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Unit of Study FOR03083 - Measuring Trees and Forests (2015)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    Internal practical classes will be held during external residential. Please refer to the external residential timetable which can be found on the Environmental Science Student Centre in MySCU.

Unit description

Considers the measurement of forest characteristics to ensure their proper conservation and management. Trees are big and forests are extensive, so special techniques must be used to measure them accurately. This course uses a general teaching approach to introduce modern methods and practice of forest measurement.

Unit content

  • Reasons for measuring trees and forests
  • Accuracy, precision and bias of measurements
  • The plane survey
  • Measurement of individual trees - stem diameter, tree height, stem volume and tree biomass. Use of tree volume, stem taper and biomass function
  • Measurement of stands - age, stocking density, quadratic mean diameter, basal area, dominant height, stem volume, biomass, site productive capacity, expression of growth. Point and plot stand measurement
  • Measurement of forests - defining and measuring populations, sampling theory, conduct of inventory. Remote sensing applications.

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Lismore Session 1 Session 1
Online Session 1 Session 1

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 Carry out basic forest measurements with adequate accuracy and precision
2 Know what measurements are required to achieve some particular objectives of management
3 Plan and execute a forest inventory with adequate precision to serve particular objectives of management

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Carry out basic forest measurements with adequate accuracy and precision
    • GA3:
    • GA6:
  2. Know what measurements are required to achieve some particular objectives of management
    • GA4:
  3. Plan and execute a forest inventory with adequate precision to serve particular objectives of management
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.