Gunung Walat, Sukabumi – Field practice class by German students (MSc students from Georg August University) in Gunung Walat University Forest (GWUF) (3 – 26 January 2011).
This field practice class is a regular program for each MSc student in Faculty of Forestry, Georg August University of Gottingen, Germany. At every third semester, these German students go to tropical countries to study tropical forests and their management, as part of their formal curriculum. At this year, Gunung Walat University Forest (GWUF) is chosen as the site to be visited for such purpose.
This program is followed by 14 forestry students from Master Program of Tropical & International Forestry, Gottingen. University, Germany.
Two German professors, namely Prof. Mitloehner dan Prof. Hoefle join this program and guide the Gottingen students.
Some Professors and teaching staff of Faculty of Forestry of IPB (Indonesia) were also involved by providing consultation for some of the Gottingen students. During the field activities, the Gottingen students were accompanied by some Directors of GWUF, undergraduate students of Faculty of Forestry of IPB (Indonesia) and site manager / local staff of GWUF.
The target of the Gottingen students were among others, making forest management plan of part of the area (200 ha) of Gunung Walat University Forest (GWUF) by conducting forest inventory and analyzing the results from various aspects.
Besides that, each individual Gottingen student conduct specific study for a specific aspect in Gunung Walat University Forest (GWUF) related with his / her own specialization during his / her MSc course in Gottingen University. Examples of this specific aspects which the students try to study in GWUF were among other things, silviculture, forest soil science and forest nutrition, forest genetics / nursery, forest product harvesting, forest policy, forest product marketing, forest climatololgy / hidrology, forest timber inventory and management, forest infrastructure (road, buildings, etc), forest socio-economics, forest biometrics, agroforestry, conservation of flora and fauna, forest entomology, forest protection, etc.
As part of the results of this field practice, the MSc students give some recommendations and suggestions for improving the management of Gunung Walat University Students.
Results of the field practice were afterwards presented in a forum on 7 Januari 2011, which was also attended by teacing staffs and Professor of Faculty of Forestry (IPB) and graduate students of Faculty of Forestry IPB. The Gottingen students expressed their impression and appreciation toward GWUF.
Prof. Hoefler, as one of the German professor who followed this field practice class commented: “Gunung Walat as such is just a success story. It is hard to believe that the area was nothing but bare land some decades ago. Now, one can meet and study these beautiful stands and enjoy the multiple uses of the forest. It is also very beneficial that the forest provides income to the neighbouring villages.”
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