Sustainable Forest Management Plan

Purpose

This assignment develops students’ creative and critical thinking skills in sustainable forest management by challenging them to design a detailed management plan. Through research, mapping, and visual design, students will address ecological, social, and economic considerations, fostering a deeper understanding of balancing resource use and conservation.

This assignment highlights the human capacity for strategic planning, ethical reasoning, and creative problem-solving—skills essential for crafting innovative, sustainable solutions that consider diverse stakeholder needs and environmental impacts.

Instructions

1. Select a Forest Area
   • Choose a forest area to manage. This can be a specific, identifiable forest—local to you or inspired by examples in your course materials. The area can be public or private but should be substantial enough to support a detailed management plan.
2. Research Sustainable Forestry Practices
   • Research sustainable forestry practices using reputable digital resources, such as academic databases, peer-reviewed journals, and industry reports from online library resources. Use a minimum of five credible sources. Consider consulting the following resources to help select and understand your forest area:
     • Maps | US Forest Service
     • Find A Forest – National Forest Foundation
     • Interactive World Forest Map & Tree Cover Change Data | GFW

3. Design Your Management Plan

   • Develop a management plan that addresses the following:
     • Written Report: Craft a 1500–2000 word report detailing objectives, strategies, and practices for sustainable management. Structure your report to present a clear plan, including ecological considerations, stakeholder impacts, and long-term sustainability goals.
     • Maps of Management Zones: Create labeled digital or hand-drawn maps to illustrate different management zones, such as conservation areas, logging zones, and recreational spaces.
     • Illustrative Visuals: Include sketches or diagrams that visually communicate at least two key management practices (e.g., selective logging, reforestation, habitat protection). These can be digital or hand-drawn. They are meant to convey information, rather than artistic skill.

   Additional Guidelines

   • Forest Area Examples: Select from local or course-provided examples, ensuring an adequate scale for planning.

   • Clarification on Creativity: Creativity should be demonstrated in strategic thinking within the plan itself (e.g., innovative approaches to conservation or resource management), not in artistic skill.

   • Assignment Length and Support: This project is designed to span several weeks. Resources, examples of visual elements, and mapping templates are available to support you through each stage.

Grading Criteria

• Research Quality (20%)
  • Depth, accuracy, and relevance of research.
  • Use of diverse, credible digital sources.
• Creative and Strategic Design (40%)
  • Thoughtful strategies for sustainable management.
  • Clear, accurate, and detailed maps.
• Writing Quality (20%)
  • Organization, clarity, and proper grammar in the written report.
• Integration and Coherence (20%)
  • Cohesion among the report and maps showing a unified plan.