National and International Forest Policy
Information from the course leader
Dear Euroforesters,
Welcome to the Policy Course 2025. In this course we use Announcements in Canvas as an important way of communicating. You will always see the 3 most recent announcements at the top of the start page. Please make sure you have your notifications for new announcements turned on here.
You can find the course schedule, literature and detailed syllabus under the “Key documents” in the column of the left-hand side.
The Schedule gives an overview of the course day by day. The morning session always begins at 9:00 sharp (if not specified otherwise) and normally lasts until 12. The afternoon sessions are between 13-15(16).
The course syllabus contains detailed overview of course topics, teaching forms, examination, etc.
In the course, we plan to have a study trip to Latvia and Lithuania, preliminarily between March 10-20. The participating students shall plan to buy the tickets from Sweden to the Baltic countries and back; and to additionally contribute to the study trip budget (partially covering the costs of accommodation, local transportation and some organised meals) with SEK 2,000 per person.
Looking forward to meet you on January 20, Monday, 9:00 in Silvicum!
Vilis, Derek, Anna, Desiree + the rest of Teacher Team
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is not yet activated
The course evaluation is open between 2025-03-17 and 2025-04-07
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
SV0061 National and International Forest Policy, 15.0 Credits
Nationell och internationell skogspolitikSubjects
Forestry ScienceEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 15.0 | 0010 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
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.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
The equivalent of120 credits
60 credits within one of the following subjects/main fields of study
- forestry science
- forest science
- forest management
- biology
- environmental sciences
- natural resource management
- economics
- political science
English 6.
Objectives
The course has two primary objectives: to provide a wide perspective beyond traditional forestry disciplines by examining interactions between forests and society, and to scrutinise international forest regimes and national forest policies with focus on their implications for sustainable forest management.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to
- recognise regional, European and global forestry structures, including resources, actors and processes
- explain the complex linkages between forest-related policies and forest management practices
- critically analyse national and international forest policy issues and processes
- debate forest policy issues in an international context, advocate own viewpoints
- write reflective reports
- reflect on own learning.
Content
The first weeks of the course primarily deal with national forest policy processes and approaches to policy analysis. Students get acquainted with forest governance in the countries represented by their peers. Class work in the following weeks covers a variety of more specific topics, such as property right regimes, future and markets, forest certification as well as European and global forest policies. Among other things, students participate in debates with external stakeholders on hot policy issues. At the end of the course, we undertake a study trip, with focus on comparing forest policies in selected countries or regions. The course has a wide thematic scope and also the ambition to develop generic skills such as competent debating and deep reflection. Therefore, the pace of the course is high, requiring active students’ participation in diverse course activities.
To further student learning and promote discussion, a variety of methods are used: Lectures, literature studies, exercises, role play, written assignments, seminars, study visits, study trips, presentations.
Delivered by an international teacher team, the class work includes lectures intermingled with exercises in groups and presentations by students. Activities outside the class include a visit to a private forest estate, readings of scientific literature, elaboration of essays, and writing a reflective journal.
The course focuses on the following generic competencies:
Information competence, critical thinking and reflection, problem solving, scientific methods, oral and written communication, teamwork.
The following course components are compulsory:
Seminars, study visits and study trip.
Collaboration with the surrounding community takes place through
inviting lectures from forestry practice, visiting private forest owners in Scania.
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
Passed written examinations.
Approved written exercises.
Completed compulsory components.
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
The course includes a two-week study trip. The cost of the trip will be shared between the department and the students. The amount students are expected to pay will range from 2000 to 3000 SEK.Responsible department
Department of Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre
Further information
Litterature list
List of literature “National and International Forest Policy” 2025
Note, some literature might be added or replaced as the course proceeds.
- Allchin, D. 1998. Values in science: An introduction. http://shipseducation.net/ethics/values.htm
- Auld, G., Gulbrandsen, L.H., and McDermott, C.L. 2008. Certification Schemes and the Impacts on Forests and Forestry. Annual Review of Environment and Resources 33:187–211.
- Bernstein, S. and Cashore, B. 2012. Complex global governance and domestic policies: four pathways of influence. International Affairs 88 (3): 585-604.
- Brukas, V., B.J. Thorsen, F. Helles, and P. Tarp. 2001. Discount rate and harvest policy: Implications for the Baltic forestry. Journal of Forest Policy and Economics 2: 143-156.
- Brukas, V. and N. Weber 2009. Forest management after the economic transition – at the crossroads between German and Scandinavian traditions? Forest Policy and Economics 11 (8): 586-592.
- Brukas, V. 2015. New World, Old Ideas—A Narrative of the Lithuanian Forestry Transition. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning 17(4): 495-515.
- Buchy, M. and Hoverman, S. 2000. Understanding public participation in forest planning: a review. Forest Policy and Economics, 1(1), pp. 15–25.
- Dunn, W.N., 2015. Public policy analysis. Chapter 1.
- FAO 2022. State of the World’s Forests 2022, Executive Summary, pp. xiii-xxi
- Gordeeva, E.; Weber, N.; Wolfslehner, B. 2022. The New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 - An analysis of major interests. Forests 13, 1503
- Höhl, M.; Ahimbisibwe, V.; Stanturf, J.A.; Elsasser, P.; Kleine, M.; Bolte, A. 2020. Forest Landscape Restoration—What Generates Failure and Success? Forests 2020, 11, 938; doi:10.3390/f11090938 www.mdpi
- Ingemarson, F., Lindhagen, A. and Eriksson, L. 2006. A typology of small-scale private forest owners in Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 21(3) 249-259.
- Klingberg, T. 2002. A European view of forest issues for consideration. Working paper No 18, University of Gävle, Sweden, 14 pp.
- Krott M. 2005. Forest Policy Analysis. Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands. pp. 7-36; 39-63; 70-100; 117-143; 219–243.
- Lindahl K.B., Lindahl, Sténs A., Sandström C., Johansson J., Lidskog R., Ranius T., Roberge, J.M. 2017. The Swedish forestry model: More of everything?, Forest Policy and Economics 77: 44-55.
- Niedziałkowski, K. and Shkaruba, A., 2018. Governance and legitimacy of the Forest Stewardship Council certification in the national contexts–A comparative study of Belarus and Poland. Forest Policy and Economics, 97, pp.180-188.
- Reed, M. S. et al. 2018. ‘A theory of participation: what makes stakeholder and public engagement in environmental management work?’, Restoration Ecology, 26, pp. S7–S17. doi: 10.1111/rec.12541.
- Springate-Baginski, O. and J. Soussan 2002. A Methodology for Policy Process Analysis. Livelihood-Policy Relationships in South Asia. Working Paper 9.
- Stanislovaitis, A., Brukas, V., Kavaliauskas, M. & Mozgeris, G. 2015. Forest owner is more than her goal: a qualitative typology of Lithuanian owners. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 30(5): 478-491.
- Tekle Tegegne, Y.; Cramm, M.; van Brusselen, J. 2018. Sustainable Forest Management, FLEGT, and REDD+: Exploring Interlinkages to strengthen forest policy coherence. Sustainability 10, 4841, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su10124841
- Wallin, I., Pülzl, H., Secco, L., Sergent, A. and Kleinschmit, D., 2018. Research trends: Orchestrating forest policy-making: Involvement of scientists and stakeholders in political processes. Forest Policy and Economics 89: 1-3.
Suggested additional readings
1. Villalobos, L., Coria, J. and Nordén, A., 2018. Has Forest Certification Reduced Forest Degradation in Sweden?. Land Economics, 94(2), pp.220-238.
2. van der Ven, H. and Cashore, B., 2018. Forest certification: the challenge of measuring impacts. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 32, pp.104-111.