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PFG0063

Forest Management, Land Use Change and Ecosystem Services in Degraded Tropical Landscapes

"Forest Management Practices and Land Use Change in Degraded Tropical Landscapes" addresses key concepts and modern challenges in how to manage degraded tropical landscapes to balance the trade-offs between maximizing economic value while at the same time minimizing negative impacts to ecosystem services. In this course we will take an integrative approach that focuses on biodiversity, biogeochemistry, ecology, economic value, human health, and plant ecophysiology aspects associated with different land use types in northern Borneo. Specific topics include: 1) introduction to the causes of land degradation and forest management practices of degraded landscapes in northern Borneo, 2) overview of methods and experimental design to quantify ecosystem services and economic value, 3) understanding of how land use change influences biogeochemical processes, 4) assessment of biodiversity across different spatial scales within the different land use types, 5) awareness of restoration techniques and application of these techniques in the field. These general themes will be explored trough discussion of literature that will be coordinated with short lectures.

Syllabus and other information


Syllabus

PFG0063 Forest Management, Land Use Change and Ecosystem Services in Degraded Tropical Landscapes, 5.0 Credits

Subjects

Forest Management

Education cycle

Postgraduate level

Grading scale

Pass / Failed

Prior knowledge

To be eligible, students need to be a registered PhD student in the field of ecology, conservation biology, forestry, or related field. Students are required to fund their own roundtrip travel from their home institution to Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia. Once in Sabah, travel and lodging expenses will be covered by the course.

Objectives

The overall objective of this course is to provide an in-depth understanding of the causes of land degradation as well as the trade-offs between biomass production for economic value and ecosystem services among a wide range of land use types in northern Borneo, Malaysia. This course is an intensive, two-week long field course that will include a combination of short lectures, field excursions and exercises, discussion of literature, and student-led presentations – all designed to facilitate close interactions among students and instructors.

Content

"Forest Management Practices and Land Use Change in Degraded Tropical Landscapes" addresses key concepts and modern challenges in how to manage degraded tropical landscapes to balance the trade-offs between maximizing economic value while at the same time minimizing negative impacts to ecosystem services. In this course we will take an integrative approach that focuses on biodiversity, biogeochemistry, ecology, economic value, human health, and plant ecophysiology aspects associated with different land use types in northern Borneo. Specific topics include: 1) introduction to the causes of land degradation and forest management practices of degraded landscapes in northern Borneo, 2) overview of methods and experimental design to quantify ecosystem services and economic value, 3) understanding of how land use change influences biogeochemical processes, 4) assessment of biodiversity across different spatial scales within the different land use types, 5) awareness of restoration techniques and application of these techniques in the field. These general themes will be explored trough discussion of literature that will be coordinated with short lectures.

Additional information

The course will take place in October 7-19, 2018, and will consist of a two-week long field excursion to different land use types in northern Borneo. The first part of the course will be based Danum Valley Conservation Area, where students will get a firsthand experience of an undisturbed, pristine lowland tropical forest. During the second part of the course, we will travel to Luasong and the INIKEA Sow-A-Seed project area, where already established guest house accommodations provide the necessary infrastructure and is centrally located to visit degraded landscapes, large-scale restoration projects, and intensively managed exotic tree plantations.

Responsible department

Department of Forest ecology and Management