Nearly one-third of the world’s land area is covered by forests, ecosystems essential to both natural biodiversity and human wellbeing. And these forests are under threat.
While news stories highlight the burning of the Amazon or the wildfires in Australia, more pervasive, but less perceived, dangers rise from threats like forest habitat fragmentation, with a majority of world forests now less than one mile from an “edge,” a border with non-forest habitat. Forest loss is a key driver to mass-extinction of animal species and has contributed an estimated 20% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, effectively making forest loss the second largest contributor to global climate change emissions after fossil-fuels.
In the midst of these circumstances, future scientists skilled in forest management and silviculture (the science of “growing” a forest) will have an important role to play in caring for creation worldwide and moving from forest degradation to restoration and sustainable use.
Facing such opportunity, as well as genuine needs and threats, Au Sable will begin its new course in Forest Management beginning in May 2020 at its Great Lakes Campus in northern Michigan. Forest Management will provide opportunity to study forests in a region exceptional in its cultural, economic, and scientific importance of forests to people and nature. The course will provide students with the requisite theory and practical skills needed to become better forest managers.
With the new course comes a new faculty member, Robert Ddamulira of the University of Delaware. Originally from Uganda, Robert has worked extensively with issues of forest biodiversity conservation through his work with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). His emphasis has been the study of the effect of oil development on forest biodiversity and deforestation, and so served as the organization’s Africa Energy Coordinator. “I was working and supporting teams across eleven countries to influence public policy decision making,” says Robert, “but also to support the local communities in accessing sustainable energy services.” During the years he worked for WWF, the organization brought clean energy for the first time to 1.2 million people across East and Southern Africa.
As Au Sable’s Executive Director, Dr. Fred Van Dyke explained, “Forests have played an enormous role in the development of Michigan history and culture, both of Native Americans and subsequent European settlers. Today forests remain critical for northern Michigan’s economic livelihood, the conservation of sensitive species like the Kirtland’s warbler, and the education and experience of people with nature. But as important as forests are in Michigan, their importance is even greater at a global scale. Having someone like Robert Ddamulira with genuinely international experience in forest conservation and management will make this an exceptional, and essential, course for any student interested in working in and with forests.”
Forest Management will offer students a way to learn to understand forests ecologically, manage them scientifically, enjoy them aesthetically, and protect and restore them from a solid ethical foundation of serving, protecting, and restoring God’s earth. For the past five years, Au Sable has been directly involved in restoring forests on abandoned well pads through its research studies. Now the Institute will make forest management part of its educational curriculum. For all of us at Au Sable, we hope to see you in the forest!