FBL 301: Forest Protection

Subject Ante and Title: FBL 301 Forest Protection (7.5 Credits)

Subject status:                       Core

Credits rating:                       7.5

Time distribution:

Lectures:                     30 hours

Seminars/Tutorials       10 hours

Practical:                     10 hours

Assignments:               10 hours

Independent study:     15 hours

Prerequisite: FBL 201 or CS 101 or CS 102

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Explain different concepts and key terminologies used in forest protection
  2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of tropical fire regimes and how to manage fire in different forest ecosystems.
  3. Identify major forest pests and diseases and know their significance.
  4. Integrate different insects and diseases management strategies for sustainable forest production.
  5. Monitor and evaluate forest health and value.

Contents: Introduction to entomology: insect structure and functions, growth and development. Insect classification and identification of commonest orders and families of forest importance. Insect and environment. Forest insect problems in the tropics with emphasis to Eastern and Southern Africa. Forest insect pest management. Handling of forest insects (collecting, mounting preservation and postage).

Introduction to Forest health monitoring. Forest pathology: classification and identification of forest diseases, types of diseases agents, common tree diseases in the tropics, disease resistance in trees, disease control and reporting. Fire ecology: causes of forest fire, burning behaviour and rational use in resource management. Environmental effects of forest fire. Forest fire management, equipment, and safety.

Required readings

  1. Makundi, et al. (2002). Management of selected crop pests in Tanzania. Tanzania Publishing house. ISBN 9976 1 0210 0.
  2. Gullan, P.J. and Craston, P.S. (1996). The insects: An outline of entomology. Chapman & Hall, London.
  3. Heikkila, T.V., Gronovist, R. and Jurvelius, M. (1993). Handbook of forest fire control. Helsinki, Finland.

Recommended readings

  1. Nair, K.S.S., Sharma, J.K. and Varma R.V. (eds) (1996). Impact of diseases and insects in tropical forests. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Kerala, India.
  2. Speight, R.S. and Wainhouse, D. (2003). Ecology and Management of forest Insects. Clarendon Press. UK.

Whelan, R.J. (1995). The ecology of fire. Cambridge University Press, UK.