Learning Objectives

Notes

This module lends itself to integration with Module 7. Refer to Forestry Studies 20 and make connections with what students have already covered.

Consider social, economic, cultural and environmental perspectives of issues related to forest management.

Consider the immediate and long-term consequences of issues being investigated. Appraise possible alternatives for dealing with issues.

Describe past and present trends in the consumptive and non-consumptive uses of forests.

Gather appropriate resource materials prior to the beginning of this module. Refer to the bibliography or contact government agencies, environmental groups, industry representatives and other stakeholders.

Recognize cultural differences regarding forest management issues. In some cultures, the notion of forest "management" is, in itself, unacceptable.

Look for online sources, newspaper articles, documentaries and magazine reports dealing with issues in forest management. Critique them to consider the range of viewpoints and biases

evident, the validity and reliability of the information presented, and the recommended course of action or conclusions presented.

Invite representatives from different interests to share their views in a panel discussion.

Identify the stakeholders. Some examples of interest groups are government and politicians, the forest industry, the general public, First Nations or other aboriginal groups, environmentalists, private business and chambers of commerce, recreational users, farmers and ranchers, woodlot operators and others.

Develop a position paper that outlines a responsible course of action on a forest management issue for a specific stakeholder group.

Integrate this topic with other modules and with other courses of study. Consider the use of dialectics and debates, examining issues from multiple viewpoints.

Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of different forest harvesting practices such as clearcutting and selective harvesting.

Research issues related to the expansion and management of Saskatchewan's forest industry. Some potential topics are access management, herbicide use in timber management, old growth management and the maintenance of biodiversity. (IL)

Compare issues involving Canada’s forests with similar issues in other parts of the world in terms of land use, the expansion of the forest industry, forest renewal processes, management of old growth forests, climate change and forest ecosystems or extensive versus intensive management. (PSVS)

Complete a research project on an international forest issue. Provide an explanation of the issue, including the stakeholders involved and their respective points of view, a comparison of the issue with a related issue in Canada, and suggested strategies and actions for dealing with the issue at local and global levels. (IL)

Consider the impact that the globalization of economies and resources is having on forests around the world.

Investigate the use of protectionism and free trade agreements by some countries regarding the export of lumber and other forest products.

Compare the recreational and commercial uses of forests.

Consider social and cultural differences, economic impact and environmental issues.

Consider the role of forests as "carbon sinks" to minimize the impact of global warming. (PSVS)

Make connections with these issues to Social Studies curriculum issues.

Ask forest workers about their viewpoints on these issues.

Assess the goals and objectives of forest conservation or preservation groups.

Provide a summary of the goals and accomplishments of an environmental conservation group.

Debate a global issue regarding the consumptive or non-consumptive use of forests. Conduct research, develop a position and support that position by participating in the debate.

Participate in a twinning project with a school in another part of the world. Exchange information about forests. Discuss issues in forest management. Look for patterns and similarities. Internet is a good tool for twinning schools and students.

Conduct research to develop a plan for the use of a forested region.

Use a role playing and simulation activity to arrive at consensus in forest use and sustainable development. Use group work strategies to represent different stakeholders who have specific interests in forest resource management. Students should be invited to do independent research, to develop personal positions regarding forest use and to share and debate those positions with other groups. Recognize that the needs of different stakeholders are often in conflict, and that cooperation is needed to develop forest use strategies that consider the needs of the different groups.

Through group consensus building, develop and present a shared agreement on a preferred course of action dealing with a forest management issue.

Consider individual actions, shared actions and leadership roles in forest management issues.

Infer the long-range effects of the sustainable use of forests in Canada and other parts of the world.

Investigate ways in which the public is invited to participate in local forest management decision making.

Contact provincial and national forestry organizations for information about the brochures, pamphlets, booklets, posters and other resources available from them.

Local industry representatives can identify other sources of educational materials that are available.

Use the bibliography for this curriculum guide, the regional library and other similar supports to gain access to a wide variety of resources to support this curriculum.

Visit websites from around the world that deal with issues related to forests.

Learning Objectives

Notes

Identify market-based products and services derived from Saskatchewan’s forests (e.g., primary wood products, trapping, fishing and hunting, guiding and outfitting and tourism and recreational pursuits).

Identify market opportunities that arise from product diversification and specialization, international trade and participation in a global economy.

Consider psychological benefits and extra-market values derived from forests such as ecological values, aesthetic and spiritual values or bequest values for future generations.

Identify major industries that require wood and wood products. Identify common products derived from a particular tree species.

Consider new and emerging products and services like cattle food and methane gas production. (TL)

Consider harvest and transportation, processing techniques, grading, packing and storage required in producing a commodity.

Prepare an organizational chart illustrating the sequence of steps required to take a product through its various stages of preparation.

Draw a poster that depicts what happens to a tree from stump to consumer.

Visit a sawmill, a pulp and paper mill, a woodlot operation or a wood product distributor to discover traditional and new uses of wood.

Look at consumer trends and market values to assess future demands for forest products.

Consider the range of forest products that could be derived from a specific site.

Plan to avoid waste. Address environmental issues in marketing. (PSVS)

Examine different grain patterns of wood. The grain shows more visibly if the wood is sanded and finished. Try to identify wood by its colour and its characteristic grain pattern. See how a particular wood stain changes the appearance of different types of wood. Make up samples of the same stain used on different types of wood. Samples may be available for display at lumber yards and building supply companies. Opportunities exist for integration with Construction and Carpentry 10, 20, 30.

Identify products made from particular kinds of wood. What properties of those woods make them suitable for those applications? For example, investigate the types of woods used for marine applications, outdoor use, furniture and cabinets, newsprint, fine writing paper, cardboard, firewood, plywood and board lumber, wood carving, smoked meat preservation, woven baskets and so on.

Compare building materials available from local tree species and those obtained from imported species. Can they be used interchangeably? If so, how do the prices of those materials compare? Are materials available locally always less expensive than those brought in from other places? This would be an interesting way for students to consider some of the economic factors that determine the price of goods found in the marketplace. Also consider influences of subsidies, transportation and manufacturing costs in different areas.

Analyze trends in the consumptive and non-consumptive use of forests in Canada and Saskatchewan (e.g., recreation, trapping, logging, ecotourism, etc.) (CCT)

Research recent applications of milling or pulp technology in the development of forest products and services.

Conduct research on materials that are being recycled and the products that are produced from them. (IL)

Analyze economic and environmental trade-offs that occur through reducing, reusing and recycling. For instance, consider reusable versus disposable diapers, reusable versus disposable cups, etc.

For student projects, collect recyclable materials and attempt to make a useful product from them. For example, try making paper

from recycled newsprint or packing material from recycled wood products.

Consider some fads that have come and gone. What contributed to their popularity? Why didn’t they last?

Consider changes in the conservation ethic, consumer practices and recreational patterns that have emerged over time. Relate these changes with their impact on forest resources.

Compile a personal inventory of possessions and material purchases made over a certain period of time. Categorize these as essential or nonessential items. For nonessential items, identify some reasons why they were purchased.

Plan, conduct and assess a school-wide campaign to increase awareness of lifestyle, conservation and the environment. Establish goals, plan and conduct the activity, and assess the results.

Maintain a daily journal of reflections and inferences regarding the impact of daily living activities on the forest environment.

Consider leadership roles that individuals can take to promote social action. Identify some.

Make an oral, written or visual proposal regarding one personal action that will affect forest ecosystems in positive ways.

Encourage students to express their personal views and values.

Ask students to prepare a personal contract expressing their commitment to environmental stewardship. Review the contract after a period of time to determine if the contract obligations have been met.

Debate an issue regarding the impact of lifestyle on forest resources. Conduct research, develop a position and participate in the debate. Invite people representing different interest groups to judge the merits of the arguments in the debate. (CCT)

Prepare multimedia promotional materials to market the products and services.

Research the product or service that will be provided. See what other similar products or services are currently available. Make cost estimates as part of the marketing plan.

Incorporate recycling technologies into the product or services offered.

Consider the efficiency of production processes.

Focus on value-added and knowledge intensive commodities derived from forest resources.

Consider the potential secondary marketing opportunities of other non-fibre forest resources such as berries, mushrooms and edible plants, while utilizing the fibre resource.

Identify major components of the plan for the enhanced utilization or management of forests (e.g., goals and objectives of the plan, economic, political, scientific and related factors, methodologies and strategies, outcomes and types of data obtained, limitations of the plan or information that may be lacking or incomplete).

Develop a website to promote and market the forest product.

Resource texts pertaining specifically to marketing may provide additional helpful suggestions. Refer to the bibliography.

Contact the Christmas Tree Growers in Saskatchewan for information about their business and their products. The bibliography lists relevant websites.

Some examples of marketing projects that students could initiate are Christmas tree production, firewood production and delivery, decorative crafts, driftwood products, birch bark biting, woodworking projects, maple syrup extraction, Christmas wreath making, bonsai art, floatation products, wood carving, paper making, paper recycling, dry flora artwork, birch syrup production, pine sap extraction, turpentine manufacture, charcoal production, landscaping projects, wood preservation projects, peat production, fish and meat smoking and so on. There are virtually limitless opportunities to explore.

Use term projects to allow extensive exploration of this topic. Look for ways of integrating it with other modules if additional time is required.

Research what is meant by "just in time delivery." What are some potential advantages and disadvantages of this marketing strategy?

Assess the impact that globalization is having on the marketplace.

Develop a product prototype. Conduct a marketing survey to determine potential consumer reaction to the product.

Conduct an analysis of customer satisfaction, using surveys or personal interviews and other forms of analysis. Identify potential ways that the marketing plan could be improved in the future. (CCT)

Analyze balance sheets, income and expense sheets and other financial statements to determine the financial outcome of the activity. Integrate this activity with Accounting and Mathematics. (NUM)

Learning Objectives

Notes

Suggest reasons for conducting a forest survey regarding the type of information gathered, and the questions that are answered or raised by the data.

Distinguish between forest samples and forest populations.

Describe basic techniques used to sample a forested area such as the layout of sample plots and data collection techniques. Practise these before actual fieldwork is conducted.

Research the goals and techniques of conducting a forest survey. Address the reasons why forest surveys are conducted, the techniques used to sample a forested area, and how sample data are used to estimate forest populations.

There are advantages to doing the layout of the sampling plot and transects, and conducting the field measurement activities following leaf-flush in the spring or prior to leaf drop in the fall. For this reason, the "window of opportunity" for school field activities is actually very narrow, amounting to only a few short weeks in each semester. Take this into consideration when planning modules involving outdoor field activities.

Examine career development and occupational opportunities in forest measurement. Students may be able to obtain summer employment, gaining valuable practical experience assisting foresters or researchers.

Establish procedures to follow in forests to minimize the risk of students getting lost.

Ensure adequate training and supervision when any equipment is used. Understand all safety requirements.

Use competency-based assessment techniques. Observe that students have a proper understanding of safety.

Wear certified head gear, safety boots, eye and ear protection and other protective clothing when using felling equipment such as pruning poles and chain saws.

Develop a safety poster or a safety bulletin board for use in the instructional area.

Invite a forester to explain forest safety considerations and the proper techniques for making measurements in the forest.

Apply basic compass skills to establish direction in the forest; e.g., orient a map, establish and follow a bearing. See Module 12.

Perform open and closed traverses in the forest using compass and chaining skills.

Obtain permission beforehand, to ensure that an area may be used for its intended purpose.

Locate the sample plot and transects in a uniform or homogeneous area, away from features that may skew the data.

Identify the dominant (or co-dominant) species in the sampling area. Use dichotomous keys and field guides to identify major tree species, predominant forms of understorey vegetation, etc.

Apply compass and chaining skills to establish boundaries for a sample forest plot. Relate this to pixel size of satellite image resolution in Module 15. Make the sampling plot the same size as the pixel size in the satellite data.

Orient the plot so that two sides run along the satellite’s track. (TL)

Measure horizontal distance in the forest using pacing and chaining skills.

Measure the diameter at breast height of trees (DBH) using a diameter tape, a Biltmore stick, tree callipers or other suitable equipment. Measuring circumference and then calculating diameter can integrate mathematics skills. (NUM)

Measuring equipment can be expensive. Local forest companies may be interested in providing equipment and grants for educational purposes.

Measure the height of trees and the height to live crown using a clinometer and measuring tape or other suitable equipment.

Inexpensive clinometers and densitometers that can give accurate results can be constructed very easily. Investigate ways of doing this. (TL)

Demonstrate techniques used to determine the age of trees. Increment borers and other measuring instruments may be available as field kits to schools. Equipment may also be available from other government or industry sources. Refer to the bibliography.

Use short pieces of logs or "tree cookies" in the classroom for dendrochronology activities. Various resources can be found easily on this topic.

Design techniques for sampling the forest region most suited to gathering the type of information required. (CCT)

Some useful measurements are tree height, height to live crown, tree diameter, the number and distribution of species and the age and volume of trees.

Consider using surveys and questionnaires in data collection.

Sample fibre volumes in a forested region.

Basal area determination to measure the stocking of trees can be performed easily using refractive prisms. The theory behind how the technique works may be beyond the scope and abilities of most students. Keep it enjoyable and interesting.

When marking trees for repeated measurements from year to year, use aluminium nails and tree tags. Avoid using steel nails or nonbiodegradable flagging tape.

Use a densitometer to determine the percentage of canopy cover and the percentage of understorey cover. This data is extremely useful for interpreting satellite images. (TL)

Investigate soil, water or wildlife characteristics and their population densities in the area as extension and enrichment activities. (IL)

Take advantage of the opportunity to collect specimens for further lab study in the classroom. Check for any restrictions about removing material from certain areas. In the classroom, perform activities on the samples, such as determining the wet weight versus dry weight of leaves and needles, and examining morphological and anatomical characteristics of leaves and needles using microscopes.

Assess the condition of the trees in the sampling plot. Use a Bole Assessment, or make generalized descriptions about the condition of the trees. (CCT)

Explain the differences between random and systematic sampling techniques.

Develop data collection tables for field use.

Practise filling in tables before doing the field work.

Presentable charts can be developed on a computer, using spreadsheets, word processors or graphics programs. Include other relevant information in the data collection charts, such as the name of the group that filled in the chart, the location, the date and year when the data were collected, as well as any other pertinent information that may be useful later when analyzing and interpreting the results. Keep a permanent record of the data collected. It may be useful for change-over-time studies later.

Have students practise data collection in pairs. One student can take the measurements while the other student records the results. (PSVS)

Explain how sample data may be used to estimate fibre volumes and other non-fibre forest resources.

Manipulate sample data as required to estimate fibre volumes.

Extrapolate the data to estimate forest populations. (NUM)

An estimation of available biomass is not only useful for harvesting considerations; examine the value of the information in understanding the ecology of the area. Consider the connections to Modules 3 and 8.

Make inferences about the potential of the area for multiple land use activities, such as recreational use, harvesting or agriculture.

If proper training and equipment are available, students can learn tree scaling.

Research applications of timber cruise data in resource management for estimating total fibre volume, projecting future forest growth or planning harvest operations. (NUM)

Research applications in data collection and storage using aerial photography, computer-based mapping systems and satellite imaging. Discuss the importance of ground truthing in verifying data collected through remote sensing. (IL)

Recognize the role of forests in carbon sequestering.