Applied Forest Metrics

Catalog description

Two Lecture. Three Lab. Forest Metrics. Students will learn fundamentals of measuring forest resources and quantifying ecosystem services. Students will become familiar with tree measuring techniques, quantifying species assemblages, GPS navigation, and other relevant technologies and techniques for assessing ecosystem health and forest inventories. Students will be able to: demonstrate proficiency in using tools for forest measurements, including DBH tape, clinometers, tree borers, basal gauges, compasses and GPS; perform an array of measurement techniques to describe forest stand structure, ecological function, and harvestable wood; identify biases introduced by various sampling techniques; explain the importance of accurate forestry measurements. develop and apply allometric equations to estimate stand biomass and predict forest stand carbon stocks; develop and use transect protocols for estimating plant communities; describe ecosystem health issues and design treatments to improve ecosystems to desired conditions; use the scientific method to design, conduct, and present a research project. Prerequisite(s): MAT 187 or higher. Pre/Corequisite(s): MAT 160.