BSc (Hons) Woodland Ecology and Conservation (With Integrated Foundation Year)

Program Overview

The Woodland Ecology and Conservation program equips graduates with the knowledge and skills to address climate change and biodiversity loss. It focuses on sustainable forest management, biodiversity, and woodland conservation, preparing students to manage trees, woods, and forests for the benefit of both nature and society. The program is delivered by research-active academics with woodland management experience and offers hands-on experience in various woodland settings.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Woodland Ecology and Conservation (With Integrated Foundation Year) program is designed to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. The program focuses on sustainable forest management, biodiversity, and woodland conservation. It aims to produce graduates who can manage trees, woods, and forests to protect biodiversity and optimize the delivery of benefits to human society.

Outline:

Year One

• Essential University Skills 1: Develops essential academic and professional skills for effective learning and successful progression.
• Essential Biology: Covers fundamental principles of biology, essential for further study in the field.
• Scientific Investigation: Explores the protocols associated with scientific investigation.
• Essential University Skills 2: Expands learning in research, writing structure, reflective learning, and presenting research to an audience.
• Environmental Sciences: Introduces field-based skills in natural sciences and interdisciplinary content related to human ecology, toxicology, public health, epidemiology, and parasitology.
• Dynamic Earth: Studies applied aspects of geology, geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, and soils.

Year Two

• Introduction to Managing Trees, Woods and Forests: Provides a basic understanding of forestry history, soil and plant science principles, and sustainable forest management practices.
• Measuring Trees and Forests: Teaches standard methods of tree and woodland measurement used in British forestry.
• Silviculture: Offers a grounding in silvicultural practice, including plantation, conservation, and amenity woodland establishment and maintenance.
• Woodland Ecology: Provides a broad introduction to ecology and ecological processes, focusing on interactions between organisms and their environments.
• Woodland Ecology: Develops essential writing and presentation skills for academic and professional success.
• Biodiversity 1: Introduces the range of biodiversity on the planet through lectures and practical field and laboratory sessions.
• Biodiversity 2: Expands upon identification skills, utilizing field guides and microscopes to observe details for scientific keys.

Year Three

• Biodiversity Monitoring: Builds upon identification and field skills, focusing on biological survey design and monitoring techniques.
• Geographic Information Systems: Provides a comprehensive understanding of GIS theory and application.
• Research Methods and Data Analysis: Introduces the scientific method, research design, data collection, and analytical skills for dissertation projects.
• Forest Policy and Governance: Develops knowledge and skills for managing sustainable forestry within national and international legislative frameworks.
• Forest Health and Protection: Focuses on identifying, understanding, and managing biotic and abiotic factors that affect trees and forests.
• Forests & People (Optional): Explores the role of forests and woodlands in communities, encompassing physical resources and spaces for mental and physical well-being.
• Valuing the Environment (Optional): Examines concepts related to valuing the environment, including natural capital, nature's contribution to people, and ecosystem services.
• Environmental Change: Past Present Future (Optional): Explores evidence and forcing of past climate change, its impact on the landscape, and the evolution of humans and society.

Year Four

• Forest Plan: Enables students to engage in objective-led forest management planning based on sustainable forest management principles.
• Dissertation: Develops objectives for a self-selected business, evaluating impacts, planning resources, and applying business tools.
• Woodland Conservation: Compares conservation to ecology and sustainability, examining the influence of British Romanticism and the development of the conservation movement.
• Applied Field Studies (Optional): Provides experience in data collection, analysis, and scientific report preparation.
• Advanced Silviculture (Optional): Expands understanding of silvicultural practices and their role in managing forests across diverse objectives.
• Business Skills (Optional): Develops objectives, evaluates impacts, plans resources, and applies business tools for a self-selected business.
• Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing (Optional): Provides skills and knowledge for using GIS and remote sensing to address conservation and natural resource management issues.
• Climate Smart Forestry (Optional): Offers an overview of climate change causes, impacts, adaptation strategies, and mitigation options for forest managers.
• Wildlife Management (Optional): Applies knowledge of wildlife and conservation to real-life situations, covering wildlife management techniques, habitat management, and population and species management.

Assessment:

Assessment methods include:

• Creating fieldwork and laboratory reports.
• Writing essays or reports.
• Critically analyzing "real-life" case studies.
• Role-play to simulate real-world situations.

Teaching:

• Delivered by research-active academics with woodland management experience.
• Lectures, laboratory practicals, computer sessions, and fieldwork in ancient woodlands and commercial forest plantations around Ambleside Campus.
• Inspired by passionate lecturers sharing their research findings and field trips discussing ecologically evidence-based decisions.
• Group and team work to develop collaborative and organizational skills.

Other:

• The National School of Forestry is located on the Ambleside campus, offering hands-on experience in various woodland settings.
• The program has strong links with organizations like the Royal Forestry Society and Woodland Trust, leading to paid placements and graduate job opportunities.
• The program explores the commercial, social, and environmental contexts of forestry, examining its impact on the rural economy, society, and the environment.
• Students learn research methods for monitoring changes in forest condition, health, and carbon capture.
• They develop skills in describing tree and forest types and the ecological systems they support.
• The program is located in the Lake District, providing a unique opportunity to appreciate and value woodland conservation and ecology.

Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

• Tuition Fees
2024 - 2025 £9,250 - UK £13,575 - International
• The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.
• Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year.
The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.