CHEM1001 Chemistry
The study of this pure science in agriculture is of considerable importance since agriculture production systems utilizes chemicals in one form or another to optimize production parameters. Agriculture relies on a wide variety of fertilizers, biocides, food additives, insecticides, pesticides and herbicides and as such a fundamental and working understanding of chemical principles is necessary.
COMM1002 Communications
In this course students are introduced to basic concepts and skills in the study and practice of the verbal and non-verbal aspects of human communication. Through activity, film critiques, problem-based learning and lectures, students develop skills and knowledge about a range of communication behaviours and learn to determine which of these are appropriate in different context. This course is essential for individuals who may seek employment as technical/operation manager of a horticultural business enterprise such as plant nursery, landscaping company, etc.
FORS2007 Forest Practices
This course is designed to develop the students’ appreciation and understanding of the basic forestry practices and techniques used in the field by a “Forest Officer”. It is a practically oriented course.
FORS1009 General Forestry
This course introduces forestry, basic forest science and relevant basic general scientific principles to the trainee, just starting a Forestry programme. The major course components include Ecology, Forest Structure and Physiognomy, Forest Classification (both worldwide and specifically to Trinidad and Tobago), and basic forest utilization. These are sufficient prerequisites for other forestry science discipline courses.
MATH1014 College Algebra
This course covers the basic conceptual foundations of mathematics by examining the ideas of numbers, series, algebra and an introduction to calculus. The first part addresses number theory, including a study of the rules of arithmetic, exponent & radicals, linear equations. The second part covers straight line geometry, trigonometry, matrices, polynomials, quadratic equations and an introduction to calculus.
ECOS1001 Basic Microeconomics
The course introduces students to basic agricultural economics and agribusiness concepts, and the application of these concepts to agricultural and agribusinesses issues. The course is designed to assist students in understanding how consumers and producers make decisions, how demand and supply interact to determine prices, types of markets and how markets allocate resources, and the role of government policy in a market economy.
BIOL1002 Plant Biology
This course will introduce students to the basic aspects of plant biology and its processes. The course will cover the general structure, organization and morphology of plants, the classification of plants and provide a brief introduction to plant systems.
PLAT1001 Anatomy and Physiology of Plants
This course is designed to provide an introduction to anatomy and physiology of plants including, arrangement of primary tissues in plants, water relations, transpiration, absorption, photosynthesis, sexual reproduction, translocation, respiration and growth regulators.
FORS2001 Dendrology
This course has been designed to develop the trainees’ familiarity with the systematic grouping and identification of forest plants. Emphasis will be placed on the classification, nomenclature and identification of a minimum of thirty forest species that contribute to the wildlife food chain, the aesthetics and the range of commercial enterprises. The course will also focus on the interaction of man and plants, the relative abundance and availability of the plants and the ways people of a culture relate to them. The course will also include a component that addresses the collection, preservation and cataloguing of plants of parts of plants for the school’s herbarium.
FORS1005 Forest Mensuration
The course introduces students to the exercises of conducting linear measurements and cubic determination of standing and felled timber, and conversion of timber to lumber estimates. Students are to become proficient in using the correct procedures in the use of instruments used to measure standing and felled timber.
FORS1008 Forest Surveying
This course focuses on the basic aspects of cadastral topographical and engineering surveying as it relates to Forest Surveying. It is designed to provide explanations of the theoretical and practical concepts, aims and potential, as well as the environmental, social and economic aspect of forest surveying. The course will explain and illustrate the use of surveying equipment and its practical role in preventing and enhancing any adverse impact and the proper maintenance of the environment.
BIOL2003 Introduction to Genetics
The course will provide students with a general understanding of genetics including; mitosis and meiosis, oogenesis and spermatogenesis; Mendelian genetics, including, extensions of mendelian genetics including the concept of multiple alleles, incomplete, partial and co-dominance, epistasis, sex-linked and sex-influenced inheritance; Population genetics including allelic frequencies, Hardy-Weinberg law.
FORS1012 Urban Forestry Principles
Students will be exposed to the concept of urban forestry and its role and function in the urban environment. This course emphasizes that proper care is essential for maintaining and improving the health of existing trees and planning for future growth in our urban forests. Students will also be exposed to different tree maintenance activities, including mulching, watering, pruning, fertilizing, disease and pest control, tree conflict and tree removal. This course provides the scientific, technical and practical information needed to work with communities on urban forestry.
FORS1010 Silviculture
The course focuses on the basic aspects of the tree growth, forest stand development and manipulation based upon the silvics of selected tree species of importance in the forests of the Caribbean, Northern South America and Central America.
SOIL2001 Soil Science & Fertilizer Technology
The student will be introduced to an overview of the geology of the Caribbean, Soil formation and classification. The course will also cover chemical, physical and biological properties of soils, functions, requirements and uptake of plant nutrients, determination of plant and soil nutrient status. Fertilizer types, formulation, application and efficiency, soil surveys and land suitability classification in the Caribbean.
STAT1001 Statistics and Research Methods
Introduction to statistical reasoning with emphasis on concepts rather than in-depth coverage of traditional statistical methods. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, binomial and normal distributions, estimation, single sample and two sample hypothesis tests for means and proportions, hypothesis testing of common parameters, analysis of variance for single factor and two factors, correlation, and simple linear regression. The use of statistical software will be also introduced.
FORS2001 Wood Technology
This course focuses on basic, theoretical & practical aspects of wood technology. It covers the characteristics of wood, its physical, chemical and mechanical properties, processes such as saw milling, lumber drying, pulp and paper, veneer, plywood, panels as well as secondary forest products such as furniture, raw wood materials for dendroenergy.
FORS1001 Agroforestry
In this course students will learn how forest trees, agriculture and communities can be combined in sustainably managed farms, forests and landscapes. It gives students a practical working knowledge of land use management while emphasizing an ecological approach to agriculture.
GISS2001 GIS and Remote Sensing
This course will introduce the student to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing, and their potential for resource management and environmental protection. GIS is particularly relevant to the field of resource management and environmental protection because of its powerful analytic tools for data capture, analysis and display. GIS and Remote Sensing is steadily growing in importance, and some exposure to them will be a definite asset to the forester.
ENVR2002 Nature Conservation and Protected Areas Management (Section 1)
This section introduces students to the broader environments associated with forestry. It seeks to develop within students, an appreciation for the importance of biological diversity and other natural resources. It also draws attention to the threats and constraints to conservation as well as anthropogenic impacts on those resources. Students are then able to explore approaches for the management and conservation of the environment.
PLAT1003 Plant Propagation and Nursery Management
The course provides an introduction to nursery production, plant propagation and protected crop production systems. The nursery production element discusses propagation, site selection and preparation, and basic nursery management. The plant propagation component covers the principles and practices in the propagation of plants and seed technology including buildings, equipment and supplies used in propagation. The protected crop production systems focuses on greenhouse systems with emphasis on structures, environmental control, root media, irrigation and fertilization, and pest control, in relation to requirements for plant growth and crop production.
PROJ2002 Final Year Project Research
The Final Year Project is usually an approved research exercise on which an analytical report paper must be prepared, submitted and presented. In special circumstances, a project may be approved that is based solely on data collection and analysis or some other “non-research” activity. Students select or are assigned a topic. The final year project gives students the opportunity to develop research skills in Forestry that involve designing, conducting, analyzing and writing a research project:
FORS2008 Wildlife Management
This course introduces the trainee to the principles of Wildlife Management from a sustained yield perspective. It will provide the trainee with a comprehensive understanding of the methods and procedures employed by Wildlife Managers in caring and managing wildlife resource within the broad framework of general ecology and Forest Resources Management.
ANSC1002 Aquaculture
This course is designed to assist students in developing their knowledge and understanding of aquaculture management. Students will develop knowledge and skills on production technologies and management practices in aquaculture, production systems.
FORS2002 Ergonomics, Forest Machinery, Harvesting and Roads
The most important tangible output of the forests is timber. Harvesting of this resource is in general a destructive pursuit that can endanger human life and limb. The content of this course reflects the intricate connections among people, machines, natural resources and the environment. Specifically, this course emphasizes the procedure involved in developing a culture of safety in the field of Forestry. It also equips the Resource Manager with a clear understanding, working knowledge and appropriate skills required to successfully plan, supervise, monitor, and evaluate all operations related to the harvesting of timber.
FORS1006 Forest Policy, Law and Administration
The course focuses on the general basic aspects of the administration and management in the workplace and specifically in forest enterprises. It covers the major management processes such as planning, organizing, leading and controlling, in order to effectively accomplish the major goals and objectives established by forest entrepreneurs. The role of leadership is emphasized in several stages of the administration process. Finally, the importance of maintaining good industrial relations is discussed. In addition, the course introduces students to the statutes and legislation pertinent to forestry practices. It provides them with an understanding of the function of forest officers in law enforcement. It also exposes the future foresters to court procedures they may have to participate in.
FORS2003 Fire Management, Entomology and Pathology
Section I: Fire Protection
The course introduces to the student the basic science of fire, suppression and prevention, appraisal of damage caused by fire, fire impacts, and fire as a management tool along with the legislation governing the lighting of fires during the fire season. Students will also be exposed to the preparation of a fire management plan.
The course is primarily aimed at protecting the forested areas from loss by fires and the environmental degradation occurring afterwards. Students will be introduced to methods of forest fire prevention, methods of forest/brush fire suppression with special attention to the safety of the fire fighters and tools.
Section II: Entomology and Pathology
This course introduces students to Forest Entomology and Forest Pathology in the context of practical forest protection principles employed in a tropical forest ecosystem.
Forest entomology
Students will be introduced to fundamental knowledge of the class Insecta in order to identify the generally important insect families and their taxonomy, learn the concepts of integrated management and relate to control measures.
Forest pathology
The major tropical tree diseases - their pathogenesis, ecology, dissemination, control and economic impact on forest resources, and the deterioration of wood and wood products will be discussed.
FORS2010 Watershed Management
This course focuses on the basic aspects of watershed management. It exposes the student to the basic principles of hydrology such as watershed characteristics, components of the hydrologic cycle, stream flow, surface water, ground water, and the use of hydrologic instruments. The course will explain river channel characteristics, water supply development, and water quality problems and solutions. Emphasis will also be placed on land use planning, Best Management Practices (BMP) for special management zones, and land disturbance activities. The student will also be exposed to the basic concepts of a watershed plan, and the monitoring networks associated with water resources technology.
BUSI2007 Entrepreneurship I
This course will assist students in developing the “hands-on” tools and techniques for launching and managing a sustainable small business. Emphasis will be placed on real world application of business theory through the building of an effective business plan, case study analysis and interaction with entrepreneurs. On completion students should be able to develop a detailed plan for a viable new venture and possess the knowledge to enable them to manage a small entrepreneurial venture.
PRAC2006 Field Training
All students pursuing the Diploma in Forestry participate in the Field Training Programme (FTP). It is a practical course with a total duration of six weeks. It provides the student with the opportunity to gain a closer insight into potential future work areas.
FORS2004 Forest Management and Forest Economics
This course provides the opportunity to develop the capacity within the participants to make Forest Management decisions. The inculcation of the art of solving both social and environmental problems is promoted with the exposure to established concepts and principles that are reinforced by sound field procedures and practices. The content of this course reflects the ethos that in the field of forest management people are equally important as trees. High emphasis is placed on the social dimension of the Forestry. The concept of sustainable resource management in the context of a changing global environment is a key feature of this course. The commitments to the adherence to the tenets of international conventions are therefore accentuated. Another extremely important aspect of this course is developing the skill of evaluating the economic significance of forest resource enterprises. Ultimately, the participant is expected to be able to synthesize all aspects of the Forestry learning experiences into a workable Forest Management Plan for a designated area.
