Summer Field Experience

The summer field experience course is a six hour summer course taught over a 5 week session. The program is designed to provide Forest Resources Management students with a practical on-the-ground training in many aspects of forest management. The course is open to all students completing the sophomore level program requirements. The activities and program are based on the 7,600 acre West Virginia University Research Forest which is within 30 minutes of campus. Although the topics covered in this course may change from year to year, the main aspects of the course deal with:

1. Forest Surveying
   · boundary retracement
   · Logging road layout
   · Courthouse deed search
2. Forest Inventory
3. Forest Growth & Yield
4. Timber Trespass Evaluation
5. Timber Stand Improvement
6. Forest Fire Fighting*
7. Vegetation Management and Safe Use of Herbicides
8. Introduction to the Arboriculture Industry by Bartlett Tree Company
   · Tree Climbing
   · Use of bucket and spray trucks
9. Field Tours
   · Computerized sawmills
   · Industry silvicultural systems
   · Industry forest harvesting sites
   · USDA Forest Service Experimental Forest
   · Consulting Forestry through the eyes of a consultant