I International Course about Scientific and Technical Basic of Afforestation as a Tool for Sustainable Forest Management

The use of afforestation as a tool for sustainable forest management involves the assessment and practice of forest systems management. Forest systems must be understood as renewable natural resources, intimately related to Sylviculture. Under afforestation we study both the production of materials for commercial and industrial exploitation (eg. timber and paper) and the conservation of the ecological quality of the environment (environmental, esthetical and recreational values).
This is a participatory theoretical-practical course. Thus, the programme is clearly divided in four modules: 1) seminars given by prestigious professors and researchers about novel aspects and known afforestation concepts; 2) lab practices on physiological attributes of seedling production; 3) two field visits: visit to a forest seedling production and reproductive material conservation nursery and visit to an afforested site; and 4) students’ expositions on a practical experience of their own country in one of the issues discussed in the course.