The aim is to impart a thorough understanding of the importance of field work preparation. It includes a systematic review of literature within contemporay topics  within sustainable forest and nature management. The course is providing the fundament for the course Sustainable Forest and Nature Management.

Knowledge: An in-depth factual location specific knowledge, building on theoretical knowledge obtained in other courses, relevant to temperate forest and nature management issues

Skills: The course will develop students’ theoretical and practical skills with emphasis on (i) ability to collect, analyse and evaluate appropriate qualitative and quantitative information, and combining this with (ii) choice of appropriate research tools in order to plan high quality field work.

Competences: Students will learn to apply theory and methods within sustainable forest and nature management to describe and predict problems and develop suggestions for their solutions. In-depth location specific factual knowledge; ability to collect, analyse and evaluation qualitative and quantitative information; ability to select and design relevant data collection instruments; ability to design coherent research project proposal; ability to reflect on risks and ethics in relation to data collection in developing countries.