. The report will include a description of the forest (including supporting forest inventory data), silvicultural prescriptions and a 30-year financial analysis.

 

Performance Criteria for Exercise

·        Timber Sale

-         Inventory the parcel (include inventory data in report)

-         Develop a silvicultural prescription based on the landowner’s objectives and forest inventory data

-         Generate a 30-year financial analysis using Net Present Value

-         Mark the parcel for harvest (using assigned color flagging)

-         Develop a timber sale prospectus (including volume breakdown, map and sale contract, bidding sheet, proposed skid roads, etc.)

-         Submit a report justifying your silvicultural prescriptions (current stand conditions, prescription, expected stand development with treatment, justification)

 

Grading Criteria for Timber Sale Exercise

Timber sale prospectus                                                                               30%

Silvicultural justification report                                                                    30%

Tree marking                                                                                              10%

Financial Analysis                                                                                       10%

Timber sale volume estimates within 10% of instructor’s estimate     10%

Group peer-evaluation                                                                                10%

 

Wood Procurement Exercise

·        Each student will take on the role of a procurement forester and bid on one of the timber sale compartments.

·        You will use the information provided by the consulting firm to formulate your bid.

·        Each student will be assigned constraints by which the procurement forester must operate.

 

Performance Criteria for Individual Exercise

·        Bidding on timber sale as procurement forester

-         Cruise the assigned tract

-         Generate a volume estimate

-         Submit bid to consultant

-         Write a report supporting the bid (given your procurement scenario)

 

Grading Criteria for Procurement Exercise

Timber sale volume estimates within 10% of instructor’s estimate                 40%

75% Of tree grades in timber sale match instructor’s estimate                                  20%

Report justifying bid                                                                                                40%

 

Research Paper (Graduate Students Only)

Before starting your research, please generate a question(s) and/or a problem statement that you wish to investigate. The topics listed in the course schedule may be helpful in choosing a research area. Conduct research on the subject matter, citing a minimum of 10 legitimate journal articles. Your paper should be organized as follows:

·        description of the problem/dilemma/challenge in the context of the forest products industry

·        justify the importance of the problem (Why should we care?)

·        offer potential solutions

·        (length: 8 – 10 pages)

You will submit two drafts. The first draft is worth 5% of course grade. The second draft is worth 10% of course grade.

 

·        You will develop and deliver a presentation on your paper topic for the class

 

Grading Criteria for Research Paper

Description of the problem                                                                                25%

Justification                                                                                                       25%

Solutions                                                                                              25%

Writing (organization, clarity, concision, grammar)                                             20%

Follow directions                                                                                              5%

 

Undergraduate Student Course Grading Criteria

·        Class participation and exercises                                                                 10%

·        Mid-term exam                                                                                           15%

·        Final exam                                                                                      15%

·        Internship report                                                                                        20%

·        Timber sale exercise                                                                                   20%

·        Wood procurement exercise                                                                       20%

                                                                                                                        100%

 

 

Graduate Student Course Grading Criteria

·        Class participation and exercises                                                                 10%

·        Mid-term exam                                                                                           15%

·        Final exam                                                                                      15%

·        Draft 1 paper                                                                                                5%

·        Darft 2 paper                                                                                              10%    

·        Internship report                                                                                        15%

·        Timber sale exercise                                                                                   15%

·        Wood procurement exercise                                                                       15%

                                                                                                                        100%

Wood Procurement and Forestry Consulting

Draft Course Schedule – Fall Semester 2006

 

Session

Topic

Reading

Due Dates

1.8/28

Mon.

 

Course Introduction

 

 

2. 8/30

Wed.

 

Structure of Forest Products Industry

 

 

 

3. 9/6

Wed.

 

Structure of Forest Products Industry

 

 

9/7 LAB

Thurs.

Scaling and Grading Lab

Heiberg Forest

 

Hand-outs

 

4. 9/11

Mon.

Global Wood Supply Issues

 

- De Callejon et al. 1998. Sustainable forestry within an industry context. pp. 1-17

- Tromborg et al. 2000. The global timber market: Implications of changes in economic growth, timber supply, and technological trends.

 

 

5.        9/13

Wed.

U.S. Wood Supply Issues

 

- Best & Wayburn 2001 America’s Private Forests

- Journal of Forestry March 2002(entire issue)

 

 

9/14 LAB

Thurs.

Scaling and Grading Lab

Lafayette Experiment Station

 

 

 

6.        9/18

Mon.

 

U.S. Wood Supply Issues

(Forestland Parcelization)

 

- Sampson & DeCoster 2000 Forest Fragmentation

- Birch 1996 Forestland Parcelization and Fragmentation

- Germain et al. 2006. Forestland Parcelization in Upstate New York Despite Economic Stagnation

and a Declining Population

- LaPierre & Germain. 2005. Forestland parcelization in the NYC Watershed.

 

 

7.        9/20

Wed.

 

 

 

 

9/21 LAB

Thurs.

Heiberg Forest

Woodlot Inventory

 

 

 

8.        9/25

Mon.

Introduction to Wood Procurement Systems

 

 

 

9.        9/27

Wed.

 

The Supply Problem

 

- Riggs & Robbins. 1998. Supply Management Strategies.         pp. 7-31

 

 

10.     10/4

Wed.

Structural Analysis of Industries

 

- Porter 1980

Competitive Strategy. 

pp. 3-32, 108-125

 

 

10/5 LAB

Thurs.

Heiberg Forest

Marking Timber Sale

 

 

 

11.     10/9

Mon.

 

Introduction to Forestry Consulting

 

 

 

12.     10/11

Wed.

 

Review:

Financial Analysis

 Hand-out

 

10/12 LAB

Thurs.

Heiberg Forest

Marking Timber Sale

 

 

 

13.     10/16

Mon.

Review:

Financial Analysis

 

Hand-out

 

14.     10/18

Wed.

 

Guest Lecture: Nate Anderson

“Wood Procurement in the Northeast”

 

 

10/19 LAB

Thurs.

Heiberg Forest

Procurement Check Cruise

 

 

 

15.     10/23

Mon.

Guest Lecture: John Munsell

“Comparing Harvesting Outcomes on NIPF in New York & Mississippi”

 

 

 

10/25 – 29

Wed.

National SAF Meeting

Pittsburgh, PA

 

 

 

16.     10/30

Mon.

 

Mid-term Exam