Trees and Forests in Ireland

This module will provide an introduction to several different aspects of trees and forestry.
One component is the basics of dendrology (tree species identification). Here, the theoretical concepts of identifying trees will be covered, along with the terminology associated with this. The general characteristics of a number of different tree genera and the specific qualities of a limited number of individual tree species will also be covered.
The other component will provide an introduction to several aspects of forestry, including the basic theory of timber mensuration (tree and timber measurement) and the equipment and methodologies employed in measuring trees and timber; the main characteristics of the major forest biomes, the history of forests and forestry development, the pattern of tree growth, forest harvesting and the relevance of forests and trees in the global carbon cycle.