Course objectives: (i) Students will gain an understanding of the ecological information needed for the management and conservation of natural forests: what is known already, what assessment and research methods are used, and how the results can be applied.  (ii) The module will cover general principles relevant across a wide range of biomes, but primarily natural forests with high biodiversity, that are dominated by natural dynamic processes. (iii) A key feature of the learning outcomes are practical skills in planning, carrying out, and analysing and interpreting the data from inventories of forest: a) (plant) biodiversity; b) plant community and species population composition, structure and dynamics; c) natural regeneration and secondary succession. It is designed as a specialist module for which students will require knowledge of plant population and community ecology.

Course contents: The module will cover general principles relevant across a wide range of biomes, but its focus will be natural forests with high biodiversity, that are dominated by natural dynamic processes. (i) Forest policy and management context. (ii) Scientific background, emphasising: forest dynamics, the impact of disturbance, tree regeneration, the ecological diversity of tree species, and the ecological basis of silviculture. (iii) Woodland ecology and nature conservation: woodland types (environment and management), animal impacts, when was “natural”, approaches to conservation, the landscape-scale. (iv) Plant biodiversity assessment: sampling methods, collecting and identifying specimens, character traits, constructing and testing a key, species-area relationships, spatial variation. (v) Ecological inventory of woody plants in forests: species abundance, forest stand and population structures, regeneration in the understorey and in canopy gaps, tree form. (vi) Monitoring, predicting changes in forest structure and composition, modelling. (vii) Factors controlling the structure, productivity and composition of forests; field experiments; impact assessment. (viii) Case studies of the applications of ecology to forest management selected from: West Africa (conservation), the Caribbean (mountain forests), Thailand (forest restoration).

Teaching and learning methods:  The course consists of: (i) 18 hours of lectures and seminars on forest ecology and the background to forest ecological inventory; (ii) three all-day field practicals in Coed Dolgarrog National Nature Reserve, Conwy Valley: an excellent example of a biodiverse, complex forest ecosystem now dominated by natural dynamic processes (a natural “temperate rainforest”) on rapid (plant) biodiversity assessment in forests; quantitative inventory of plant community and species population composition, structure and dynamics in forests; natural regeneration processes; canopy gaps and secondary succession. Through supervised group work these provide detailed hands-on practical experience of the ecological methods outlined above; (iii) Three half-day field laboratory practicals working with the specimens and data collected from the field. These provide a detailed appreciation of how data analysis and utilization should influence the selection of field inventory methods; (iv) 4 hours of tropical case studies; (v) up to 5 hours of tutorials on the analysis and interpretation of the practical results.

Examination:  100% written report on group practical work with calculations.  The report is based on the six module practicals. The sections of the report will be assessed to explicitly test: (i) Understanding of the ecological information needed for the management and conservation of natural forests. (ii) Analysis and interpretation of the existing information available about the forest. (iii) Capacity to plan and carry out plant biodiversity and ecological assessments. (iv) Quality of analysis, presentation and interpretation of results. (v) Understanding of the principles and use of modelling, monitoring and experimentation. (vi) Capacity to make appropriate recommendations about the application of results for future forest assessment and management. External examiner.

Competences acquired: By the end of the module students should be able to: (i) Demonstrate understanding of the ecological information needed for the management and conservation of natural forests. (ii) Analyse and interpret existing information. (iii) Plan and carry out plant biodiversity and ecological assessments. (iv) Analyse, present and interpret the results. (v) Demonstrate understanding of the principles and use of modelling, monitoring and experimentation. (vi) Make recommendations about the application of results for future forest assessment and management.

Course homepage:

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