Forestry

This course provides students with an overview of field forestry skills through collection and analysis of basic stand-level inventory data. Emphasis is on developing basic mensuration and computation skills through a series of laboratory exercises and solving practical problems. Students learn how to quantify stand structure and to use basic quantitative information to make forestry decisions.

Introduces management design issues and practices for a variety of natural systems so that students can effectively work across related disciplines. Objectives: (a) quantitatively design and evaluate strategies aimed at producing a desired set of outcomes for natural systems, including forests, wildlife populations, and hydrological networks; and b) communicate technical information clearly and succinctly in written format. 

Emphasizes interdependence of forest organisms and the terrestrial and aquatic components of their environment, especially in the context of industrial forestry. Introduces an ecological approach to impacts of harvesting on forest ecosystems and the major groups of wildlife inhabiting forests, including species at risk. Covers identification and habitat requirements of selected wildlife species, and applicable legislation.

This course introduces students to core GIS terminology, tools and workflows using practical examples before proceeding to more advanced spatial analysis techniques. Material is presented in an online platform, with lab-based tutorial sessions and assumes no prior GIS knowledge.

For students who wish to extend their GIS expertise with special analytical possibilities afforded by rasters using the latest ArcGIS software. This web-based course introduces the Spatial Analyst extension, and the ModelBuilder, highlighting applications in forestry involving reclassification, overlay, and distance and connectivity functions.

Development of woody-plant structure from embryo to maturity. Topics include morphogenesis and basic anatomy, development of crown architecture, interrelationships between crown and stem development, wood and elements of wood quality, mechanisms of asexual and sexual reproduction. For each topic, differences among major genera will be considered.

Recognition and identification of species, environmental requirements, and persistence mechanisms of various life-forms of forest vegetation; interpretation of silvical characteristics of tree species; analysis of stands of trees in relation to general site conditions and relative stage of development; and evaluation of interrelationships among components of forest vegetation over time, including likely responses to perturbation or to interventions of various kinds.

This course focuses on the design and analysis of forest-level inventories. Concepts of stratification and multistage sampling are presented. Approaches to modelling and predicting stand growth and inventory updates are explored. 

Students examine relationships between soils and plants, and related roles of water and nutrients. Factors that restrict root growth, and processes that influence soil development are revealed through field exercises and laboratory work. Effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on forest soils and subsequent plant responses are emphasized.

This course introduces the major tree harvesting concepts in eastern Canada to students. Emphasis is on the felling, off road transport, and processing functions. A variety of machine types and functions are introduced and students explore the relationship between productivity and equipment costing and how these activities impact unit cost over time.

Takes a design-based approach to silviculture. Students develop stand intervention plans for the main stages of stand development integrating the biology of growing trees, engineering of conducting operations, and economics of costing operations.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to design, evaluate, and explain management strategies for forest management problems of moderate complexity aimed at satisfying multiple social, economic, and environmental objectives. Students will employ forest estate analytical software and will prepare professional technical reports summarizing their analysis and results.

This course applies economic tools to help make informed forestry decisions that will most effectively meet private and social goals. 

Provide interpretation of aerial photographs of forested areas for stand and site characterization. Remote sensing products other than aerial photographs, such as digital optical images, thermal infrared, and radar images will be introduced. Basics in digital image processing will be covered to address the conversion of remote sensing images to GIS layers. It is a self-paced, web-based course without scheduled lectures. UNB campus students do labs during scheduled sessions. Labs are self-paced and web-based for Open Access Learning Program students. Le cours est aussi disponible en français. NOTE: Students cannot receive credit for both FOR 3303 and FOR 3313. 

Principles of variation and inheritance in forest trees will be introduced. Then, various genetics, genomics, biotechnology and breeding concepts and principles and their applications in tree biology, tree improvement, silviculture, conservation of genetic resources and sustainable forest management, will be discussed. The topics will include: basic principles of quantitative, molecular, population and conservation genetics; genetic variation, differentiation and evolution of populations; reproductive biology; ecophysiological genetics of adaptation; tree improvement concepts, methods and programs; silvicultural practices and genetic resource conservation; discovery and functional analysis of genes; organization and mapping of genomes; marker-assisted selection and molecular breeding; and genetic engineering of forest trees.

To understand and link processes acting on individuals, populations, and communities in space and time. To predict the response of individuals, populations, and communities to disturbance and to understand the implications of such responses for management of populations, communities, and ecosystems. 

Emphasizes the principles of management of watersheds and fire at the stand and landscape level. Influences of climate, topography/terrain, and stand and fuel types are covered. Concepts of watershed conservation are introduced as well as principles and models dealing with water retention and flow, and carbon and nutrient cycling in primary forest watersheds. Fire management concepts deal with the Fire Weather Index system, the Fire Behaviour Prediction system, fire ecology, and fire management strategies, tactics and operations.

Emphasizes the principles of management of watersheds and fire at the stand and landscape level. Influences of climate, topography/terrain, and stand and fuel types are covered. Concepts of watershed conservation are introduced as well as principles and models dealing with water retention and flow, and carbon and nutrient cycling in primary forest watersheds. The course provides lectures and laboratory exercises dealing with chemical, biochemical, and biological water quality enhancement and pollution issues.

Provides an overview of the diversity of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in Canada and North America. Introduces major classes of NTFPs including medicinal plants; maple and birch products; mushrooms, fiddleheads and other edible plants; and essential oils. Introduces the science behind the production and commercial use of selected NTFP examples. Discusses issues of stewardship, sustainability and certification of non-timber forest products, emphasizing management of forest lands for multiple products and values.

Introduction to basic woodlot management, covering such topics as planning, harvesting, silviculture, Christmas trees, maple products, wildlife and recreation, economics, owner characteristics and organization, government programs and policies and industry relations as they relate to small woodlots.

Practical exercise in forest landscape management, designed to provide an opportunity to integrate skills and knowledge gained throughout the program. Working with a client and/or the public, students will develop goals and objectives, design and gather inventory data (if required), then develop an integrated landscape management plan at the strategic, tactical and operational levels. Learning modules will be provided specific to the needs of the project. Additional topics include project management, conflict resolution, professional practice and forestry associations. The project requires completion of a group report and presentation. 

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to design and evaluate strategic forest management strategies aimed at meeting a variety of environmental, social, and economic forest values. Strategy design will require students to combine skill in use of state-of-the-art forest estate planning systems with an understanding of natural disturbance dynamics, forest certification, and forest land zoning concepts. The course builds on student abilities acquired in pre-requisite courses FOR2006 and FOR3006.

Additional topics in data collection and analysis, including multiple linear regression, analysis of covariance, basic principles of experimental design, analysis of factorial arrangements of treatments, analysis for some special-purpose designs.

An introduction to remote sensing methodologies for observing the Earth's surface from different vantage points (from the ground, from airplanes, and from space). The course is fully web-based. It allows for a quantitative understanding of optical, thermal infrared, and radar images as acquired by Earth’s observation satellites like LANDSAT-TM, SPOT-HRV, NOAA-AVHRR and RADARSAT. Remote sensing applications are taken from the fields of forestry, agriculture, geology, oceanography, hydrology, and environmental studies. It does not deal with photo-interpretation. The course is recommended for students intending to do a forestry senior thesis in remote sensing. Le cours est aussi disponible en français.

Introduction to image processing methods for RADARSAT-2 images (with a particular reference to polarimetric images). The course is fully web-based. It allows the quantitative understanding of the nature of radar images and polarimetric images and how they can be processed to extract relevant information. It includes applications in forestry, agriculture, geology, oceanography, hydrology, and environmental studies. Le cours est aussi disponible en français. 

Students become familiar with the full range of topics related to seedling production for forestry. Students learn greenhouse techniques by growing seedlings from seed. 

This class will examine the application of genetic principles, concepts and biotechnologies in conservation, sustainable management and restoration of natural and managed resources. The topics will include: concepts of genetic resources, genetic biodiversity and other population genetic parameters, demography, conservation, sustainable management, ecological restoration, and minimum viable population size; indicators for population viability; exploration, evaluation, utilization, and conservation of genetic resources; genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation, resource management practices, domestication, climate change, and natural disturbance; and challenges, opportunities and strategies for conservation and sustainable management of genetic resources.

Introduction to experimental physiology. Hands-on training in use of equipment including uv/vis spectrophotometry, tissue culture and general procedures.

Introduction to metabolic pathways of economic or ecological significance, including biosynthesis of pectin, hemicelluloses, starch, callose, cellulose, lipids, terpenoids, flavanoids, pigments, and lignin.

A workshop course in the modelling of ecological systems. Each student builds a model.

The course addresses ecophysiological relationships within forest stands (energy capture, respiration, photosynthate allocation, transportation, etc.) integrated to the stand level. Specialized topics include tree nutrition (nutrient deficiencies, diagnosis, meditative action), ecotoxicology (role of heavy metals) and reactions of trees to air pollutants (S0₂, oxone) and climate change.

Advanced studies addressing impacts of forest management of forest soils and streams. Topics include sustainability of soil quality, site preparation effects on soil moisture, nutrient supply, soil temperature, water balance, snowmelt, water quality, role of riparian buffer zones.

To learn concepts and measurements about biophysical landscape dynamics, strategies for the maintenance of biodiversity, and ecosystem based forest management. To use contemporary examples of management of ecosystems. 

This course helps students to develop analytical skills for solving hydrological problems under varying hydro thermal conditions pertaining to best forest management practices and operations. Topics include hydrometric data generation, hydrograph analyses, and the modelling of peak flow of extreme events. The course also introduces tools to assess land-use impacts on slopes, soils, streams and lakes, to protect water quality and aquatic habitats.

Evaluates factors influencing insects in forest communities with emphasis on predator-prey, parasitoid-host and insect-plant interactions as well as natural selection, physiological constraints, behaviour and population dynamics.

Taxonomy, importance and ecology of major insect families; damage assessments, insect population dynamics and control strategies and tactics.

Presents a common approach to management of insects and fungi and their interactions at the stand/population and landscape levels. Major components to be discussed are: monitoring and prediction of hazard and risk; damage prediction based on organism population dynamics; management strategies and tactics including acquisition and deployment of resources, control methods and cost benefit analyses. Taxonomy of major families of insects and diseases will be covered in laboratory sessions.

Designed to introduce techniques available for conducting investigations in support of management objectives. Labs will provide hands-on experience from radio telemetry to necropsy techniques.

Studies birds; natural selection, morphological adaptations, migration, behaviour, and reproduction, in an ecological way.

Kiln drying theory and practice. Experience operating a dry kiln. Preservative treatment and sap stain control processes and chemicals. Properties of treated wood.

With approval of the Faculty, a student may carry on directed studies of specific problems or areas in forestry.

With approval of the Faculty, a student may carry on directed studies of specific problems or areas in forestry. 

An intensive 6-day series of field exercises, starting before the Fall Term, involving low student/faculty ratios, and designed to improve integrative and quantitative-forecasting skills. Evening sessions provide overviews of the scope of forest-ecosystem management generally, and in relation to the specific field-camp situation. Students are charged for food and lodging and part of travel costs.

With approval of the Faculty, a student may carry on directed studies of specific problems or areas in forestry. Number of credit hours will be determined by the Faculty and based on the nature, duration, and complexity of the undertaking.

Forestry honours students must complete a research project that is approved by the Faculty and supervised by a Faculty member. This course involves submitting a detailed project report and an oral defense in a seminar-style presentation. Students should consult with a faculty advisor prior to the end of third year to discuss project requirements and potential topics. NOTE: Minimum CGPA for acceptance is 3.0 

A technical description and analysis of a study, employment project, or literature review developed under the guidance of a faculty member. Available only to students in their fourth year or by permission of the instructor. 

The course introduces GIS via the industry-standard ArcGIS suite and emphasizes learning GIS through applied environmental management scenarios; specifically, applications in land base inventory and mapping using data for the UNB Woodlot.
The introductory module provides basic GIS concepts and ArcGIS using generalize examples. The second (primary) learning module consists of two lessons; Environmental Asset Inventory and Environmental Asset Mapping. The Environmental Asset Inventory lesson introduces ArcGIS application in inventory, including creating and using geodatabases to store forest inventory, road & stream data and other managed assets. Students are exposed to the array of digital data typically found in forest inventories and transportation networks and how they are stored, accessed, displayed, and manipulated using GIS. The Environmental Asset Mapping lesson introduces the power of ArcGIS in composing maps commonly used in environmental management, including map layers, thematic maps, and application maps. The two lessons also expose you to basic geoprocessing techniques, data editing and updating and map overlay.

The course teaches advanced GIS via the industry-standard ArcGIS suite and emphasizes learning GIS through applied environmental management scenarios; specifically, applications in land base inventory and mapping using data for the UNB Woodlot.
The introductory module provides an accelerated refresher on core assumed GIS knowledge. The second (primary) learning module consists of three lessons; Forest Inventory Analysis, Landscape Analysis, and Non-Timber Forest Values. The lessons are not presented as an exhaustive treatment of their topics, but simply ones that present some obvious applications in forestry, in logical groupings. Forest Inventory Analysis introduces forest reclassifying and characterizing concepts and broadly applicable geoprocessing methods. Landscape Analysis and Non-Timber Forest Values, on the other hand, are theme-based lessons that employ the array of spatial analysis techniques introduced in Forest Inventory Analysis.

This course provides an introduction to LiDAR technology, including sensor types, platforms and acquisition parameters before springing in to the use of airborne laser scanning (ALS) data for environmental management and planning. Students will use ArcGIS and LAStools software to explore 3D point cloud data and generate useful derivative surfaces and analysis workflows including point cloud measurement & reclassification, DEM and DSM creation, point cloud stratification for landscape modelling and habitat suitability, trail planning, flooding potential, etc.

This course is designed for students new to Atlantic Canada. The course provides an overview of forest history, plant distribution, forest utilization, forest conservation, and current forest management issues in Atlantic Canada. Guest lectures, small group discussions, and field tours will be used.

This course focuses on the biophysical, historical, social and economic factors influencing forest management in a region outside of Canada. The purpose of the course is to better understand forest management practices within the Canadian context by gaining an understanding of how these factors influence forest management in a region outside of Canada. A 10 to 14-day field trip to the region is required. Prominent forestry professionals from across Canada will join with the students. Each year a new region is selected. Students will be charged for travel costs associated with this course. Limited enrolment.