Woodland Conservation- Forest and Woodland Conservation

We're holding online Q&A sessions with Forestry lecturers on Facebook throughout the summer. Check the schedule for the next session.

Why study with us?

The conservation of forest and woodland resources world-wide is of critical importance as reservoirs of biodiversity, carbon sinks and ecosystem services. Closer to home ancient woodlands are under threat and natural habitats need protection. A balance has to be struck between the needs of people and the needs of nature.

This course is designed to give you a broad understanding of the many issues surrounding the conservation of forests and woodlands at home and overseas. You are also able to gain skills relevant to broader conservation and natural resource management. You have the opportunity to take an optional one-year work placement—we have a strong network of professional contacts to help you find a suitable situation. This programme has a strong vocational focus and is geared towards equipping you with the understanding and skills required of a diverse and dynamic natural resources sector.

Where will this course take place?

If you enrol with us in September 2013 you will have the opportunity to spend time at both our Penrith and Ambleside campuses. Each campus offers individual and distinctive advantages, providing easy access to the English Lake District with its unique geography. These exceptional locations in effect become your classroom.

This course will be moving to Ambleside in September 2014.

What can this course lead to? This degree prepares you for a career in forest and woodland conservation in the UK and overseas. Graduates work with, for example, the Forestry Commission, the Woodland Trust, National Trust, Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, environmental NGO’s and local authorities. There are a range of possible routes to master’s level study and further applied research. Resources and facilities The National School of Forestry at the Newton Rigg campus of the University of Cumbria provides an exceptional range of facilities for both students and researchers. The campus encompasses over a hundred hectares of Cumbrian countryside, and has been recognised as an incredibly diverse and ecologically rich environment.

We are privileged to offer direct access to a wide range of habitats and forest types on-campus, including mixed broadleaf woodland, coniferous woodland, willow plantations, a young oak orchard, wetland, arable farmland and pastureland, and associated hedgerows, shelterbelts, ways, and brooks.

In addition to this variety, we also have a large (and growing!) arboretum, a tropical plant house, temperate and research glass houses, and gardens, all on site. We also have excellent new laboratory facilities. This outstanding set of resources enables many classes and field visits to be conducted just outside the lecture rooms, providing an enhanced learning environment where learning is combined with cutting-edge research.

Have a look at our learning resources for Conservation and Forestry.

Entry requirements

240 UCAS points.

Find out more about equivalent qualifications on the UCAS tariff table.

Please check any additional selection criteria below.

Credit and UCAS requirements UCAS code: D440; Sandwich course: D502 UCAS points: 240 Costs

Click to view information on your study type and home location.

Full-time students

Home

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (or the equivalent in your country). For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

International

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year is £9,960.

Fees are billed annually and may be paid by the student or a sponsor. 75 percent of the annual tuition fees must be paid before or at registration. For students requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, a deposit of £3,500 is expected as a minimum before a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will be issued. For more information, visit our international student finance page.

Early payment discount

If you are paying your own fees, you may be eligible for an early payment discount of £1,000. This discount is awarded to students who pay in full before registration.

International scholarship

If you are studying a full-time bachelor's degree (excluding teacher training and NHS-funded courses) or a top-up degree, you may be eligible for an international scholarship. The university has nine scholarships available. Find out more on our scholarships page.

Additional financial support

Our money doctors will be on hand throughout the year to help you manage your money while you’re in the UK. However, if you do happen to run into financial difficulty during your time here, you may be able to access a small emergency support fund.

Additional contact information Find out more at http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/forestry UCAS Link

Visit UCAS

Modules

For detailed summary of all course content please read our programme specification for this course (PDF).

Course summary This course is intended for those wishing to study both the commercial and wildlife conservation interests of relevance in the sector. The course has been designed to allow a broad understanding with a specialist focus developing in the final year and is delivered by the National School of Forestry.

You will study the following core modules:
Ecology
Silviculture
Measuring and Managing Forests
Forest Development
Introduction to Conservation Biology
Designing Sustainable Woodlands
Forest Policy, Land Use and Governance
Research Theory and Practice
Biodiversity Monitoring
Temperate Woodland Dynamics
Dissertation
Conservation Strategies

Optional modules are also offered to enable you to create an individual learning path. You will be taught by a highly experienced core team consisting of eight permanent academic staff, complemented by visiting specialists. Case studies We asked our first year forestry students ‘why did you choose to study with us?’
The top three reasons were:
The National School of Forestry name and our reputation in the forest sector
The quality of our courses
Our location

We also asked ‘what do you like most about the course?’
The top three ‘likes’ were:
The approachability of our lecturers
The variety of our course, particularly the mix of lectures and practical fieldwork
How interesting the course is.