Print Syllabus

Syllabus

BI1414 Forest History - Human utilisation and vegetation dynamics, 15.0 Credits

Skogshistoria - människans nyttjande av skogen och vegetationens dynamik

Subjects

Forest Science Biology Biology Forest science

Education cycle

Master’s level

Modules

Title	Credits	Code
Single module	15.0	0101

Advanced study in the main field

Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements
Master’s level (A1N)

Grading scale

Language

English

Prior knowledge

The equivalent of 120 credits at basic level including

- 60 credits in Forest science or

- 60 credits in Forestry science

- 60 credits in Forest management or

- 60 credits in Biology or

- 60 credits in Soil science or

- 60 credits in Environmental sciences or

- 60 credits in Natural resource management or

- 60 credits in Natural geography or

- 60 credits in archeology or

- 60 credits in history



and,



English 6

Objectives

The overarching aim of this course is to provide an in-depth understanding of of the vegetation dynamics of forests in northern Europe in a millennial time perspective and a fundamental understanding of how people have utilized forests as a resource for fuel, grazing, food, and industrial raw materials and as a religious space, with a focus on recent centuries. This knowledge will also be put in a broader, international context to provide an overview of the past global vegetation development and comparisons of human use of other forest ecosystems in the world. During this course, students will become familiar with forest history research methods (historical records and paleoecological methods). Students will apply these methods in the field and recognize the interactions between people and forest ecosystems in an historical perspective. Key concepts include historical climate change, legacies of human forest use, and natural forest dynamics and transitions. This course will also provide useful skills on critical reading and scientific writing.

After completing the course the student should be able to

• describe the vegetation development and climatic variations in northern European boreal zone during the Holocene and place the current state of the forest ecosystems in a historical perspective.

• identify and evaluate the main drivers of ecosystem change that have shaped the boreal forest during the last few centuries.

• use forest history methods in practice—pollen analysis, dendrochronology, and historical records— and summarize the potential and limitations of these methods.

• identify traces related to Sami, agrarian, pre-industrial, and industrial uses in today’s forests (utilizing appropriate forest history tools), and explore ways to apply this knowledge to the relevant laws which protect the historical legacy of these traces.

• account for the historical development of silvicultural methods in boreal forestry and how they have shaped current forests.

• apply theories and knowledge of forest history to current forest management, biodiversity management, and management of the cultural heritage

• synthesize and present gained knowledge orally and in writing.

Content

This course is designed to introduce the students to a range of historical methods (e.g. dendrochronology, pollen analysis, and historical records) and will involve lectures, independent work in the field and the laboratory, as well as group work on written and oral reports from field projects and interviews. Training in scientific reading and writing will be provided at the start of the course and students will practice these skills during individual assignments and group projects. Students will also practice interview techniques for interpreting recent forest history.

The course consists of six parts:

1. A field component. In the field, the students will become familiar with forest inventory techniques and forest history methods as well as the forest history of Sami, and pre-industrial, and industrial periods. Most of the work will be conducted in groups; and the students will practice forest history inventory methods, conduct archaeological inventories of cultural remains, collect samples for dendrochronological analysis, and formulate a specific forest history research project.

2. Long-term boreal forest and vegetation history. This part of the course will cover the vegetation development (including climatic variations) during the Holocene, and the interconnection between people and forests over millenia. It will consist of a series of lectures and reading assignments. In the laboratory, students will explore ways to collect historical information in laboratory settings through practical dendrochronology and pollen analysis work.

3. Land use during the last 1000 years in the boreal forest.During the third part of the course, Sami land use in northern Europe, agricultural forest use (grazing, land use changes), pre-industrial forest use (potash, tar, charcoal), and the use of historical records to reconstruct history will be covered. This section will be conducted as lectures, reading assignments, and a lab practical on historical records.

4. The history of forestry and forest management.Through lectures and active participation in seminars, students will learn about the German roots of Swedish forestry, early forest management, "modern" forest management, timber-frontiers in Sweden and in North America, forest industrial development (including floating of timber), social dimension of forest work, gender issues in forest history, and historical and current debates in forest management.

5. Conservation, cultural legacies, and management - forest history as a tool for today. This component will utilize lectures and student seminars to discuss conservation and biodiversity, protection of the cultural heritage, baselines, and historical range of variation.

6. Synthesis. At the end of the course students will be asked to synthesize their knowledge achieved through fieldwork and laboratory work and to present it in the form of written reports.

Grading form

The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.

Formats and requirements for examination

Approved participation in compulsory seminars and approved completion of oral and written assignments.

• If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.

• The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.

• If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.

• For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.

Other information

• The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.

• If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.

Additional information

This course is given within the Masters Program in Forest Ecology and Sustainable Management.



SLU is environmentally certified according to ISO 14001. A large part of our courses

cover knowledge and skills that contribute positively to the environment. To further

strengthen this, we have specific environmental goals for the education. Students are

welcome to suggest actions regarding the course’s content and implementation that lead

to improvements for the environment. For more information, see webpage www.slu.se.

Responsible department

Department of Forest ecology and Management