Overview

The course starts with natural processes in forest history. Do we need foresters at all? Forests are, in fact, influenced by policy at many governance levels; global, regional, national, and local. Legislation, regulation, grant schemes, certification, and other incentives are put in place to control and influence what we do as foresters. The course explores a number of questions. How do forests change as a result of human activity at landscape scale? How do policy measures interact with natural processes in forests over time? How do circumstances vary between different countries and continents? What can the history of forest development and forestry policies teach us? How can government policy tools like grants and tax deliver intended policy goals? Do non governmental standards and certification deliver? How can they go wrong? How much should we plan and control?

Structure - the module is divided into three units.

Forests, Nature, and Human Interaction. This explores deforestation and regeneration of forests in different parts of the world. It moves on to look more at British forestry policy and the story of the British forest expansion of the 20th century, finishing with current up to the minute controversies.

Forestry Policy, Ends, Means and Errors. This unit explores the international policy framework, sustainable forest management and available policy tools. It ends by discussing current policy in the UK.

Plans, Management, and Problems. This explores the tools of certification and concepts of forest management planning.

This is a distance learning module. The module materials include guided reading materials and comprehensive reading list, short Panopto webcasts and interactive discussion forums.

Assessment Strategy

Threshold - (C) Student shows: • Knowledge of key areas/principles. • Understanding of the main elements of the subject areas. Can identify and outline types of forestry policies in the context of mindsets and approaches to nature and societies' needs. Shows ability to understand the history of human interactions with forests, using specific country-level examples. Can appraise the development of international initiatives to influence forest management and practice. Can identify some of the influences that global, regional, national and local policies and politics have upon forests and people. Can evaluate the limitations of management planning and certification as tools for achieving policy level aspirations.

Good - (B) Student shows: • Strong knowledge and understanding of most of the subject area. • Ability to present arguments coherently with some originality. Can identify and provide strong descriptions of types of forestry policies in the context of mindsets and approaches to nature and societies' needs. Shows understanding of the history of human interactions with forests, using coherent specific country-level examples. Can appraise coherent arguments on the development of international initiatives to influence forest management and practice. Can coherently present some of the influences that global, regional, national and local policies and politics have upon forests and people. Can coherently evaluate the limitations of management planning and certification as tools for achieving policy level aspirations.

Excellent – (A) - Student shows: • Comprehensive and detailed knowledge of the subject area. • Logically presented and defended arguments. • Original interpretation and ability to identify new links between topics. Can identify and provide comprehensive descriptions of types of forestry policies in the context of mindsets and approaches to nature and societies' needs. Shows understanding of the history of human interactions with forests, using detailed and coherent specific country-level examples. Can appraise and present detailed and coherent arguments on the development of international initiatives to influence forest management and practice. Can coherently present details of the influences that global, regional, national and local policies and politics have upon forests and people. Can coherently evaluate and detail the limitations of management planning and certification as tools for achieving policy level aspirations.

Learning Outcomes

• Appraise the development of international initiatives to influence forest management and practice.

• Critically evaluate the limitations of management planning and certification as tools for achieving policy level aspirations.

• Discuss forestry policies in the context of mindsets and approaches to nature and societies' needs.

• Evaluate the influence that global, regional, national and local policies and politics have upon forests and people.

• Understand the history of human interactions with forests, using specific country-level examples.