PRINCIPLES OF SILVICULTURE (FWF 312) Course Objectives --- Spring 2017 Course number, title, and credit hours: FWF 312 Principles of Silviculture (3 hours) Catalog description: A study of ecologically-based manipulations for treating forest stands to achieve desired management objectives. Develop and apply silvicultural prescriptions and learn the effects of these prescriptions on timber and non-timber forest benefits, forest health and biodiversity, soil and water resources as well as their effect on broader social, economic and ecological issues. 1 lab. Background: Ecology, Tree Identification, Measurements This course satisfies part of the writing obligations for the UT General Education requirements. Course objectives: 1.0 Know silvicultural terminology 1.1 Define terms and processes important to tree growth 1.2 Define silviculture/stand terms 1.3 Identify functional components of silvicultural systems 2.0 Understand silviculture principles 2.1 Explain tree growth functions by structural units 2.2 Understand stand density effects upon tree and stand growth 2.3 Describe stand growth as a functional unit and as a composite of individual trees 2.4 Describe silvicultural tools appropriate for intermediate silvicultural operations 2.5 Describe stand regeneration using the classic silvicultural methods 3.0 Apply silvicultural principles to field situations 3.1 Use silvicultural principles to accomplish selected owner objectives including wildlife and recreation 3.2 Modify silviculture systems to fulfill stand growth and regeneration requirements 3.3 Analyze stand regeneration prescriptions critically 3.4 Demonstrate the effects of stand density changes upon stand growth and individual tree growth
3.5 Modify silvicultural operations/plans to accommodate wildlife habitat requirements 3.6 Demonstrate silvicultural operations compatible with wildlife and wildland recreation objectives Text: References: Smith, D.M., B.C. Larson, M.J. Kelty, and P.M.S. Ashton. 1997. Practices of silviculture: applied forest ecology, 9 th ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY. 537 pp. Nyland, R.D. 1996/2002. Silviculture: Concepts and Applications. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 633 pp. Oliver, C.D. and B.C. Larson. 1996. Forest Stand Dynamics. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY. 520 pp. These texts/references are on the reserve at the Ag/Vet Library. A variety of articles from periodicals, chapters from books and reports from research centers will be available on blackboard to present and illustrate the application of concepts and to amplify theoretical considerations Laboratory: Labs are designed to compliment and illustrate concepts presented in lecture. Lab reports and abstracts compose 34% of the final grade Grading policy: Grading Scale: Hourly Exam #1* 20% > 90% = A Hourly Exam #2* 20% 80-89% = B Hourly Exam #3 * 20% 70-79% = C 60-69% = D Final Exam 24% <60% = F Lab Exercises & Reports 36% Total 100% *The lowest grade of the items marked with an asterisk will be dropped. All exams are in short answer format. Each student must complete Final Exam, Lab Reports and 2 of 3 of the hourly exams. The final exam is comprehensive. No make-up exams will be given unless there are extraordinary circumstances. Issues related to grades or academic coursework should first be addressed with the course instructor, then the appropriate department head, and finally the dean of the college in which the course is offered. If an appropriate solution cannot be reached through discussions with these individuals, the Director of the Student Success Center (for undergraduate students) or the staff of the Office of Graduate Student Services (for graduate students) can offer assistance regarding the best next steps for problem resolution. Issues related to academic advising should be addressed first with the advisor,
then the director of the appropriate advising center, then the dean of the appropriate college, and finally with the Assistant Provost for Student Success. From UT Hill Topics Instructors: Dr. Wayne Clatterbuck, PSB 279, 4-7990, wclatterbuck@utk.edu Stephen Peairs, speairs@vols.utk.edu David Clabo, dclabo@vols.utk.edu Comments: FWF 312 is a 3-hour course consisting of approximately 2 hours of lectures and 3 hours of laboratory per week. During the semester, the lecture contact amounts to 30+ hours. This period of contact is supplemented by 10 or more lab periods. What you get out of this course depends mainly on what you bring to it and what you put into it. This course addresses concepts and strives to develop an understanding of them rather than skills or how methods are implemented. The student should develop a fresh perspective on forest dynamics. Academic Integrity / Plagiarism: Academic dishonesty/plagiarism is commonly defined as passing off someone else's words, writings, ideas, etc. as one's own. Plagiarism is tantamount to lying and stealing. In order to avoid plagiarism, properly credit material drawn from other sources. Instructors will be using SAFEASSIGN software to monitor and indicate whether lab reports and abstracts are similar to submissions from other students in the class, not just your lab section and from lab reports written by students in previous years. Thus, do your own work and writing and do not copy from a classmate! We expect sections of your reports (especially the objectives and procedures) to be similar since the data are collected in student groups. However, interpretation, analyses, and presentation of the results and discussion of each report should be your own work. If you plagiarize, you will receive a zero for that assignment. Plagiarism and the UT Honor Statement: An essential feature of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual integrity and academic honesty. As a student of the university, I pledge that I will neither knowingly give nor receive any inappropriate assistance in academic work, thus affirming my own personal commitment to honor and integrity. (from UT Hilltopics)
FWF 312 Silviculture Lecture Syllabus Spring 2017 Dates Subjects Textbook Chapters (Smith) Jan. 11 (W) Jan. 16 (M) Jan. 18 (W) Jan. 23 (M) No Class (week-long fire class) No Class (MLK Holiday) First Day of Class --- Class Logistics What is Silviculture? 1 Succession/Stand Development Stages Relation to Wildlife Habitat 20 Jan. 25 (W) Silvicultural Systems 1, 2, 11 Regeneration Methods Jan. 30 (M) Site Preparation 6, 8 Feb. 1 (W) Site Prep (cont.), Use of Herbicides 6 Feb. 6 (M) Forest Health & Pest Management 19 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Feb. 8 (W) FIRST HOUR EXAM (6 lectures) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feb. 13 (M) Tree Response to Thinning 3 Initiating a Thinning Program Feb. 15 (W) Thinning Methods 5 Feb. 20 (M) Thinning Effects on Yield, Wildlife & 3, 4, 5 Productivity Feb. 22 (W) Crop Tree Release Handout Feb. 27 (M) Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) 4, 5 & Salvage Cuts Mar. 1 (W) Intermediate Operations and Overview 3, 4, 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mar. 6 (M) 2 nd HOUR EXAM on Intermediate Operations (6 lectures) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mar. 8 (W) Ecology of Regeneration 7, 9, 13
FWF 312 Silviculture Lecture Syllabus Spring 2017 (continued) Dates Subjects Textbook Chapters (Smith) Mar. 13, 15 Spring Break Week (no class) Mar. 20 (M) Artificial Regeneration (Planting) 10 Mar. 22 (W) Bottomland Hardwood Ecology Handout Dynamics of Water Mar. 27 (M) Even-age System -- Clearcut 12, 14 Regeneration Method Mar. 29 (W) Even-age System -- Shelterwood & 12, 14 Seed Tree Apr. 3 (M) Two-age System Handout Apr. 5 (W) Uneven-age System Single & Group 15 Selection Regeneration Methods ----- Potential to High-Grade Apr. 10 (M) Uneven-age System Single & Group 15 Selection Regeneration Methods -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apr. 12 (W) 3 RD HOUR EXAM on Regeneration (8 lectures) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apr. 17 (M) Stages of Stand Development Handout Apr. 19 (W) Stages of Stand Development Handout Apr. 24 (M) Current Silviculture Topics Handout Mixed Species Stands Apr. 26 (W) Developing High-Grade Hardwoods Handout Final Exam Review May 5 (F) FINAL Comprehensive Exam 12:30 pm 2:30 pm
FWF 312, Principles of Silviculture Lab Schedule Spring 2017 January 11/12 No Lab (conflicts with week-long FWF fire class) January 18/19 Lab Expectations, Terminology, Campus - PSB Scientific Writing Technical Writing Abstract Due - Jan. 25 (in lecture) January 25/26 No Lab February 1/2 A Walk in the Woods Oak Ridge Silviculture Terminology Begin Stand Description Exercise February 8/9 Data Collection for Stand Description Oak Ridge Exercise Begin Regeneration Model Lab Stand Description Abstract Due Feb. 15/16 (in lab) February 15/16 Regeneration Model Data Analysis Campus - PSB Regeneration Lab Report Due --- Feb 22/23 (in lab) ======================================================================= NOTE: The order and dates (and due dates for lab reports) for the next 3 labs on thinning may change based on the actual date of the thinning field trip (March 8/9 ---- proposed). We plan to visit and view a commercial thinning operation. The date for this lab will depend on weather and site conditions and whether the logging equipment is operating. February 22/23 Thinning the Stand Oak Ridge Layout and Field Measurements March 1/2 Thinning the Stand Oak Ridge Continue Field Data Collection March 8/9 Thinning Field Trip to View Operations TBA (Field) Thinning Lab Report Exercise Due March 22/23 (in lab) Thinning Field Trip Exercise --- Lab Abstract Due March 22/23 (in lab)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 15/16 Spring Break No Lab March 22/23 Best Management Practices (BMP) Lab Oak Ridge BMP Lab Abstract Due March 29-30 (in lab) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 29/30 Open Date ----- Lab will meet either to make-up a lab that was previously cancelled due to inclement weather or to add more time to complete the Rx Exercise below April 5/6 Silvicultural Prescription (Rx) Exercise Oak Ridge Become familiar with assigned area Data Collection April 12/13 Silvicultural Prescription (Rx) Exercise Oak Ridge Continue Data Collection Prepare Lab Reports and Oral Presentations Prescription Lab Reports Due April 26/27 (in lab) ======================================================================== A required, all day field trip to Bent Creek Experimental Forest near Asheville, NC is scheduled for Thursday, April 20 to view regeneration practices as well as impacts on wildlife. We will leave Knoxville at 7:00 am and return by 6:00 pm. This field trip will substitute for the lab session scheduled for April 19/20. April 20 Bent Creek Field Trip Asheville, NC Bent Creek Lab Report Due April 26/27 ======================================================================== April 26/27 Group Presentations of Silvicultural Campus - PSB Prescription (Rx) Exercise LAB GRADING Labs are worth 36% of final grade 4 Abstracts/Quizzes 8% total (2% each) Technical Writing Report Stand Description Thinning Field Trip BMP Lab Bent Creek Abstract 6% Regeneration Report 6% Thinning Report 8% Prescription Report 8% Total 36%