The first free online course for mixed species, continuous cover forestry, available in three languages

ForestMooc is accessible to everyone : forest managers, students, forest owners, forest enthusiasts.. and more! Improve your information and skills in how to manage European forests as a resilient, productive and close to nature resource.

This is an 8-week online course. A new chapter is available every Monday. You can follow the course content from any location, at your own pace. The course is freely available on the platform from 19 February 2024 to 30 April.

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ForestMooc is open to everyone, and there are no pre-requisites, as this is an introductory course. However, an interest in forests and nature in general is recommended.

Chapter 1 - Introduction and background to Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF): the ideal forest according to the public, our forest landscape and its history, the main principles of CCF

Chapter 2 - The natural functioning of forests: ecological successions, discovery of continuous cover forestry, the soil, soil profiles and indicator plants.

Chapter 3 - Natural dynamics: overview, recreation, biodiversity, micro-habitats, peri-urban forest, carbon sequestration and the water cycle

Chapter 4 - The resilience of mixed continuous cover: the concept of resilience, natural cycles in forests, pathogens and the bark beetle crisis, post-fire management, post-storm dynamics.

Chapter 5 - Ecosystem services: overview, recreation, biodiversity, micro-habitats, illustrations of the periurban forest, carbon sequestration and the water cycle.

Chapter 6 - The economics of wood: CCF and the economy, the profitability of a forest, increasing capital, commercial strategies, local production, diversification of income.

Chapter 7 - CCF in practice: silvicultural operations, marking, pruning, hunting strategy, protection measures and monitoring.

Chapter 8 - Inspiration and examples from continental, Atlantic and Mediterranean forests in Belgium, France, Germany and Ireland.

See the full programme

The ForestMooc team met foresters in Germany, Ireland, France and Belgium. So you'll have concrete examples from continental, Atlantic and Mediterranean forests.
Sign up now for free here. One chapter online every week on Mondays at 9am. All chapters remain open until the 8th January 2024 (1 month after the publication of the last chapter). ForestMooc is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can enjoy it whenever you want, at your own pace and at your own convenience.

The entire ForestMooc takes about 10 hours to complete, spread over 8 weeks. 

You are free to follow the content at your own pace.

Yes, but you need to validate all the content of the 8 chapters. You will then be issued with a personalised certificate attesting to your training.

The chapters are made up of different elements:

  • Videos: : we'll take you into the field to meet forest owners, managers and experts. The various speakers will share their knowledge using practical examples.
  • A quiz: test your knowledge with questions on the videos in the chapter. You will need to validate them to complete the MOOC
  • An exercise: to be carried out in the field. It is not compulsory, but it will enable you to practise what you have learned from the videos.
  • A live session: a videoconference in the evening, during the week, where you can ask the speakers your questions about the current chapter. Send your questions in advance here..

The live sessions are video-conference question and answer sessions. They are organised once a week, in the three languages of the MOOC. They are not compulsory, but they can help you to clarify certain points in the course with the lecturers.

You can send your questions on the various chapters to here.

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