There are 9 lessons:

1. The Scope, Nature and Fundamentals of Forestry

• Introduction to Forests
• Tree Value
• Understanding Wood
• Tools in Forestry
• Power Tools and General Tool Maintenance
• Deciding on Tools in Agroforestry Applications
• Extending Chain Life
• Duty of Care in The Workplace
• Protective Equipment

2.  Timber Types

• Introduction to Timber and Forest Products
• Different Types of Wood and Their Uses
• Composites

3.  Harvesting

• Tree Felling and Stump Removal
• Protecting Trees
• National Tree Registers
• Keeping the Work Site Safe
• Duty of Care
• Costing Jobs

 4.  Milling and Processing

• Introduction to Processing Timber
• Turning Trees into Timber
• Reviewing Saws
• Effecting of Shrinkage
• Wood Preservation in Cut Timber

5.  Plantation and Forestry Management

• Introduction
• Key terms
• Silviculture
• Shelterbelts
• Pruning and Thinning

6.  Conservation & Restoration Forestry

• Introduction to conservation and restoration
• Forestry for Wildlife Conservation
• Forestry for Erosion Control
• Forestry for Salinity Control
• Design Options including wide-spaced, clump and cluster and woodlots

7.  Agroforestry

• Introduction to agroforestry
• Benefits of Agroforestry including carbon sinks and credits
• Agroforestry in Farming
• Future Developments

8.  Urban Forestry

• Introduction to Urban Forestry
• Selecting Tree Species
• Where to Plant
• Environmental and Health Benefits of Trees in Urban Environments
• Production Benefits of Trees in Urban Environments

9.  PBL:    Planning a Commercial Timber Production

• Project Based Activity: to write a plan for commercial timber production on a small 5-acre woodlot, taking account of the site-specific and environmental considerations.

Please note:  Each lesson culminates in an assignment, marked by your tutor and returned with suggestions, comments, and extra reading if required.

• Understand the nature and scope of forestry including the importance of trees, evaluation of trees and the equipment used in the industry.
• Explain types of timber and forest products.
• Explain the harvesting of timber.
• Explain milling and processing, including small and large scale milling, timber drying, timber preservation and chipping.
• Explain the management of plantations and forests.
• Explain the value and application of conservation and restoration forestry, as an alternative or supplementary form of forestry.
• Explain the value and application of agroforestry, as an alternative or supplementary form of forestry.
• Explain the value and application of urban forestry, as an alternative or supplementary form of forestry.
• PBL Project Aim: Implement necessary planning for commercial timber production at imaginary Lenkat Forest taking account of site and environmental considerations.

• Visit forests where possible – these could be native forests, on farms or state own plantations.
• Review tools used in forestry operations.
• Conduct research into current employment opportunities.
• Research specific tree species of interest or those found in your region.
• Investigate wooden products found in your home or workspace.
• Assess and plan tree for removal of a particular tree.
• Collect images of sawing patterns as a resource file.
• Connect with timber preservation processors to expand knowledge on timber treatments and processes.
• Develop a pruning guide.
• Investigate international forestry conservation projects.
• Contact the forestry commission or department of environment and agriculture to explore the current preferences, trends and specifications relating to forest design.
• Watch online videos explaining agroforestry principles and practices to support your learning.
• Visit rural locations to identify agroforestry in the region near you.
• Deepen your understanding of trees for agricultural purposes by examining farms and trees.
• Become familiar with local government projects or initiatives in urban forestry.
• Report on observations of urban forestry in your region.
• Interview two people or what they know or understand about urban forestry and the impacts of forestry on them.
• Write a schedule for commercial timber production (a tutor supported project at the end of the course).

Fundamentals of Forestry
The scope of this forestry course includes the importance of trees, evaluation of trees and the equipment used in the industry.

INTRODUCTION
A forest is an area with a high density of trees. Currently, forests cover approximately 30% of total land area (approximately 9.4% of the Earth’s surface). Forests have different classifications depending on the region, the prevailing climate, and the tree species they are composed of, e.g., temperate forests, boreal forests and tropical forests. Forests can be planted or may occur naturally. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom no longer have natural forests, but semi-natural woodlands.

There are three types of forest:

Tropical and subtropical forests (rainforests) are confined to a broad geographical band that spans the equator. Tropical forests are known for their rich biodiversity of plants and animals. They grow on fertile soils.

Temperate forests are located in regions of the northern hemisphere with highly variable seasonal conditions. Many species of temperate forests are deciduous such as oak, elm, maple or cedar.

Boreal forests (also known as taiga) cover mass areas of land in the coldest, most northerly, or southerly latitudes e.g. Canada or New Zealand. They tend to be dominated by evergreen conifer species such as pine, fir, spruce, which tolerate freezing temperatures for long periods. On the forest floors there are often smaller species of shrubs (herbs) and shade loving wildflowers.

All forests have great value to mankind in several ways. They provide raw materials in the form of wood or woodchip, which can be used in many ways. Forests also contribute to our wellbeing by providing a place for recreation, where we can be close to nature and partake in outdoor activities, such as hiking.

Regarding wood harvest and forest recreation, careful management is required to reduce destruction and conflict with wildlife needs.

Importance of Trees
Often in the past trees have been competing for valuable land space and felled indiscriminately. Over-clearing of trees can lead to salinity problems and numerous forms of erosion and land slips. As we have become more familiar with their vital role in ecological processes, the importance of retention and selective planting of trees has been widely acknowledged.

Trees help control or reduce erosion in several ways, including:

• By their roots binding soil particles together.
• By acting as windbreaks, decreasing the winds ability to dislodge and move soil particles.
• Reducing the erosive potential of rainfall by providing a protective cover over the soil below, intercepting rainfall, which then either:
• Evaporates back into the atmosphere without ever reaching the ground,
• Drips slowly from the tree foliage reducing the potential for surface runoff (longer time available for water to infiltrate into the soil), hence reducing the likelihood of surface erosion.
• Flows down the branches, and trunk of the trees eventually reaching the ground, but with far less erosive power (energy) than if it dripped or fell directly onto the ground surface.
• Acting as a physical barrier trapping moving soil/sand particles.

Furthermore, trees provide the following:

• Lowering water tables – this helps lower water tables reducing water logging of surface soils and salinity problems.
• Windbreaks – to protect grazing animals and crops from wind borne debris (e.g. damaging sand particles), and help protect against cold or hot winds which can damage crops, and require stock to expend a lot of energy trying to cool or warm their bodies, rather than using the energy to produce more growth (gives greater yields).
• Shelter – to provide protection against rain and sun, or hail and snow, for animals.
• Timber – this could be in commercial plantations (your own home-grown superannuation!), or for your own use (e.g. for fence posts and rails). This can significantly reduce the need for remnant forests to be logged.
• Pulpwood – some fast-growing trees are being extensively planted to produce pulp for paper production. In the right conditions, a well-chosen species can reach harvestable size in 30 years or less, unlike species grown for timber, which may take 70-80 years or more before being ready for harvest.
• Firewood – both for your own use, or as a commercial crop. This also reduces the reliance on remnant forests.
• Aesthetics – improving the visual appearance of a landscape.
• Fodder – often animals (wildlife or stock) will graze on trees in the natural environment
• Honey production – this is major agricultural industry. The flowers of many plants, including trees, are excellent sources of nectar for honey
• Wildlife habitat – it is not difficult to recognise trees as habitats for birds, animals and insect species. Depending on your region, the diverse wildlife inhabiting trees is too great to list here.
• Firebreaks – often gaps are left in plantations to slow or stop the progress of a wildfire or bushfire. Firebreaks are often call fuel breaks, fire roads, or fire lines. Such openings also serve as the logging roads or access roads through the plantation, woodlot, or forest. Using trees as firebreaks is also possible as some plants are fire resistant (less likely to catch fire): plants with thick bark, dense crowns, watery leaves and best selected for firebreak planting.

TREE VALUE
It is essential all foresters, planners, designers, arborists, and administrators who are involved in making decisions about trees utilise some type of a guide as to the value of individual trees. After felling, it is too late to appreciate a tree’s value and words like “sorry” do not fill the void left.

Many countries have an established code for assessing the monetary value of trees. An established code is important to provide a uniform consistency in determining the value, especially when requested in court as a professional witness to comment of tree value. Trees that are prescribed a value are more likely to be of value to the community.

Factors that are normally considered when determining the monetary value include the size, the merit factor (which looks at stress, impact, condition, nuisance, detraction) and land value. This is only one system. Others may have other criteria used to assess a tree’s value.

Tree Evaluation Systems
There are many tree evaluation systems used throughout the world; new systems are introduced as old methods are reviewed and found to be either not precise enough or have methods of calculation that produce disproportionate results in value.

Some tree evaluation systems used in the past include:

• The RAAD system (a Dutch system and one of the first devised) now replaced by the NVTB system
• The CTLA system (used in the United States)
• The Burnley and Thyer tree valuation method (in Australia)
• The Helliwell system (in the UK which is currently being replaced by the CAVAT system)

How Tree Value is Calculated
A tree’s functionality is the major reason for its value. Functionality may include:

• Amenity value (such as in a park)
• As dust suppressants and pollution sequestering
• As windbreaks
• Ecological function – habitat or shelter for animals
• To provide shade along roadsides, for car parks, buildings, or streets
• To uptake excess water
• To come up with a valuation, tree valuers determine what it would cost to plant a similar tree in a similar location – using current prices and standards as a guide. To help them to arrive at this determination they would also consider the following:
• The tree’s function – could another tree perform the same function in a similar way?
• What size would this tree normally be at planting (what is the largest size you could plant?) What size is customary and reasonable for the tree to be planted?
• The tree may take several years to perform its function (e.g. to cast shade effectively, the tree must be of a certain height.
• How long will the tree live in that location and in those soil conditions?
• Is the tree damaged or is there evidence of disease or insect attack? (This could lower the value).

Most evaluation systems use formulae to determine a tree’s value using a check list of costs. This is usually worked out over two phases of the tree’s life – firstly the establishment phase and secondly the functional phase.

The Establishment Period
The establishment phase (usually the first three years) covers the cost of purchase, transport to site, soil amelioration, planting and ongoing maintenance and interest incurred to cover the cost during this period. At the end of this period the tree will be performing its function therefore it will also have reached its peak in value.

The Functional Period
After this period, the tree will be in the depreciation phase the trees value will gradually decline. Valuation systems adopt formulae to work out the cost of the decline and therefore the value of the tree at any point in its life. Formulae differ according to the system used. They also provide means by which you can calculate the effect of damage to trees and the subsequent effect of its value. A tree may be so severely damaged that it no longer has any value at all, or have lost its functionality – in this instance a tree may actually be ‘written-off’ early (much like a car in a very bad accident). Or if it is not badly damaged it may be assessed as having an ‘increased risk of write-off’. A damaged tree may also be prone to extra maintenance and the costs of treatment (such as wound treatment, pruning, soil treatment etc.) will be higher than normal or what was assessed for the tree in the first instance. All these factors are considered when placing a value on a tree. Lists are available for most tree evaluation systems.

Understanding Wood
Wood is composed of cellulose fibres which are bound together with lignin. The fibres are stronger than the lignin which is why it is easier to split wood with the grain, meaning along the line of the grain. We’ll look at grain in more detail shortly. Having said this, not all wood is the same. Therefore, when you create something from wood, it can be very important to choose the right wood for the job; and to do that you need to understand and get to know the characteristics that differentiate one type of wood from another.

The physical characteristics of timbers we are interested in are:

• Strength
• Weight (density) – this will provide a useful indication of a wood’s strength (heavier woods tend to be stronger).
• Strength does not tell us much by itself and so is usually broken down further as follows:
  • Hardness – this is how resistant the wood is to surface scratches and marking (hardwoods are generally more resistant).
  • Compressive strength – this is how much weight can be applied to wood along the grain before it collapses.
  • Bending strength – this how much weight can be applied to wood at right angles to it before it snaps.
  • Stiffness – this refers to how much wood will be displaced when weight is applied above (or gravity).
• These characteristics vary from tree species to tree species. If you are going to select a particular timber to construct bookshelves with for example, you might be interested in the stiffness because you don’t want your shelves to quickly start to sag.
• Timber also varies in terms of quality characteristics. Quality includes such factors as:
  • Resistance to degradation – dry rot, termites, wet rot, etc. Some timbers last for hundreds of years, some need to stay dry, some are can withstand wet or damp conditions better than others.
  • Resistance to fire – ability to withstand flames.
  • Defects – these may diminish the usefulness of a timber.
  • Aesthetics/appearance – some timbers have a more attractive grain and colour.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.

Career Options

Career opportunities in Forestry are varied.  One of the best ways to get started in this industry is start out as a volunteer.  This will give you a taste of what to expect and help you decide if this is the industry for you.  The following job titles represent a small portion of what types of job vacancies might be available.

• Harvesting Forester
• Lumberjack
• Arboricultural Consultant
• Tree Surgeon
• Forest Officer
• Frest Ranger
• Woodland Officer
• Woodland Manager
• Arborist
• Forest Manager
• Silviculturist
• Forest Farmer

ADL’s Forestry and Arobiculture courses provide an excellent foundation for those who wish to begin a career in forestry.  Our courses can be used towards assisting you to progress further into higher education.  There are many university degree programmes specialising in this field.