The course provides advanced training on professional and research issues in the field of Forestry and Environment Sciences, aiming at enable graduates to address and manage complex planning, management and conservation problems related to forest ecosystems, territorial defence, soil defence and conservation, supply chain organisation and to the technological upgrading of wooden products.
The educational programme is based on the most current topics, and uses the professional experience gained in the long research activity conducted by the Faculty and its departments in Sicily; for this reason, practical experiences due to the continuous and up-to-date research activity of the Faculty pour into teachings, which also entail field and laboratory activities.
2nd cycle graduates in Forestry and Environment Sciences will consolidate the core competences acquired during the 1st cycle in specific fields such as Chemistry, Plant Biology, Economics, System Ecology, which are indispensable for completing their professional training.
The course provides professional in-depth knowledge through the analysis of the application of forestry to the Mediterranean context, the study of application of soil science, applied hydraulics and hydraulic-forest settlements for land conservation.
Based on the expertise they gained in the previous level of study, graduates of this course are able to organize a campaign of dendro-auxometric and site surveys for the preparation of complex projects, in order to thoroughly assess the evolution of the topsoils and other parts of the territory and landscape, to apply forestry in diverse topsoils. The course also consolidates the knowledge of the relevant legislation in relation to current Community issues, to forest economics and valuation, making them suitable for self-employment activities such as planning and settlement of large companies and land use plans, evaluation of complex lands, articulated technical means, forestry chain plants and products, reforestation plans and relevant evaluations, forestry exploitation and upgrading works, rural development and technical-economic management of big companies, protected areas and processing companies.
Graduates acquire specific knowledge and the tools necessary for a deep investigation of hydrogeological and erosive risk, and for the identification of effective and sustainable solutions, with the relevant planning and operations management in complex areas.
For this purpose the course provides in-depth education on the assessment of soil quality and characteristics in the field of pedotechnics and defense-related disciplines such as mountain basins assessment and bioengineering techniques .
Graduates acquire advanced knowledge in the field of applied ecology and quantitative and qualitative survey techniques of the forest topsoil, the latest methodologies with respect to planning in complex systems, to the, implementation and management of interventions in pre-forest and forest environments. The course also provides in-depth knowledge with respect to the planning of protected areas, fire watching, forest inventories. The aim is to provide graduates with the technical means to tackle complex situations related to the management of forests and land, as required by the society and the existing Community rules.
Educational activities consist of frontal teachings, laboratory and field practice, specialist seminar and mid-term tests.
The course duration is 2 academic years. To achieve the Degree, students must have acquired 120 credits (ECTS), including those relating to the advanced knowledge of one European Union language, besides Italian, subject to special rules for the protection of linguistic minorities. The Degree Course includes 11 compulsory examinations, an elective examination, a language test, a practical training within external facilities, and the final examination on specific course issues.
9 elective credits may be acquired, in accordance with article 10 paragraph 5, a) of Ministerial Decree 270/04, choosing among the teachings provided by the Faculty of Agriculture, as well as by other Faculties of this University or of other Italian and Foreign Universities.
After graduation, and after the relevant national qualification, graduates in Forestry and Environment Sciences may enrol in section A (Senior agronomist) of the professional register of the Order of Doctors of Agronomy and Forestry.
