Forestry Program

The course deals with the effect of insects in forests; characteristic features of insects; classification of insects with orders important to forestry; Internal structure and function of insect body; external structure and function of insect body; Growth and development of insects;  Locating the opposite sex, mating and reproduction in insects; variations from the normal pattern of reproduction.

This course will help the students to describe different types of wood products and their respective usage and production process.

Research design and planning: research-definition and concept, planning a research project: models and processes; general principles of experimental research: overview of various experimental designs, choosing appropriate experimental designs for particular applications; Introduction to Social research methods; Introduction to social survey methods; methods of data collection in social survey: the interview method; the questionnaire method; formulating questions for a survey; compilation editing, coding and data entry; the writing process and  fundamentals of effective scientific writing.

Overview and history of climate issue. Overview of climate model. Overview of the debate about the science of climate change regarding uncertainty and complexity. Cause of climate changes. Impacts of climate changes on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, agriculture, human health and economy. Potential impacts of climate change in Ethiopia and the national strategies. Climate change vulnerability assessments. Climate change adaptation and mitigation and their relationships. Overview of dendroclimatology. Policy development: UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; Kyoto Protocol; Mechanisms for carbon trading.

The course content will encompass the basic concepts of classical genetics, Quantitative inheritance and population genetics, Biotechnology and Genetic engineering as applied to tree improvement. The course also deals about variation in natural stands and plantation forests, tree improvement through selection, genetic values and genetic gains, seed sources and mating system. In addition to exploring the science of heredity, the course aims to set the foundation for further studies on the strategies and techniques of forest improvement through selection and breeding with genetically superior tree species.

Soil as a natural body, soil as a natural resources, pedogenesis (soil formation) processes; physical and chemical properties of soils; soil air, soil water and soil temperature; soil colloids; soil organic matter; soil organisms; essential plant nutrients and nutrient management; nutrient level in plants; soil and chemical pollutant; Inherent fertility factors and soil plant relationships(growth and development) and nutrient availability.

Definition, global trends in deforestation, isolation, fragmentation, desertification, biodiversity loss and the needs for restoration; relevance of restoration ecology in Ethiopia, restoration /rehabilitation techniques for stand and landscape; area closure, planting, seeding, nurse crops, framework species, ecological corridors and stepping stones in restoration of vegetation, socioeconomic aspects of restoration /rehabilitation.

Principles and uses of surveying; types and classes of surveying; units of and tools of measurements; Errors and mistakes in measurements; h horizontal distance measurement: techniques of horizontal distance measurements, ranging out, chaining and tapping; Setting out right angles; obstacles in ground surveying; chain surveying, angle and direction; compass traversing; Leveling, Preparing field data for post-processing plotting and mapping; Global Positioning System: Locating and marking of coordinate points; navigation (locating direction and position of objects).

Introduction to wildlife management, Goals and Attributes wildlife management. Intensive Vs Extensive wildlife management, Custodial Vs. active wildlife management practices. Historical development of wildlife management in Africa. Values of wildlife conservation and management: data bases of wildlife management: techniques of wildlife inventory and monitoring. Direct and indirect methods of estimating wild animal abundance; Total and sample count; Ground and Aerial count; Wildlife management approaches and techniques; techniques for managing wild animals in protected areas: management of over abundant, rare and endangered species; techniques for managing animals in captivity; techniques and aims of wild animal introduction reintroduction and translocation; managing  wildlife habitats; Major habitat types; habitat requirements of various species ; Habitat improvement techniques; Habitat quality assessment and  evaluation methods. Techniques, Purpose of Animal capture.  Wildlife damages to local communities and controlling techniques; Ethiopian wildlife: Status, potentials and constraints of wildlife management in Ethiopia.

The course content will encompass on basic concepts of biodiversity and importance, characterization of biodiversity at genetic, species and ecosystem level, threats and loss of biodiversity and its impact, conservation biology,. Biodiversity conservation tools and techniques: (in-situ and ex-situ); management plan for biodiversity conservation: biodiversity resource assessment techniques particularly as species level.

Attributes of dryland ecosystems: climate, water, soil, human and animal activities, Variability and unpredictability, seasonality, fragility vs. resilience, plant-soil-water relations, water stress physiology, Land degradation and ecological resilience; Land cover and land use changes, habitat structure and ecological stability, Management principles for productivity, sustainability, adaptability and resilience, central role of environment, multiple and proper use concepts; past and present approaches to dryland development including global initiatives, local and global challenges to sustainable dryland resource management, resource management and governance; natural resources management and poverty reduction, concepts of knowledge management, role of gender, role of community/indigenous knowledge; old and new thinking about dryland management. Establishment and management of forests in drylands. Climate change and dry lands.

The use of probability models and statistical methods for analyzing data has become common practice in virtually all-scientific disciplines. Statistics is known to be a servant of all disciplines. Accordingly, an introduction to those basic statistical models and methods most likely to be encountered and used by Foresters both in their studies and careers is discussed in this course. The main topics of the course include Sampling distribution; Estimation; Hypotheses Tests; Analysis of variance, Regression analysis with application to Forest management and Sampling methods with emphasis to Forest resources.

Definitions: Plantation Vs natural forests. The role of different plantation types. Silvicultural operations and principles. Planting site selection by considering those: abiotic, biotic, socio-economic attributes of site & how to prepare Planting site taking into account objective; principles; practices; methods. Species selection/choice: importance & objective of species selection; steps for species choice. The concept of Spacing & its silvicultural and economic effects; factors affecting spacing choice. Plantation establishment: methods; organizing of planting operation; plantation establishment on difficult sites. Plantation Maintenance: protection of plantation site; the need for undertaking survival count and replacement planting. Weed & its effects; weed control methods; intensity of weeding; time of Weeding. Pruning: concept; objective; methods; types; time & intensity; pruning tools. The concept of thinning; objective; effects; methods; timing; intensity; sequence. Coppice Management: system description; Factors Affecting Coppice Growth; Thinning Coppice Shoots; Advantages and Disadvantages of Coppice Methods will be dealt effectively.