Overview of major disturbances and perturbations in forest systems. Disturbance factors with special reference to fire. Contextualization of wildfires and their differences. Ecology of fire. Organization of forest fires: principles of prediction, prevention, and active firefighting. Use of GIS and software useful for fire management and protection.
The course aims to provide knowledge and develop skills related to the restoration of forest ecosystems following natural disturbances with a specific focus on forest fires.
Students who successfully complete this course will develop knowledge and skills related to forest restoration, contextualization and characterization of disturbances in forest ecosystems and their management. They will acquire the concepts relating to the factors influencing the disturbs and the different methods of firefighting.
To manage forest fires, students will acquire skills related to the classification of fuels and to the fire-fighting means. They will also acquire skills in the use of some software, GIS systems, and remote sensing data for the mapping and characterization of disturbances, their prediction and planning of risk mitigation interventions.
Prerequisites
Courses containing the prerequisites (binding and/or recommended): Silviculture, Topography and Cartography; Geomatics, Ecology
Teaching Methods
Credits: 6
Total number of hours of the course: 150 (= no. credits x 25)
Number of hours for personal study and other individual training activities: 102
Number of hours related to classroom activities: 32
Number of hours related to laboratory activities (lessons in the laboratory): 4
Number of hours related to exercise activities (in the laboratory and in the field): 6
Number of hours related to seminar activities: 6
Number of hours related to internship activities:
Number of hours for ongoing tests:
Further information
Type of Assessment
Oral exam and report concerning a project and/or topic agreed with the teachers
Course program
Forest Restoration basic concepts and example. Characterization of forest disturbances and their ecology (windstorms, insect damage, drought, fires). Fire ecology. Contextualization of fires at world, European and Italian level. Fuels and their classification. Control and reduction of the risk of forest disturbances. Fighting and fire fighting means.