Admission Information | Calendar Home | A&S Students Home | University of Toronto Home


Forest Conservation Courses

Key to Course Descriptions

For Distribution Requirement purposes FOR courses are classified as either Science or Social Science courses; please check individual course listings.

| Course Winter Timetable |


FOR200H1
Conservation of Canada’s Forests [26L]

Development of forest management philosophy in Canadian and temperate forest regions; the sustained-yield paradigm and concepts of sustainability. Techniques for more sustainable forest management: structural retention; viable park and reserve networks; old growth; value-added and non-traditional forest products.
Recommended preparation: BIO150Y1BIO150Y1/GGR100Y1
This is a Science course


FOR201H1
Conservation of Tropical and Subtropical Forests [26L]

The world’s major tropical and subtropical forest biomes; prospects for conservation and sustainable management; consequences of different forest development strategies; tropical deforestation and selective logging; biodiversity and non-timber forest products; the fuelwood crisis; fire management and large carnivore conservation; ecological, economic and social perspectives.
Recommended preparation: BIO150Y1BIO150Y1/GGR100Y1
This is a Science course


FOR300H1
Forest Products in Sustainable Forestry [26L, 26P]

Traditional and non-traditional forest products; wood structure; properties and material attributes; functional characteristics and logistics of wood product industry. Contribution of innovative product development to conservation; adding value; residue use; biorefinery; under-utilized species; wood protection. Forest product certification; eco-labelling; life cycle analysis.
Recommended preparation: FOR200H1, FOR201H1
This is a Science course


FOR301H1
Field Methods in Forest Conservation [TBA]

A practical introduction to the field methods used by forest conservationists in Ontario. This field course will last 10-days from September 1 – 10 approximately. Field exercises will provide students with practical training in tree identification, forest ecosystem classification, forest inventory, stand management prescriptions, tree marking, and silvicultural systems. Each student is required to pay an ancillary fee of $600 to cover the costs of their transportation and accommodation. Students must contact the Faculty to register – we strongly recommend that you do so by the end of May, but later registrations will be considered if class size permits.
Recommended preparation: ENV234Y1; FOR200H1, FOR201H1, GGR205H1
This is a Science course


FOR302H1
Societal Values and Forest Management [26L]

The course will provide diverse perspectives about forests, such as Aboriginal perspective, ecosystem services and human health, climate change and carbon sequestration, and forest management systems, such as community-based forest management and adaptive management systems; and will develop and understanding of the need of integrative approach to address the social, cultural, economic, and scientific issues associated with forest management.
Recommended preparation: FOR200H1, FOR201H1
This is a Social Science course


FOR303H1
Human Dimensions of Global Forests [26L]

Global forest resources; global and regional production, consumption and trade of timber and non-timber products; relationships between societies and forests; international forest policy; economic value of forests; forests and development.
Recommended preparation: FOR200H1, FOR201H1
This is a Social Science course


FOR305H1
Biology of Trees and Forests        [26L, 40P]

An overview of the biology of trees and the ecological principles that govern the structure and function of forests. Topics in tree biology will include tree identification, wood anatomy, tree architecture, resource acquisition and allocation, tree growth and mortality. Topics in forest ecology will include resource competition, stand development, species succession, and the cycling of nutrients and energy. This course will include a substantial field and lab component.
Recommended preparation: FOR200H1/FOR201H1, BIO150Y1BIO150Y1/ENV234Y1
This is a Science course.


FOR306H1
Tropical Forest Ecology and Conservation Field Course [26P]

This course will provide practical experience in tropical forest conservation, introducing tools for rapid assessment of biodiversity, analysis of human use and natural disturbance impacts on forest structure and diversity, and the development of effective forest conservation strategies. The 10-day course spanning Reading Week will be field-based in the country of Dominica, West Indies. Four additional 2-hour lectures at the university are associated with the course.
Prerequisite: FOR201H1, FOR301H1 or FOR305H1
This is a Science course.


FOR307H1
Forest Insect Ecology & Management [26L, 26P]

Insect identification and ecology, biodiversity and conservation, insect-tree interaction, exotic introductions, biological control, pesticide use, and integrated pest management. (Offered in alternate years.)
Recommended preparation: FOR301H1 or FOR305H1, EEB 360H1 or EEB 361H1
This is a Science course


FOR310H1
Bioenergy from Sustainable Forest Management [26L, 13T]

Socio-economic, technical, political and environmental issues associated with the utilization of forest biomass (e.g., harvesting residues, thinnings, salvage, short rotation woody crops) for a source of renewable energy.
Recommended Preparation: Completed at least 6 Science FCE’s
This is a Science course.


FOR400Y1
Advanced Seminar in Forest Conservation [52S]

Examination of current and emerging critical issues affecting sustainable management and conservation of global forests. Seminars led by students, faculty and visiting speakers.
Prerequisite: At least 2 of FOR300H1, FOR301H1, FOR302H1, FOR303H1, FOR305H1, FOR306H1, FOR307H1
This is classified as BOTH a Science and a Social Science course


FOR401H1
Research Paper/Thesis in Forest Conservation [TBA]

Individual in-depth student research projects on significant forest conservation projects, based on field and/or laboratory research, or literature survey.
Prerequisite: At least 2 of FOR300H1, FOR301H1, FOR302H1, FOR303H1, FOR305H1, FOR306H1, FOR307H1 (minimum of 15 FCEs)
This is classified as BOTH a Science and a Social Science course


FOR403H1
Directed Readings [26T]

Provides opportunities for students to carry out individual in-depth study of current forest conservation issues, under the direction of a faculty member.
Prerequisite: At least 2 of FOR300H1, FOR301H1, FOR302H1, FOR303H1, FOR305H1, FOR306H1 FOR307H1, (minimum of 15 FCEs)
This is classified as BOTH a Science and a Social Science course


FOR404H1
Soil Fertility & Tree Nutrition [26L, 26P]

Determining physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Soil fertility testing and plant chemical analysis. Mineral nutrition of trees and seedlings, diagnosis and interpretation of soil and foliar analyses. Prescription of soil amendments for intensive forest management.(Offered in alternate years)
Prerequisite: GGR205H1 (minimum of 15 FCEs)
Recommended preparation: GGR307H1
This is a Science course


FOR405H1
Forest Products & Processing [26L, 12P]

Processing of wood into commercial products including wood adhesion and composites manufacturing; specifications and testing; sawmilling; wood drying; wood deterioration and protection; life cycle analysis of wood-based products.
Prerequisite: FOR300H1 (minimum of 15 FCEs)
This is a Science course


FOR410H1
Bioenergy and Biorefinery Technology [26L, 26T]

Technological advances and approaches in deriving biofuels and chemical feedstocks from forest and other biomass and fundamental chemical attributes of biomass, as they affect the fuel value and potential for deriving liquid, solid and gaseous fuels and valuable chemicals for other applications from the biomass will be discussed.
Recommended Preparation: Completed at least 10 Science FCE’s
This is a Science course.


FOR412H1
Ecology, Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests [12L, 14S]

The nature of the tropical biome; climate; ecology; carbon sequestration potential. Emerging critical ecological and social issues related to utilization, management and conservation of tropical forests.
This is a Science course


FOR413H1
Wildlife Ecology & Conservation        [26L]

Temperate and tropical wildlife ecology and conservation; roles of wildlife in forest conservation; impacts of forestry practices and landscape modification on wildlife; ecology and viability of wildlife populations; human uses and abuses of game and non-game species.
Prerequisite: BIO319H1/321H1/323H1/324H1/ENV234Y1/FOR200H1/FOR201H1/EEB 22H1 (minimum of 15 FCEs)
This is a Science course


FOR416H1
Urban Forest Conservation [26L]

Current research and practice in the conservation and enhancement of urban forests. Reviews the role of trees and woodlands in providing environmental and socio-economic benefits to urban and peri-urban residents. Examines approaches to the characterization of urban forest ecosystems, and their planning and management to contribute to sustainable communities.
Prerequisite: FOR200H1, FOR201H1
This is a Science course


FOR417H1
Ecological Principles of Agroforestry [26L]

This course introduces students to the roles of trees and forests in agricultural land-use systems primarily in the third world. It deals primarily with the biological and management aspects of agroforestry, within the socio-economic constraints of the developing world. The sustainability of particular agroforestry systems will be a theme throughout.
This is a Science course


FOR418H1
Urban Forest Conservation Field Camp [45L 15P]

The course consists of ten days examining urban forestry issues in the GTA, southern and eastern Ontario, Quebec and northern New York State. Topics include: urban forest inventories, nursery production, arboricultural techniques, urban woodland management, urban forest health, urban forest administration, urban dendrology, and urban forestry research.
Prerequisite: FOR200H1/FOR201H1/permission of the instructor.
This is a Science course.


FOR419H1
Forest Fire Behaviour and Management [26L, 26P]

Understanding forest fire activity is important for predicting fire’s impact on forests and the wildland-urban interface, as well as the impacts of climate change. Basic principles of fire occurrence and behaviour are explored. Considerable emphasis is placed on application of these models to real fire management problems.
Prerequisite:ECO220Y1/ECO227Y1/GGR270H1/PSY201H1/SOC300Y1/STA220H1/STA250H1/STA248H1/STA261H1
This is a Science course.


FOR420H1
Chemistry of Lignocellulosics [26L/13T]

This course provides an overview of the chemistry of wood and wood materials involving cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, extractives. It also covers some reaction chemistry associated with these chemical components.
Recommended Preparation: Completed at least 10 Science FCE’s
This is a Science course.


FOR423H1
Design and Manufacturing of Biomaterials [26L, 26T]

This course focuses on the manufacturing processes, properties and uses of wood and agricultural fibre based products including wood based composites, ligno-cellulosic/thermoplastic composites and structural or engineered composites.
Recommended Preparation: Completed at least 10 Science FCE’s
This is a Science course.


JFG470H1
Forest Management        [26L]

Application of operational research and information technology to develop decision support systems for forestland management planning. Basic principles of mathematical programming, simulation and decision analysis, and their application to planning for forest conservation and sustainable development, policy analysis and other land management planning problems.
Prerequisite: One course in quantitative methods or linear algebra
Recommended preparation: ECO220Y1/ECO227Y1/GGR270Y1/MAT133Y1/MAT223H1
This is a Science course


JFG475H1
Emergency Response Systems Planning [26L, 26T]

Use of operational research and information technology to develop mathematical models and decision support systems to design and evaluate the performance of emergency response systems. Forest fire management systems are used to illustrate the basic principles of emergency response system planning that can also be applied to urban fire, police and ambulance services.
Prerequisite: One course in quantitative methods or calculus
Recommended preparation: ECO220Y1/ECO227Y1/GGR270Y1/MAT133Y1/MAT135Y1/MAT137Y1
This is a Science course