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Future of forest ecosystem management in the context of new EU policies

Course developers

Course abstract

The aim of the study course is to provide a detailed overview of the direct and indirect impact of the European Union's climate policy on forestry in hemiboreal region, as well as on the basis of climate policy – the latest scientific knowledge and development trends.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge
Doctoral students acquire comprehensive knowledge of European climate policy in the land use, land use change and forestry sector
Type of examination – test.
Skills
Doctoral students know how to make the necessary calculations and prepare an assessment of the impact of forest property or national forestry activities on mitigating climate change.
Type of examination – test.
Competences
Doctoral students are competent in managing the implementation of complex research projects in a methodologically sound manner, evaluating the impact of defined economic activities on mitigating climate change.

Test work – prepared and presented individual assignment.

Course Content(Calendar)

Lectures:
1. International climate change mitigation agreements and their implementation mechanisms, annual United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP).8 h
2. European climate policy in the land use, land use change and forestry sector: the most important regulatory acts. 8h
3. Regulatory acts and policy instruments of the Republic of Latvia to achieve climate change mitigation targets. 8 h.
Practical work (seminars):
1. Congruence and contradictions between the goals of climate change mitigation and other policies in the forest sector. 4 h
2. Carbon storage and sequestration in the forest, their determining factors, calculation methods. 4 h
3. Determination of carbon footprint, certification schemes. 4 h

4. The most important scientific studies of the impact of forest and forestry on climate change mitigation in Northern Europe and Latvia. 4 h

Requirements for awarding credit points

According to the performance in the study course, the student receives credit with a grade. A student is required to be present in at least 80% of lectures and practical works, successfully write the tests, as well as to prepare and successfully defend the individual assignment.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Independent preparation for knowledge control by studying specialized literature and using study resources available during the study course in the e-study environment. Preparation of the individual assignment that contains an in-depth presentation of the topics learned during the course.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Knowledge, skills and competence are assessed on a 10-grade scale. An answer is successful (passed) if at least 50% of the questions are answered correctly.

Compulsory reading

1. von Gadow, K., Álvarez González, J.G., Zhang, C., Pukkala, T., Xiuhai, Z. Sustaining Forest Ecosystems. The Netherlands: “Springer,, 2021. ISBN 978-3-030-58713-0.
2. Special Issue of journal “Forests”: Natural Disturbance Dynamics Analysis for Forest Ecosystem Management. 2020. Pieejams: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/Forest_Management_Disturbance.
3. Biodiversity, carbon storage and dynamics of old northern forests. Erik Framstad, Heleen de Wit, Raisa Mäkipää, Markku Larjavaara, Lars Vesterdal, Erik Karltun. Nordic Council of Ministers, Rosendahls-Schultz Grafisk, Denmark, 2012. ISBN 978-92-893-2510-3.
Pieejams:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241685087_Biodiversity_carbon_storage_and_dynamics_of_old_northern_forests/link/02e7e51c98cd047a8f000000/download
Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences. Ed. J. Burley. Elsevier, 2004. ISBN 978-0-12-145160-8

Further reading

1. Gardiner, B., Schuck, A., Schelhaas, M.-J., Orazio, C., Blennow, K., Nicoll, B. Living with Storm Damage to Forests: What Science Can Tell Us. European Forest Institute, Joensuu. 2013. ISBN: 978-952-5980-09-7. Pieejams:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264836590_Living_with_Storm_Damage_to_Forests_What_Science_Can_Tell_Us_What_Science_Can_Tell_Us
2. Perry D.A., Oren R., Hart S. Forest Ecosystems: 2nd edition, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-0801888403.

3. Forestry Sciences: book series. Series Ed. Mohan S. Jain, Hely Häggman. Springer. Pieejams: https://www.springer.com/series/5991.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Nature. Pieejams: https://www.nature.com/
2. European Journal of Forest Research. Pieejams: https://www.springer.com/journal/10342/
3. Baltic Forestry. Pieejams: https://www.balticforestry.mi.lt/bf/
4. Forests. Pieejams: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests

5. Land use and forestry regulation for 2021-2030. Pieejams: https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/forests-and-agriculture/land-use-and-forestry-regulation-2021-2030_en

Notes

For Ph.D. study program Forest Science.