Smart Forestry
Smart forestry are OSU’s efforts to apply a range of modern technologies and approaches to the work of forestry management and production.
Why SMART Forestry now?
Smart Forestry must include efforts to reform forestry education, and to recruit and prepare a forestry workforce with the needed skills to boost economic opportunities in forest-dependent rural communities, such as those common in the Pacific Northwest.
How will LaCuKnoS focus on SMART Forestry content?
Smart Forestry modules will be developed for participants, first for teachers in LaCuKnoS workshops, and subsequently for their students in SMILE Clubs to explore the following topics:
1. Forest restoration and fire management practices to learn ways of preventing or mitigating damage resulting from fire and also how fire can be used as a tool to simulate natural disturbances and achieve resilient forests.
2. Wood science and renewable materials to gain fundamental knowledge of wood and other renewable materials that are utilized as sustainable industrial and building materials as well as bioenergy.
3. Forest engineering to gain analytical skills required for evaluating engineering systems, integrating planning and economic viability of forest operations with Oregon forest protection laws and sustainable practices to protect wildlife, soil, and water resources.
