Species identification in forestry (5 cr)

Objective

You can identify the main domestic tree species, wooden shrubs and foreign trees growing in Finland. You know the main species of plants growing in mineral and peatland soils and are also able to define biological, ecological and wood production characteristics of these species.

Content

What domestic and foreign tree species grow in Finland?
How can you identify them?
What other basic characteristics do these species have?
What ecological and biological characteristics do different ground vegetation species have?
How can you identify the main species of ground vegetation in mineral and peatland soils?

Course material

Course study material; lecture material, learning tasks, etc. exercises are available in the course's Learn learning environment.
Literature:
Väre, H., Laine, J., Koistinen, M. & Koistinen, M. 2022. Metsäkasvio. 4. painos. Helsinki: Tapio.
Väre, H., Kiuru, H. 2018. Puut ja pensaat. Helsinki: Metsäkustannus
Other Finnish forest plant identification guides are also acceptable.

Study forms and methods

The course is carried out by way of contact teaching on Mikkeli campus and in the field according to the schedule. Remote participation is not possible. In-person teaching is generally not recorded and is not replaced by remote lectures when in-person teaching is scheduled. Part of the teaching takes place in the field. Teacher guidance is available during in-person sessions.

Assessable tasks are completed independently, in groups, or as pair work. Various feedback methods are utilized in the course, such as written and oral feedback. Peer feedback may also be used.

The course consists of three components, each assessed separately: exam & assignments 4 credits and herbario 1 credit. More detailed information available below in section “Course part description”.

RDI and work-related cooperation

The course takes place at the very beginning of the studies. Focus on substance and group. No prerequisites for RDI or working life cooperation.

Timing of exams and assignments

Plant and tree species identification exams. Retakes of species identification exams must be arranged separately with the teacher.

Student workload

• 1 ECTS credits equals 27 hours of work by the student.
• In a 5-credit course, the student's total maximum workload is approximately 135 hours including lessons, group work and independent study.

Course part description

Exam and assignments 4 credits: Tasks related to the identification and characteristics of plants and trees, as well as species identification exams (plants and trees separately).

Herbarium 1 credit: The herbarium is created by taking digital photos of identified plants. The submission deadline is until November of the following year after the implementation.

Further information

In the course, we will spend a lot of time in the forest and essentially 'jump straight into the deep end.' Dress appropriately for the weather, bring snacks (at least drinking water), and note-taking materials for field lessons.

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The student’s performance is assessed with reference to the learning objectives and assessment criteria of the course. The completion of the course requires exercises, exam and herbario to be completed with a passing grade.