Forestry

Core Courses

Among the most important subjects to prioritize, several criteria come into play: content density, number of credits, relevance for professional practice, and their connection to other subjects or future projects. Here's a ranked selection with explanations to help you:

🧭 Semester 5

🌲 1. General Silviculture (UEF 3.1.1 - Subject 1)

Objective: Understand practices related to the management, treatment, and regeneration of forest stands.

Key content:

• Qualitative and quantitative study of stands (composition, density, age, evolution...)

• Silvicultural operations: clearing, thinning, pruning

• Pre-designation of final crop trees

• Regeneration: cutting methods (single, successive strips, gaps...)

• Specificities of silviculture in Algeria

🌿 2. Forest Ecology (UEF 3.1.1 - Subject 2)

Objective: Understand the forest environment and the relationships between vegetation and environment.

Key content:

• Ecological factors, bioclimate, vegetation

• Study and analysis of plant communities

• Algerian forest ecosystems

• Sampling techniques and floristic surveys

📏 3. Dendrometry (UEF 3.1.2 - Subject 1)

Objective: Learn how to measure trees and forest stands.

Key content:

• Measuring diameter, height, and volume

• Forest inventories (complete or statistical)

• Sampling and growth measurements

• Construction of volume tables

🌱 4. Forest Soil Science (UEF 3.1.2 - Subject 2)

Objective: Study the composition, properties, and classification of forest soils.

Key content:

• Mineral and organic components of soil

• Soil profiles and horizons

• Chemical, physical, and biological properties

• Algerian soils (focus on arid and semi-arid zones)

🧪 5. Methods of Stand Study (UEM 1 - Subject 1)

Key content:

• Study of the physiognomy and structure of plant communities

• Animal sampling techniques (invertebrates, small/large mammals)

• Sampling plans and prioritization of communities

🛠️ 6. Forest Engineering (UEM 1 - Subject 2)

Objective: Plan infrastructure (forest roads) according to terrain.

Key content:

• Relationship between machines and forests

• Topography and road layout

• Optimal distribution and classification of routes

• Geometric design of main and secondary roads

💧 7. Hydrology and Watersheds (UED 1 - Subject 1)

Objective: Understand hydrology to plan water management projects.

Key content:

• Water cycle, precipitation

• Water balance (evapotranspiration...)

• Study of watershed characteristics

🇬🇧 8. Scientific English (UED 1 - Subject 2)

Objective: Improve technical English for reading and scientific communication.

Key content:

• Communicative English

• Scientific vocabulary

• Reading scientific articles

🎯 Semester 6

🎯 1. Forest Planning (4 credits, coefficient 2)

Why it’s a priority:

• A fundamental and central subject in forestry.

• Structures everything related to sustainable stand management.

• Closely linked to silviculture, dendrometry, mapping, etc.

• A foundation for exams, professional projects, or graduate studies.

Strategic content to master:

• Types of high forests (even-aged, selection forests)

• Methods for calculating allowable cut

• Planning of coppices and coppices under high forests

• Volume tables

🧪 2. Wood Technology (4 credits, coefficient 2)

Why it’s important:

• Provides technical skills useful in forest industries, sawmills, or value-added processing.

• Highly practical (factory visits, lab work).

• Helps understand wood quality, which is essential for processing, trade, and certification.

To focus on:

• Wood anatomy (local species)

• Physical/mechanical properties

• Processing methods (panels, drying)

• Pulp and paper industry in Algeria

🔥 3. Forest Fire Protection (DFCI) (4 credits, coefficient 2)

Why it’s strategic:

• Fire risk is a major issue in Algeria, especially due to climate change.

• Teaches highly valuable field skills (risk assessment, prevention, firefighting).

• A cross-disciplinary subject combining ecology, climate, topography, and management.

Key concepts to understand:

• Fire behavior

• Prevention (firebreaks, lookout towers)

• Firefighting techniques (backfire, equipment)

• Post-fire restoration

🛡️ 4. Forest Protection (4 credits, coefficient 2)

Why to prioritize it:

• Essential for forest ecosystem health.

• Includes forest entomology and pathology—two core fields.

• Significant ecological and economic value.

Main focus:

• Bio-ecology of Algerian forest pests

• Control methods (biological, integrated)

• Diseases affecting local species (oak, pine, cedar)

📊 5. Forest Economics and Legislation (2 credits, coefficient 1)

Less content-heavy but important for general knowledge:

• Covers wood market concepts, international conventions, and forest rights.

• Less technical but useful for management and planning files.

📌 Priority Summary:

🔢 RankSubjectCreditsKey Reasons1️⃣Forest Planning4Cornerstone of forest management, very applied2️⃣Wood Technology4Industry, transformation, wood anatomy3️⃣Forest Fire Protection (DFCI)4Critical in Algeria, prevention and firefighting skills4️⃣Forest Protection4Ecosystem health, pests, diseases5️⃣Forest Economics & Legislation2

Advanced Topics

Based on General Silviculture

1. Climate-Adapted Silviculture

• Forest management in response to drought, invasive alien species, etc.
• Selection of resilient tree species.

1. Urban and Peri-Urban Silviculture

• Integration of trees into urban planning.
• Social, ecological, and aesthetic role of trees in cities.

1. Precision Silviculture

• Use of drones, LiDAR, GIS to guide silvicultural interventions.

🌱 Based on Forest Ecology

1. Forest Ecosystem Modeling

• Computer simulations of ecological dynamics.
• Evaluation of management scenarios.

1. Biodiversity and Ecological Connectivity

• Ecological corridors, habitat fragmentation.
• Conservation tools in Mediterranean forests.

1. Landscape Ecology

• Study of forest mosaics on a large scale (GIS, remote sensing).
• Regional-scale planning.

📏 Based on Dendrometry

1. Remote Sensing Applied to Dendrometry

• Use of satellite or drone imagery to estimate volume/height.

1. Forest Growth and Yield Models

• Long-term predictions for sustainable management.

1. Multi-Resource Inventories

• Combining forest inventories with fauna, flora, soils, and ecosystem services.

🌍 Based on Forest Soil Science

1. Digital Mapping of Forest Soils

• GIS + spatial analysis + artificial intelligence.

1. Carbon Sequestration in Forest Soils

• Studying carbon storage to mitigate climate change.

1. Forest Soil Degradation and Restoration

• Rehabilitation of eroded or compacted soils.

🔍 Based on Methods for Studying Stands

1. Biodiversity Monitoring Using Bioindicators

• Use of indicator species to assess ecosystem health.

1. Spatial Structure Analysis of Forest Stands

• Using R or Python software to analyze species distribution.

1. Participatory Monitoring

• Involving local communities in ecological monitoring.

🛠️ Based on Forest Management

1. GIS Applied to Forest Management

• Digital-based management plans (ArcGIS, QGIS).

1. Large-Scale Forest Planning

• Integrated forest management at the wilaya or regional level.

1. Ecosystem-Based Management

• Considering ecosystem services and multifunctionality.

🧪 Based on Wood Technology

1. Forest Certification and Wood Traceability

• Chain of custody, FSC/PEFC standards.

1. New Wood-Based Materials

• Composite wood, thermally treated wood, nanocellulose.

1. Wood Industry 4.0

• Automation and smart technologies in wood processing.

🔥 Based on Forest Fire Prevention and Control (DFCI)

1. Fire Behavior Modeling

• Simulation software (FARSITE, FlamMap).

1. Integrated Natural Hazard Management

• Fire, floods, landslides: holistic territorial approach.

1. Post-Fire Ecological Restoration

• Reforestation strategies, erosion control.

🐛 Based on Forest Protection

1. Forest Epidemiology

• Monitoring and predicting insect/pathogen outbreaks.

1. Advanced Biological Control

• Use of entomopathogenic organisms or natural predators.

1. Impact of Climate Change on Pests

• Studies on changes in biological life cycles.

📌 Visual Summary

Core DomainAdvanced Topic(s)SilviculturePrecision, climate-resilient silvicultureEcologyModeling, biodiversity, landscapeDendrometryRemote sensing, growth, mixed inventoriesSoil ScienceCarbon, digital mapping, degradationStand StudiesBioindicators, spatial analysisManagementGIS, ecosystem-based, multifunctionalityWoodCertification, innovative materialsFire ManagementFire modeling, post-fire recoveryProtectionEpidemiology