Forests and Humans: From the Midwest to Madagascar

Week 1: Global climate and diversity patterns; climate as a driver of forest evolution; characteristics of major forest biomes.

Week 2: Forests and the carbon cycle; forests and water; forests and nutrient cycling; direct and indirect values of biodiversity.

Week 3: Exploitation of timber and non-timber forest products; threats to forests; deforestation and land use change; forests and climate change.

Week 4: What is forest sustainability? Systems analysis; life cycle inventory and analysis; forest conservation and sustainable forestry initiatives.