For information about projects being undertaken by specific post-graduate students please see websites of individual researchers at https://forest-and-wood-science.sun.ac.za/research/
If you are interested in any of these projects, click on icons below for more information or contact us today.
Department of Forest and Wood Science, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Forestry Building, Bosman Street, 7600,
Stellenbosch, South Africa
(021) 808 3323
gretchenrc@sun.ac.za
+27 21 808 3323
+27 21 808 2622
+27 21 808 3313
+27 21 808 3301
+27 21 808 3323
+27 21 808 3298
+27 21 808 2618
+27 21 808 3305
+27 21 808 3319
+27 21 808 3295
+27 21 808 3293
For the DSc degree a number of advanced original research and/or creative work in Forestry and Natural
Resource Sciences or Wood and Wood Products Sciences is required. Additionally original and previously
published work(s) of a high standard are required that show that you have made a real and exceptional
contribution to the enrichment of the knowledge base in Forestry and Natural Resource Sciences or Wood
and Wood Products Sciences. See section 2.5 for general information on the DSc degree in the Faculty of AgriSciences yearbook.
This programme leads to the qualification PhD (For) in Forestry and Natural Resource Sciences or Wood and
Wood Products Sciences. The programme focuses on research in various specialist fields of forestry and
ensures that students become specialists in these fields.
You must carry out a relevant and practically oriented research project in Forestry and Natural Resource
Sciences, leading to innovation or problem-solving through high-level research in Forestry and Natural
Resource Sciences and in the industry concerned. The research project will equip you at the highest
academic level with the knowledge and expertise you need for entering the research industry or professional field.
The master’s programme consists of a 100% research component (180 credits) but you could, in
consultation with your supervisor, be requested to follow additional modules, including Biometry
811 or 821 (Biometrical Applications).
The master’s programme consists of a 100% research component (180 credits) but you could, in
consultation with your supervisor, be requested to follow additional modules, including Biometry
811 or 821 (Biometrical Applications).
“Wood is good” is an increasingly popular message amongst those concerned about our impact on the planet and future sustainability. It is seen as a sustainable bioenergy source, building material and ingredient in many industrial processes and products that can be sold to an ever increasing world population. New and innovative uses of wood allow the development of products and markets that did not exist 20 years ago, such as nano-cellulose, or other value added products obtained through Bio-refinery. Studies of the enterprise and product feasibility from a technical, operational and financial point of view form the core of this focus area. Research is not only focused on new wood based products, but also on the value chain linking these products to markets and the raw material supply chain to optimize production and profitability.
Southern Africa has a complex biophysical and climatic environment, and superimposed on this are several perturbations, such as climate change, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), complex fire patterns, introductions of novel pests and diseases, and additional pressure from an increasing population that is undergoing extensive socio-political change. In this milieu, it is imperative to focus on sustainable management practices that render forests systems more resilient and risk averse. Forested landscapes should provide services such as employment and timber products, but also ecosystem services as diverse as carbon sequestration and recreational services. In a water scarce country, renewable forest products must come from forests with high water use efficiency, grown in a landscape with diversified land uses. Importantly, all forest management systems should preserve fundamental system components, such as soil conservation, nutrient cycling systems and biological diversity, to remain truly sustainable. Regardless of their deployment in natural or plantation forests, future foresters will have to design, manage and maintain resilient, sustainable forest systems.
Buildings are responsible for about 33% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. The construction and use of buildings involves high energy consumption, environmental pollution and use of environmental resources. Faced with increased urbanization the development of future towns and cities will be a key to moving closer to environmental sustainability on earth. Wood has an important role to play as numerous studies showed that wood-based constructions display lower environmental impacts in terms of energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, water pollution and solid waste production than traditional building systems. Apart from measuring the sustainability of building materials and processes through life cycle analysis, there is also a great need to develop new and improved building materials, including novel, low carbon footprint, wood inorganic and bio-based composites, as well as wood plastic composites from environmentally sustainable materials, such as wood.
Wood quality may be the most essential aspect of the value added chain of wood production, but also the one least understood. An optimization and effective management of the value added chain and its individual links is only possible with a sound knowledge of the factors influencing wood properties during tree growth , harvesting , storage, drying and processing and also the quality determination process itself. This requires a holistic approach that attempts to link the single steps of production to understand their dependencies and identify crucial steps in the conversion chain that can be influenced by management. This includes modelling, simulation, novel methods of wood quality determination and mechanical, physical and chemical product performance testing with the objective to understand and optimize chemical and physical wood properties throughout the value added chain of wood production.
Precision Forestry (PF) provides for additional, adequate quality information about forests and the manufacturing of forest products. It facilitates planning and site-specific forest management activities and forest operation activities to improve wood product quality and utilization, to reduce waste, and increase profits. PF makes use of several key technologies such as GPS/GIS/RS , dealing with automatic data capture, including locating and navigation systems and thus addresses both, the use of geo-spatial-information to assist forest management , planning, and site-specific silvicultural operations. The need for precision forestry is no longer a choice in managing forests and producing forest products. Driven by both the ever increasing scrutiny over the protection of forest resources, and the economic need to use forest products to the fullest, professional foresters and product managers are demanding quality detailed information about forests they manage and products they make.
The BAgric Agri-business Management degree programme is a 3-year programme, and is the brainchild of Prof Eckhart Kassier in 1978, which allows for a more applied agricultural economics degree that still have strong foundations in science. Students will do an array of modules including animal production, crop production, soil science, agronomy, horticulture, economics, statistics, logistics, accounting, business management, financial management, investment management, marketing management, strategic management, and agricultural economics. Graduates from this degree programme have stronger management acumen. We strongly encourage students to continue with a BAgricHons upon completion of the BAgric degrees to open more career opportunities.
Typical tasks that our graduates from this programme perform in the public and private sector:
The BScAgric Agricultural Economic Analysis and Management degree programme is a 4-year programme and is suited to the student that is interested in financial management. Students will do an array of modules including biology, chemistry, animal production, soil science, agronomy, horticulture, business management, economics, accounting, statistics, financial management, investment management, marketing management, logistics and supply chain management, and agricultural economics. In the final year students will specialise in agricultural economics, economics and a combination of investment, strategic and logistics management or investment, strategic and financial management, to allow them to pursue careers as managers in the agricultural sector.
Typical tasks that our graduates from this programme perform in the
public and private sector:
The BScAgric Agricultural Economics with Food Science degree programme is a 4-year programme and is suited to the student that is interested in economic and policy analysis with in the food sector. Students will do an array of modules including biology, chemistry, food science, animal production, soil science, agronomy, horticulture, crop protection, accounting, financial management, logistics and supply chain management, transport economics, and agricultural economics. In the final year students will specialise in agricultural economics, food science and financial management or food process engineering or logistics and supply chain management to allow them to pursue careers as economic analysist or managers in the food sector.
The BScAgric Agricultural Economic Analysis and Management with Food Science degree programme is a 4-year programme and is suited to the student that is interested the applications of financial management to the food sector. Students will do an array of modules including biology, chemistry, food science animal production, soil science, agronomy, horticulture, crop protection, business management, economics, accounting, financial management, entrepreneurship and innovation management, marketing management, investment management, logistics and supply chain management, strategic management, and agricultural economics. In the final year students will specialise in agricultural economics, food science and economics, or financial management or food process engineering or logistics and supply chain management to allow them to pursue careers as economic analysist or managers in the food sector.
The BScAgric Agricultural Economic Analysis and Management degree programme is a 4-year programme and is suited to the student that is interested in financial management. Students will do an array of modules including biology, chemistry, animal production, soil science, agronomy, horticulture, business management, economics, accounting, statistics, financial management, investment management, marketing management, logistics and supply chain management, and agricultural economics. In the final year students will specialise in agricultural economics, economics and a combination of investment, strategic and logistics management or investment, strategic and financial management, to allow them to pursue careers as managers in the agricultural sector.
Typical tasks that our graduates from this programme perform in the
public and private sector:
The BCom Management Science degree with Agricultural Economics as a focal area is a 3-year degree offered by the Economics and Management Sciences Faculty. Agricultural Economics is an interdisciplinary field that entails studying the application of economic and management sciences to the production and marketing of agricultural and food products. Agricultural Economics unlocks professional occupations in the growing domestic and international agricultural and food industries. This degree will equip you for sought-after professional occupations, including general management, financial management and logistical management in the entire food value chain, from agricultural input delivery, financial services, agribusinesses involved in production, distribution and marketing to food processing and production businesses.
For the DSc degree advanced original research and/or creative work in Agricultural Economics and Management is required. Additionally, original, and previously published work(s) of a high standard are required that show that you have made a real and exceptional contribution to the enrichment of the knowledge base in Agricultural Economics and Management. An oral examination may be required of you.
