MSc Wood Science
The Chair of World Forestry is responsible for several compulsory and compulsory elective modules in the MSc study program Wood Science. Below we provide an overview of our modules. A detailed description of all modules in the study program is provided in the modul-handbook.
If you have questions about the study program Wood Science please visit the website of the program or contact the study program coordinator Dr. Nicole Funk.
Last updated: February 6, 2023
Usage of timber
Title of the Module (Short)
- Usage of timber - environmental and economic impacts (MWS02)
Structure of the Module
- This module is subdivided into three parts:
- Lecture: Basics about the usage of bio-resources (Köhl and Mundhenk)
- Lecture: Life cycle assessment (Rüter)
- Project work on potential impacts (Köhl)
Module Coordinator
- Prof. Dr. Michael Köhl
Learning Objectives
- Students have gained basic understanding of the key concepts of the sustainable use of bio resources and the interactions between ecological, economic and social aspects. They are familiar with technology impact assessment aspects.
Keywords
- Sustainable forest management and legality; management methods to improve forest growth; environmental impacts of timber production; forest management certification; criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management; local, national and international legal regulations affecting forest management;
- Circular economy and value-chains, calculation methods of material flow, resource efficiency, cascading use and CO2 in material flows (macro approach), political market framework and instruments for circular economy.
- Understanding environmental impact of wood products; life cycle assessment (LCA); environmental products declaration (EPD); possibility and limitation of influencing the environmental impact with process optimization and product property optimization.
When?
- Winter semester
Where?
- Lecture hall, field visits (forest), online
Formal requirements for participation
-
There are no formal requirements for the participation in this module. You have to be registered for the course at STINE.
-
To prepare for the module you may briefly skim through the keywords provided above (not mandatory).
Workload / ECTS
- This module is subdivided into three parts (in total 6 ECTS)
- Lecture: Basics about the usage of bio-resources (3 ECTS)
- Lecture: Life cycle assessment (1.5 ECTS)
- Project work on potential impacts (1.5 ECTS)
- The total workload for this module is 180 hrs
Teaching and learning
- For this module we offer (online-)lectures and exercises, (interactive) instructional films, voluntary mid-term exams, etc. To organize our lectures and exercises we use the learning management system MIN-Moodle.
Exam
- Most likely a written exam (will be announced at the first session of the module).
Lecturers
- Prof. Dr. Michael Köhl (UHH)
- Dr. Philip Mundhenk (UHH)
- Dr. Sebastian Rüter (Thünen)
Characteristics and grading of wood
Title of the Module (Short)
- Characteristics and grading of wood (MWS01)
Structure of the Module
- This module is subdivided into four parts:
- Wood characteristics, grading and implications for use (lecture)
- Case studies and excursions on grading of wood (exercise)
- Grading of sawn wood (lecture)
- Laboratory visual & mechanical grading methods (exercise)
Module Coordinator
- Prof. Dr. Michael Köhl
- Prof. Dr. Jörg Ressel
Learning Objectives
- Students are familiar with the relationship of wood characteristics and grading (round wood / logs and sawn wood / timber). Moreover, they gain knowledge of common systems of wood grading
Keywords
- Köhl: Timber scaling: measurement of standing trees, stacked wood and logs, cubic volume, and weight measure, timber grading by dimension, quality, and utilization, common European and tropical timber grading rules, wood sorting procedures
When?
- Winter semester
Where?
- Lecture hall, field visits (forest), online
Formal requirements for participation
-
There are no formal requirements for the participation in this module. You have to be registered for the course at STINE.
-
To prepare for the module you may briefly skim through the keywords provided above (not mandatory)
Exam
- Written exam
Lecturers
- Prof. Dr. Michael Köhl
- Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Magel
- Dr. Philip Mundhenk
- Prof. Dr. Jörg Ressel
Timber Production
Title of the Module (Short)
- Timber Production (MWS14)
Module Coordinator
- Prof. Dr. Michael Köhl
Learning Objectives
- Students are familiar with the most fundamental decisions forest managers make in managing forests for timber production.
Contents
- The class covers stand and forest-level decisions. The most fundamental stand-level decision for even-aged stands is deciding when the stand should be harvested. Regeneration and thinning decisions also are important. Uneven-aged management decisions include identifying a target diameter class distribution and selecting a cutting cycle. Forest-level deci sions include determining the harvest level, specific areas to be harvested over time, and how much and what areas to allocate to special management areas such as extended rotation areas, aesthetic buffers, stream-side management zones, and wildlife areas. The course emphasises basic tools used in making these decisions, including financial analysis at the stand level and linear programming at the forest level.
When?
- Summer semester
Where?
- Lecture hall, field visits (forest), online
Formal requirements for participation
- Successful completion of courses in timber production (BSc level), mathematics, statistics, economy is strictly recommended.
Exam
- Most likely an oral exam (will be announced at the first session of the module).
Lecturers
- Prof. Dr. Michael Köhl (UHH)
- Dr. Philip Mundhenk (UHH)
Data sources and modelling timber-related industries
Title of the Module (Short)
- Data sources and modelling timber-related industries (MWS16)
Module Coordinator
- Prof. Dr. Michael Köhl
Learning Objectives
- Students are familiar with available national and international data collections/ data sources on wood resources, timber supply and demand, and timber products. They know different approaches for the evaluation of material flows and are able to apply them.
Contents
- National and international data sources: access, concepts, nomencla ture, and reliability
- Basic structures of wood resource balance
- Terminology / taxonomy and statistical classification
- Evaluation, e.g. lifecycle analysis, material flow analysis, stress and risk analysis, GHG-budgets
- Economic ethics
- Timber supply and demand modelling
- Modelling supply chains und added-value chains
When?
- Winter semester (block course at the end of the semester)
Where?
- Lecture hall, field visits (forest), online
Formal requirements for participation
- Successful completion of courses in timber production (BSc level), basic knowledge of computing in R is strictly recommended
Exam
- Most likely an oral exam (will be announced at the first session of the module).
Lecturers
- Prof. Dr. Michael Köhl (UHH)
- Dr. Philip Mundhenk (UHH)