Module Code and Title:        BDC304 Forest Management          

Programme:                          BSc in Environmental Management

Credit:                                    12

Module Tutor(s):                   Kinley Dorji (Coordinator), Bikram Sharma, GP Sharma

General objective: This module introduces students to forest management planning and silviculture practices for sustainable development, with a primary emphasis on the theories and practices to achieve desired conservation objectives. The students will also learn about the history, principles, classification, status, and scope of forest management practices in Bhutan. 

Learning Outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Classify different kinds of forest resources.
2. Describe the characteristics of different forest types.
3. Discuss the history, principles, status, and scope of forest management.
4. Explain different silviculture practices to manage the forest resources.
5. Explain different strategies for forest regeneration – natural, artificial and assisted.
6. Appraise the method of forest resources potential assessment.
7. Explain key concepts about forest management practices.
8. Critically analyse guidelines of forest management planning in general and Bhutan in particular.
9. Critique an implemented Forest Management Plan.

Learning and teaching approach:

Assessment Approach:

Students will undertake four in-class exercises either in small groups or individually. Students will be given the entire class period (50 min) in which to complete the exercises. Doing these activities in-class (rather than as overnight homework) will allow the tutor to provide immediate and meaningful feedback on the process and not just the final result. The marks of each exercise (each graded out of 20), will be averaged to compute the final mark for this assessment. These in-class activities should include (but are not limited to):

• Answering questions based on readings. These questions should guide students towards writing clear and accurate summaries and identifying main arguments as well as how these arguments have been supported.
• Discussing different case studies provided to the groups under the topics 1. Principles of forest management, 2. Steps of forest management planning, 3. Planning and managing guidelines, and 4. Laws and policies related to forest management. This exercise, with the immediate guidance from the tutor, should enable students to learn about techniques to identify, analyse, interpret and discuss different case studies.

2.5%    Summary of main idea

2.5%    Discussion questions

2.5%    Delivery

2.5%    Participation of all team members

Part A: Before giving this assessment, the tutor will teach the students how to do policy analysis in detail. The students will then, individually critically analyse and review any of the forest policies and regulations of Bhutan in about 750 – 1000 words. This will enable students to analyse/investigate systematically, the implementation and impact of existing forest policies. It will be conducted after the midterm exam. 

2%       Introduction of Problem (Thorough description of the problem – History, key terms, stakeholders and future prospect)

3%       Policy Environment (Review of the current policy - with all the relevant legislative, judicial, and regulatory factors. Discuss the assumptions and effectiveness of the current policy with ambiguities, conflicts, problems, and contradictions)

3%       Policy Recommendations (Three or more recommendations to the current policy are presented with cost-benefit analysis)

2%       Strength of analysis (Assertions supported with verifiable support without bias in the analysis)

2%       Organisation and flow

2%       Mechanics (Language and referencing) 

Part B: A short oral presentation of 3 minutes each will be done to the class to share their critical review. It will be assessed based on the following rubric: 

2%       Verbal skills (Enthusiasm and elocution)

2%       Nonverbal skills (eye contact, body language and poise)

2%       Content (Subject knowledge, organization and mechanics)

A week-long field visit to Haa and Paro will be undertaken this semester. In the field, they will visit various community forests and study the forest management plan of each. Each student from the group of six will study each aspect of 1. Forest resources, 2. Management plan, 3. Governance, 4. Community regulation, 5. Benefit flow and equity, 6. Strategic approaches to resources management for the future of the community forest and produce a comprehensive block-week field visit report (1250-1500) consisting of reports for individual aspects reported by individual students. The group report must also have an overall organisation and structure as given in the criteria. The reports must capture an adequate description of forest management plans and practices explaining the concepts and theories covered in the class.

Group assessment on common portions of the report (5%)

1%       Organisation and structure (Introduction, methodology, discussion, and conclusion)

3%       Quality of content across the Introduction (Clarity and focus, significance and proposition), Methodology (Accuracy/reliability - measurement instrument, collection, analyses, and context), Overall discussion (Interpretation and description, argument, and proposed perspectives)

1%       Mechanics (language, correct use of figure and tables, citation and referencing)

Individual assessment on report portions related to individual areas visited (10%)

4%       Syntheses of the information (well-supported argument for how their subject illustrates the concept or process taught in the class)

3%       Analytical thinking (critically discuss the opportunities, limitations and best practices of forest resources management with the adequate logical background supports)

3%       Mechanics (Language and vocabulary usage)

Students will take a written exam of 1.5-hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester. The exam will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

Students will take a written exam of 2.5-hr duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions. Students will be required to sit for a written midterm examination of 1.5 hr duration proving their theoretical grasp of the concepts, as well as their ability to apply the concepts using practical examples.

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: BDC202 Biodiversity Conservation and Management

Subject Matter:

1. Unit I: Brief overview of forest resources
   1. Land use 
   2. Forest cover
      1. Definition 
      2. Forest types (UNEP-WCMC and WWF system)
      3. Classifications (age, regeneration, species composition, ownership and growing stock)
      4. Change in forest cover globally and Bhutan
   3. History, status and classification of forest types in Bhutan
   4. Forest biomass, carbon stock and growing stock
   5. Forest Resources Potential Assessment
      1. Identification of Potential Forest Production Area
      2. Delineation of Potential Forest Production Units
      3. Estimation of Growing Stock. 
      4. Estimation of Growing Stock of some important species
      5. Cost Benefit Analysis 
2. Unit II: Introduction to forest management
   1. Define forest management
   2. Objective, principles and scope of Forest Management
   3. Forest management regime
      1. Nationalization of forest 
      2. Establishment of protected area
      3. Social Forestry Programme 
      4. Community forest
      5. Private forest 
   4. Management and administrative units 
3. Unit III: General Silvicultural principles and practices 
   1. Soil and water Management Practices and Conservation Forestry
   2. Defining silviculture/stand terms and processes important to tree growth
   3. Identifying functional components of silvicultural systems
   4. Principles of silviculture
   5. Classification of silviculture System 
4. Unit IV: Forest Management Planning
   1. The forest management planning process
      1. The basic elements of planning
      2. Two time horizons of planning
      3. Legislation for management planning
      4. Balance between production, social and environmental objectives
      5. The participation of all interest groups in planning
   2. Management structure and format of Forest management plan
      1. Discuss about management structure
      2. Goal and Objectives
      3. Management Proposals
      4. Records of Forest History
   3. Guidelines for forest management planning
   4. Harvest planning
      1. Strategic harvest planning
      2. Tactical harvest planning
5. Unit V: Forest policy context in Bhutan: Overview, main purposes and significance on forest management
   1. Bhutan Forest Act 1969
   2. National Forest Policy 1974 and revised in 2011
   3. Notification for Wildlife Sanctuaries 1974
   4. Nationalization of logging 1979
   5. Master plan for forest development 1990
   6. Forest and Nature Conservation Act 1995
   7. Free Market Ban on export of logs 2000
   8. Forest and Nature Conservation Rules 2003 and revised in 2006
6. Unit VI: Forest regeneration
   1. Natural regeneration
      1. From seed (clear felling, shelter wood, and selection system)
      2. From coppice (seedling and stool coppice)
      3. Assisting natural regeneration
   2. Artificial regeneration
      1. Species choice and patterns of mixture 
      2. Nursery Management
      3. Seedling Production and Quality
      4. Assisted natural regeneration of forests

List of practical work:

Reading List:

Essential Reading

Bettinger, P., Boston, K., Siry, J. & Grebner, D. L. (2017). Forest management and planning ( 2^nd ed.).  Cambridge, UK: Academic Press.

Bravo-Oviedo, A., Pretzsch, H. & Río, M. D. (2018). Dynamics, silviculture and management of mixed forests: Managing forest ecosystems, Volume 31. Cham, Germany: Springer.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2005). State of the world’s forests. Rome, Italy: Author.

Gadow, K. V., Pukkala, T. & Tome, M. (Eds.). (2000). Sustainable forest management. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Academic.

Ghosh, S.K & Singh, R (2015). Social forestry and forest management book. New Delhi, India: Global Vision. 

Nema, S. (2016). Forestry science: Fundamentals and terms. New Delhi, India: New India.

Prakash, R. (2006). Forest management. New Delhi, India: Global Vision.

Social Forestry and Extension Division (2016). Forestry field manual for Bhutan: Silviculture and other forestry operations. Thimphu, Bhutan: Author.

Additional Reading

National Environment Commission. (2016). Bhutan state of the environment report 2016. Thimphu, Bhutan: Author.

Armitage, I. (1998). Guidelines for the management of tropical forests: The production of wood. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Alder, D. (1980). Forest volume estimation and yield prediction, volume 2: Yield prediction. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2018). Global forest resources assessment: Guidelines and specifications. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Department of Forest and Park Services. (2021, March 2). Publications and Guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.dofps.gov.bt/?page_id=116

Mayers, J., Morrison, E., Rolington, L., Studd, K. & Turrall, S. (2013). Improving governance of forest tenure: A practical guide. Governance of tenure technical guide no. 2. Rome, Italy: International Institute for Environment and Development and Food and Agriculture of the United Nations.

Wangdi, T., Lhendup, P. & Wangdi, N. (2013). An analysis of forestry policy, acts and rules of Bhutan to mainstream climate change adaptation. Retrieved from http://www.asiapacificadapt.net/resource/analysis-forestry-policy-acts-and-rules-bhutan-mainstream-climate-change-adaptation

Date: June 2021