The Degree Course in Forestry and Environment Science provides core competences in the field of applied ecology and of the techniques for surveying qualitative and quantitative character of forest stands, the main methods and techniques for the analysis, execution and management of operations in the forest and pre-forest environments.
Graduates of this course should acquire core competences in propaedeutical subjects such as Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Chemistry, Plant and animal Biology, which are needed to understand the principles of specific professional subjects. These competences will enable students to achieve a professional grounding including the principles of sylviculture, the main forest management types, the elements of soil sciences and of hydraulic-forest settlements.
Graduates will gain an understanding of the dendrometric and descriptive surveying techniques that will enable them to to carry out field surveys and the relevant qualitative and quantitative processing, in order to correctly understand the natural phenomena of evolution of forest stands. Likewise, they will acquire knowledge about the main industry regulations and the principles of forestry economics and evaluation needed for autonomous professional activities such as planning and settling of small businesses, evaluation of land, technical means, plant and forest products; afforestation projects and relative valuations; forest work of land exploitation and amelioration; rural development and technical-economic management of small farms, protected areas and processing enterprises. The profile requires the dialectical skills needed to disclose and argue oneà- ààs own technical ideas with specialists and non-specialists, command of English language or of another European language, which is necessary for reading and interpreting technical texts, for professional exchanges and for basic dissemination.
Acquired competences will enable graduates to tackle and solve the following issues:
- Sustainable management and Sustainable management and development of forests, forestry-pastoral and environmental heritage;
- Forestry and environmental monitoring, survey and estimates;
- Knowledge of issues related to forest and agro-pastoral products;
- Defence of forests and the environment from biotic and abiotic damages;
- Defence of the territory through hydraulic works and the application of key management and soils evaluation techniques;
- Technical aspects of core education and training base in the environmental and technical professional area;
Educational activities will be carried out through lectures, laboratory and field practice and mid-term testing.
The course lasts three academic years. To achieve the degree, students should have acquired 180 credits (CFU), including the ones related to the knowledge of an European Union language, besides Italian, subject to the special rules for the protection of linguistic minorities.
The educational programme provides for 19 mandatory examinations, 1 elective examination, a test of computing skills, a language test and a practical training period in external facilities and the final examination about specific course issues.
The 12 elective credits may be acquired, in accordance with article 10, paragraph 5, letter a) of DM 270/04, choosing freely among teachings provided by other courses of the Faculty of Agriculture of Palermo and other faculties of the University and other Italian and foreign universities.
After the degree in Forestry and Environmental Science, it is possible to enrol, after passing the relevant qualification examination in section B (Junior) of the professional registrar of Agriculture and Forestry experts.
