Syllabus
FNR 330: Natural Resources Practicum
Economic and
Social Role of Forests
The objective of this week is to familiarize you with socio-economic conditions in a forest-dominated region, the significance of the primary and secondary wood manufacturing industries, industrial forest land management, non-industrial private forest land management, and forest-based recreation. You will also participate in a facilitated cooperative learning exercises to introduce you to basic principles of ecosystems management and develop a professional ethic. These principles are intended to be ones that your will build on throughout your life to provide the context for making natural resource management decisions. We will work on them further during your courses at Purdue.
1.
Field Notebooks:
You are required to keep a field notebook that will
be graded at the end of the week. Notebooks should include important points
about the sites visited and summaries of the results of facilitated discussions
held. On field and plant visits the notes should include the economic and
social significance of the activities observed, site conditions, management
activities conducted, harvesting operations, or manufacturing process observed. You should include the following:
a.
General
Information such as company or agency name, location, name of tour guides, and
date. For all-day tours, start a new page and label it for each individual
stop. Your notes must be readable but
need not be typed.
b.
Information
to include
Forest Management |
Manufacturing Plants |
|
Characteristics of site |
Type of product produced |
|
Management objectives |
Raw material requirements |
|
Type of operation/equipment |
Manufacturing process/steps |
|
Production/cost/size |
Productivity/costs/size |
c.
Summary/Comments/Opinions
about the industry visited and operation of the company
Notes for the facilitated discussions should mention
the general themes raised within your discussion group, but should focus on the
conclusions drawn from the input of all the discussion groups.
2.
Background Essays:
You were previously given the assignment to read A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There and write an essay. Turn them in Monday morning, June 7 while we’re in the classroom.
3.
Examination:
There will be an examination Friday morning covering the weeks activities. The examination will be given before breakfast on Friday morning, allowing you to head home safely after you’ve had your last meal at Covenant Point.
Essays
are to be turned in on Monday in the classroom. Field notebooks must be turned
in at the examination on Friday. Grades will be based on content, completeness,
and organization/neatness of notebooks (20%), essays (30%), and examination
(30%). Your participation, attitude, cooperation, and attendance throughout the
week will be evaluated to determine the remaining 20% of your grade for the
week. Especially important will be your
participation in the discussion groups.
1.
Hard
hats (unless otherwise stated by the tour guide), field boots, and long pants
are required for all tours. Always bring your hard hat with you when we
travel. We will pass out ear plugs and
safety glasses as needed. Glasses need
to be returned at the end of the day’s tour.
Unless your regular glasses are safety glasses with side shields you’ll
need to wear the safety glasses we give you over your regular glasses.
2.
Stay
with the group at all times! This is
especially important when observing harvesting operations and during plant
tours. Watch where you’re going, and stay away from control panels and moving
conveyers. Don’t climb on log piles.
3.
Everyone is responsible for
their personal safety! Tell the tour
guide or the professor if you observe anyone engaged in unsafe activities.
(The start
times shown for travel periods are
when we need
to leave the parking lot.)
Monday, June 7: Ecosystems Management, Forest Products, and Economic Role of Forests
8:00
- 8:30 AM
· Introduction and course requirements
· Review itinerary
8:30
- 10:00 AM
· Facilitated discussion of ecosystems, how they can be demarcated as management units, and their value.
10:00 - 10:15 Break
10:15 – 11:00 Introduction to economy of Iron County, overview of types of forest products with emphasis on wood composite products.
11:00 – 11:45 Introduction to NHLA[1] hardwood lumber grades
11:45 – 12:15 Lunch
12:15 – 2:00 Travel to Intersection of SR 17 and Ripco Road (about 10 miles south of Eagle River, across from septic business) to meet Barbara Henderson of Consolidated Paper Company.
2:00 – 4:00 Tour Consolidated Paper Co. timberland operations, focusing on regeneration activities, “feeding the monster,” wood procurement, integration of wildlife management, etc. Host: Barbara Henderson, 715/674-2355
4:00 – 4:45 Travel to McArthur Pine for group photo
5:00 – 6:00 Return to Covenant Point
Tuesday, June 8: Paper Industry and Industrial Forestry
7:00 – 10:00 (EST) Travel to Escanaba, MI
10:00 – 5:00 (EST) Tour Mead Paper Mill, green house operations (if time allows), and woodland operations. Host: Charles Becker, 906/786-1660, ext. 2180
5:00 (EST) – 6:00 (CST) : Return to Covenant Point
Prof. Hoover stays in Escanaba to give timber tax workshop
Wednesday, June 9:
8:00 – 9:00 Travel to Iron Mountain
9:00 – 11:00 Tour Khoury Manufacturing Company
Contact: Chuck Thompson, 800/553-5446, ext. 107,
11:30 – 1:30 Tour LP Structurewood Plant
Contact: John Maume, 906-542-7317
1:30 – 2:00 Travel to Amasa,
2:00 – 5:00 Tour Ned Lake Timber & Land Company sawmill and woodlands
Contact, Ken Steiro, 906/822-7323
4:30 – 5:30 Return to Covenant Point
7:30 – 9:00 Start ethics exercise with wildlife students and Professor Dunning
Thursday, June 10 Development of a Land Ethic for Ecosystem
Management (Forestry and Wildlife majors)
9:30 – 12:00 Complete ethics exercise
12:00 – 5:00 Free time for cleanup, packing, study for examination
Prof. Hoover departs for W. Lafayette
Friday, June 11: Examination and
Departure
6:00 – 6:45 Examination, course evaluations, and election of Outstanding Camper
Bill Krug will administer
6:30 – 7:00 Breakfast
7:00 Depart with safety, not speed, foremost in mind