SILVICULTURE: APPLIED FOREST ECOLOGY

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: ZOOLOGY/BOTANY 460 , F&W ECOL 550 , or graduate/professional standing (or FW ECOL 460 prior to Fall 2026) Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness Breadth - Biological Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe stand dynamics, including concepts of stand structure, function, establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Explain the ecological underpinnings and technical considerations for common regeneration, establishment, and intermediate treatments that comprise modern silvicultural systems. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Develop data-driven, time- and space-bounded prescriptions for forest stands considering ecological, economic, and societal aspects of management decisions in an ethical context. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Communicate technical material using text, tables, graphs, and maps, including logical rationale supporting management decisions. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Create solutions to real-world forest management challenges by applying higher-order thinking skills to their knowledge of silviculture. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Survey current scientific literature on a particular topic relevant to management of forests in WI under changing conditions, summarize current knowledge and knowledge gaps, and recommend next steps in research to improve management. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe stand dynamics, including concepts of stand structure, function, establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Explain the ecological underpinnings and technical considerations for common regeneration, establishment, and intermediate treatments that comprise modern silvicultural systems. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Develop data-driven, time- and space-bounded prescriptions for forest stands considering ecological, economic, and societal aspects of management decisions in an ethical context. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Communicate technical material using text, tables, graphs, and maps, including logical rationale supporting management decisions. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Create solutions to real-world forest management challenges by applying higher-order thinking skills to their knowledge of silviculture. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Survey current scientific literature on a particular topic relevant to management of forests in WI under changing conditions, summarize current knowledge and knowledge gaps, and recommend next steps in research to improve management. Audience: Graduate