Welcome to FORS 4100: Forest Management
~ Managing Forests for a Sustainable Future ~
Image: Flowers bloom in a spruce fir forest in the Hermit Peak Calf Canyon Fire, two years after the fire.
This course is taught for credit at New Mexico Highlands University within the department of forestry! Please enjoy the materials if your are not a student in the class, and consider enrolling if you are interested in furthering your career in forestry.
Welcome to FORS 4100 – Forest Management. Forest management will connect elements of social, ecological, and economic values of forests, including silviculture, to guide us to consider how to best manage forests.
This website contains links to recorded lectures, readings, and assignments for the class. If you are enrolled in this class at New Mexico Highlands University please refer to your course page and the posted syllabus for due dates and deadlines.
Syllabus:
The paper syllabus with complete campus resources is available here ~
Course Information
Course Number:
Course Name:
Lecture Meeting Time:
Lecture Meeting Place:
Course Instructor:
Office Location:
Email:
Phone:
Website:
Zoom Information:
FORS 4100/5100
Forest Management
Monday, Wednesday
10:00am-11:15am
505-454-3320
HSCI 135
Michael Remke
Zoom Room; Password: Forests
Student Hours:
Monday: 12:00-2:00pm lunch hour
Tuesday: 2:00-4:00pm seltzer hour
Wednesday: 9:00-11:00am coffee hour
Student hours are times when my office is open for drop in conversation regartding course work or anything else forestry, tree, ecology, or life related. These times can be accessed via the Zoom link here
Zoom office hours : Zoom Room
If the listed student hour times do not align with your schedule and needs, please use the below link to schedule an alternative meeting time. Please be flexible with this tool as my schedule may not allow the time you choose.
Have a question or comment regarding class? Scan this QR Code to submit an anonymous question or comment. This can be academic-related or otherwise.
Books and Readings:
While no books are required for this class; the textbooks photographed to the right of this text inspire material for lecture and selected readings from these books are provided as .pdfs.
I highly encourage students to consider these books for their own personal forestry library.
In addition many selected peer-reviewed books are provided in the readings and assignments section.
Learning Goals:
1. Mastery of content knowledge
2. Critical and reflective thinking skills
3. Ability to communicate effectively
4. Ability to use technology
1. Understand interdisciplinarity of foresty
2. Critically think about how to sustain ecosystems for multiple objectives
3. Understand the values offered by participants, landowners, communities, society, and the ecosphere
4. Demonstrate an understanding of both scientific and traditional ecological knowledge systems
5. Demonstrate professional and ethical behavoirs and be able to critically think regrading ethics from diverse viewpoints
6. Understand the value of diverse people, perspectives, and practives
This course will focus on the understanding of tools, approaches, and concepts of silviculture within the context of social-ecological systems and a changing world. The below knowledge and skills are foundational to the learning goals of Silviculture
NMHU Learning Goals:
Society of American Foresters Learning Goals:
Course Learning Objectives:
Knowledge:
Skills:
1. Understand ecological dimensions of forest management
2. Understand human dimensions (social-economic) of forest management
3. Apply critical thought to complex and nuanced management scenarios
4. Be familiar with the principals of forest management
1. Translate quantitative data into forest management decisions
2. Find forest planning resources and write forest management plans
3. Writing and communication skills
4. Independent research and critical thinking
Readings and Assignments:
Click these icons to access assignments
Click these icons to access readings
Click these icons to access lecture slides
All readings are due the day they are listed. All worksheets from class are due at the beginning of the next class - so if a worksheet is posted for Thursday, it is due on Tuesday
Week
One
Monday
8/12
Lecture: Introductions and syllabus
Wednesday
8/14
Production Forestry
8/19
Production Forestry:
Logistics and Considerations
Week
Two
8/21
Ecological Forestry: Themes and Approach
Monday
Wednesday
Log rules homework due 8/26
Week
Three
8/26
Policy, Negotiation and Change
8/27
Mysteries, Wickedness, and Tenents
Monday
Wednesday
Timber wars ep1 and 2 due 9.2
9/2
Labor Day : No Class
Week
Four
9/4
Ecosystems; Disturbance and Forest Development
Monday
Wednesday
Week
Five
9/9
Disturbance and Forest Development
9/11
Silviculture: A review
Monday
Wednesday
9/16
Silviculture and Forest Management Case Study
Week
Six
9/17
Landscape Ecology
Monday
Wednesday
9/23
Planning and Managing Landscapes
Week
Seven
9/25
Ownership, Markets, Investments, and License
Monday
Wednesday
9/30
Don't break the law
Week
Eight
10/2
Conflicts and Collaboration
Monday
Wednesday
10/7
Conflicts and Collaboration
Week Nine
10/9
Collaboration Examples
Monday
Wednesday
10/14
Resilience and Uncertainty: Adaptive Management
Week Ten
10/16
Monitoring and Collaborative Learning
Monday
Wednesday
10/21
Current Issues: Our Forests are Burnin
Week 11
10/23
Current Issues: Sink or Source
Monday
Wednesday
10/28
Certifications
Week 12
10/30
Forest Management Plans
Monday
Wednesday
11/4
Naturalistic Decision-Making
Week 13
11/6
Systematic Decision Making
Monday
Wednesday
11/11
A framework for ecological forest management
Week 14
11/13
Course wrap-up
Monday
Wednesday
11/18
Forest Plan Writing
Week 15
11/20
Forest Plan Writing
Monday
Wednesday
Submit draft forest plans
11/25
Forest Plan Writing
Week 16
11/27
Lecture: No Class: Fall Recess
Monday
Wednesday
FINALS
No in person Final: Forest Plans DUE 12/1 Happy Holidays!
Class Format
Lecture
The lecture will emphasize material content from readings and focus on concepts, theory, and principals of silviculture.
In person attendance during lecture is required if you are in Las Vegas.
Attendance via Zoom is acceptable if: you provide advance communication of a need to attend remotely OR you live somewhere besides Las Vegas
Reading Discussion
Every class with an assigned reading due will have a 20–30-minute reading discussion. Participating in reading discussions is a mandatory part of your participation grade.
Grading:
This class will be graded based on the following categories: participation, examination, lab, and final project. These categories are outlined in terms of there total points towards your final grade below.
Category
Points
Participation
200
Percent of total
31
Quizzes
250
38
Final Project
Forest Management Plan
200
31
Total:
650
100
Description
5 points/ lecture = 160 points + 40 points overall grade and professionalism
28 quizzes at 10 points each; drop 3 lowest scores
In class project with homework
Grades are reported to the university using the standard grading scale outlined below based on the percentage of your total grade. Please consider the rubric categories as opportunities for growth rather than focusing on your grade alone. Since your participation grade is a daily grade, you always have the opportunity to improve in the next class.
Grade
Percent Range
A
>90%
Rubric Category
Excelling (4)
B
80-89%
C
70-79%
D
60-69%
F
<60%
Sufficient (3)
Developing (2)
Needs Improvement (1)
Absent
Late assignments:
Attendance:
Assignments will be posted to BrightSpace and will always be due at the beginning of the class period for which their due date is listed.
Late assignments will result in a 10% grade deduction for every day they are late.
Professional settings mandate proactive communication for missing deadlines, so this late assignment penalty can be waived with reasonable proactive communication.
If you nees help learning how to talk with your professor, remember we are humans with our own humaness and flaws, but also see these:
How to communicate with your professor
Attendance is mandatory. If you live in Las Vegas and are not ill, then I expect you to attend in person. If you live outside of the Las Vegas area, are ill, or have an extraneous circumstance, attending via Zoom is acceptable. Discussions will be much more meaningful in person, and I will do my best to make Zoom and equally inclusive learning experience.
Should you miss class – Well shoot. Every day is special. The biggest consequence in my opinion is FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). In professional settings, missing an obligation is acceptable with proactive communication and a dedication to making up missed material independently. Interpret this for how you wish in your self-assessment.
If you miss class, these are helpful :
What to do when you miss class.
Rules of Engagement:
We develop these rules as a group on the first day of class. The point is to ensure we have a respectful classroom setting everyone can agree with and feel comfortable with. If someone is violating these rules, we can politely point out the situation and remedy the problem as a group or as individuals within the group. The point is to ensure we are all empowered and supported rather than me, the professor, holding disproportionate rule-making and enforcing authority.
Example Rules:
-
Be present
-
Assume positive intent
-
Critique ideas, not people
-
If you identify a problem, present a solution as well
-
Make mistakes
-
If you take space, make space
-
Respect each others time - the time you dedicate may look different than what someone else dedicates and this is not a reflection of value or intellect but rather a reflection of our diversity.
-
Be patient - we all have different learning skills and processes and therefore learn at different rates.
-
Help each other
-
Collaborate - we all have diverse knowledge, note sharing and teamwork (even on indiviudal projects or studying) can help diversify our knowledge by allowing us to learn from each other.
Academic Integrity Policy:
New Mexico Highlands University students and faculty are expected to maintain integrity through honesty and responsibility in all their academic work.
Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, Cheating, Collusion, Facilitation, Fabrication, Multiple Submissions, and Falsification of Records.
ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools help look up questions or ideas; however, copying and pasting AI-generated answers is still academically dishonest.
Additional Resources:
This course follows the Highlands Academic Integrity Policy as described in the catalog:
Cell Phone and Electronics Policy:
Cell phones can both distract and enhance the learning environment.
We will develop rules regarding cell phone use together as a class, please reference the Rules of Engagement for more details.
Preparedness and Etiquette Policy:
Having the proper etiquette for the day means having a good attitude and being part of the team that is our class.
Specific Rules of Engagement will be made on the first day of class and added to this syllabus
Support and Resources
Health and Mental Health Services
Service
Description
The health Center offers basic student medical and wellness services included primary care, illness diagnosis and wound treatment.
The health center also provides students with counseling services for mental health and wellness.
Benefits
The health Center offers basic student medical and wellness services included primary care, illness diagnosis and wound treatment.
The health center also provides students with counseling services for mental health and wellness.
Contact Information
505-454-3218
901 Baca Street
Las Vegas, NM,87701
The NM Crisis and Access line is a 24/7 phone service for counseling and mental health emergency support line.
They also offer warm peer calls and text messaging for non-crisis but need-to-talk-to-someone moments.
Any mental health challenge or emergency can be met with professional counseling and confidentiality by calling this number.
Crisis and Access Line
Call only:
1-855-662-7474
Peer-to-Peer Warm Line
Call or text:
1-855-466-7100
Food Resources
A general store and food pantry
Emergency Funding
The student extreme hardship fund can support students with challenging financial circumstances
The outdoor recreation center offers gear, including jackets, for outdoor recreation.
Eating a healthy diet helps us focus and thrive
505-454-3529
SUB Room 110
This can help students pay for rent or groceries when facing hardship. There also the Dean Farmer Fund
Students can rent camping gear, jackets, rafting gear, bikes, and many other items to enjoy outside.
Hint: could be useful for class ;)
Adrian Gallegos
505-454-3495 or
505-454-3050
Academic and Professional Development Services
Service
Description
The ARMAS center is a place for studying and peer support in the sciences.
The dean of students is a resource for all student affair related questions and concerns.
Human Resources is the office that ensures fair hiring and payroll.
Professional development can connect you with on and off campus jobs
Academic databases, books, digital media and more
Professional Job Boards
Job boards are where professionals list employment opportunities
"Writers helping writers", The NMHU Writing Center supports undergraduate and graduate writers in all disciplines regardless of where you are in the process and what you’re writing.
Benefits
Contact Information
Having a study community and place to work on campus can enhance productivity and sense of belonging in the academic community
The Dean is an administrative role at the University and the Dean of Student brings student functions to University Administrations.
The human resources office can help with any and all issues related to payroll and hiring.
This center offers interview practice, resume building and more services
The library can help you with research support and finding academic resources. The library also loans computers to students!
Connects you to opportunities nationwide and internationally where you can build experience and your professional network.
We’ll support you as you brainstorm, draft, rewrite, and revise. We provide support on academic, professional, creative, and personal writing. If you’re looking for feedback, the writing center is here to help.
Harassment and Crisis Services
Service
Description
Benefits
Contact Information
Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, etc.
If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to contact the Center for Advocacy, Resources, Education, & Support (HU-CARES)
HU-CARES is a confidential and professional service with individuals who are trained in helping students with these unfortunate circumstances.
HU-CARES will facilitate making a student’s campus and off-campus experience safe and can help connect students with housing opportunities if they are displaced because of violence or harassment.
See the website for scheduling an appointment. HU-CARES also offers counseling and confidential crisis support services.
Title IX is a law that prevents discrimination based on sex.
Title IX has online reporting forms (see website) and offers professional and confidential ways to report incidents.
Campus police can be called for any non-emergency situation. Locked out of a room? Locked out of your dorm? Call campus police.
Campus police are friendly and helpful members of our community. They help us all when we need help and help make our campus a safe and vibrant place.
Immediate emergency: 911
On-campus emergency: (campus phones) 5555,
cell phones 505-454-3278
Non-emergency: 505-454-3278
Additional Support and Services
Service
Description
Personal Needs
Field-based coursework and college in general can be challenging and bring us out of our comfort zones.
Finding peers in the classroom our outside of class to talk through our challenges can help us grow as foresters.
Benefits
Communicating with friends and peers in the class builds community and connections.
Other people probably feel similar challenges and validate our experience and can help offer solutions we had not considered.
Contact Information
Call your friends, talk with someone in class, or contact me, Michael. I try to be understanding and supportive of all circumstances
505-454-3320
In accordance with federal law, it is university policy to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you believe you have a physical, learning, or psychological circumstance that creates extra challenges in your learning, we have services to help overcome those challenges.
These can include physical injuries, dyslexia, mental health circumstances and many others.
Seeking services from the school can help by increasing the time allotted for you to take examinations, giving you quiet study rooms to take exams, offering alternative assignment and exam formats and/or finding additional mentors to help you learn how to live with exactly who you are.
These services are confidential and respect student privacy.