Albert-Ludwig-Universität Freiburg

Introduction

The School of Forest Resources has established a bilateral relationship with the Albert-Ludwig-Universität Freiburg. Freiburg University, located in the Black Forest, is one of Germany’s oldest forestry institutions and has a significant international program. This relationship has resulted in cooperative research opportunities, teaching exchanges, and student study tours. As a part of this program, a series study trips have been arranged between our two institutions. Freiburg students visited Penn State during the fall of 1998, 2000, and 2002. Penn State students visited Freiburg during the spring of 1999, 2001, and most recently 2003. The next trip will take place in 2005.

Spring 2003 Trip

In the spring of 2003, sixteen students from the School of Forest Resources traveled to Freiburg Germany for an eight day study tour of natural resource management in the Black Forest region of southern Germany. The trip was a culmination of a semester long course on German forestry. During the semester, each student prepared a report and made a presentation to the class on a specific aspect of natural resource management in Germany. Topics included forest, game, and fish management, the forest products industry in Germany, the history of German forestry, and other topic related to German forestry.

Thus prepared, the class flew to Frankfurt Germany on the 20th of May, accompanied by Dr. Bruce Lord, Dr. Todd Bowersox, and Mrs. Judy Bowersox. The trip offered scientific and cultural experiences in the Black Forest region and in nearby Switzerland and France.

Financial support by the School of Forest Resources, the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Office of International Programs, and by the Associate Deans for Undergraduate and Graduate Education kept the overall cost to each student at a reasonable level and made the experience accessible to a broad cross section of our students.

2003 Trip Report (pdf format)

Scientific exchange

The students were exposed to a series of presentations by state field foresters, industry professionals, and university faculty, covering a variety of German forest types, industry processing, and scientific lectures. Forest types included a 350 year old oak-beach stand and a recent oak plantation, both subject to single stem management. A visit to a spruce monoculture was also arranged. An additional trip exposed the students to a riparian zone with over 25 tree and shrub species. Many other environments were introduced to the group. The opportunity to examine single stem and single species management was enlightening to American students with their strong background in diversity management.

Harvesting techniques for spruce were demonstrated on steep slopes using three people to cut the trees with chain saws and cable skidding to an access road. The attention to detail was apparent as each logger processed approximately three trees per hour. Later in the trip we were exposed to a total tree harvester that felled, delimbed, and bucked the tree in one continuous operation. At the Klink sawmill in Vogelsheim, France the group toured a very modern mill designed by a Tennessee firm to handle large diameter softwood sawlogs.

Lecture topics by the faculty of the University of Freiburg included the history of German forestry, silvicultural practices, international forest policy, and game management. The exposure to their approach to natural resources revealed the influence of cultural background upon management practices.

A-350 year old oak-beach forest in Rothenbuch

A 20-year old oak plantation outside of Freiburg

Outdoor lecture on top of Schauinsland Mountain

Total tree harvester in Bad Herrenalb

Cultural exchange

Equally important were the cultural experiences that went with the excursion. Throughout the trip, the class was accompanied by several forestry students from Freiburg who acted as translators and cultural ambassadors. The class made day trips to Basel, Switzerland and Colmar, France, two very old and picturesque towns located just across the border. Restaurants ranged from University dining facilities, to country inns, to city restaurants and consisted of a variety of European cuisines. Ample opportunities were provided in the evenings to socialize with local students and enjoy fine German beers.

The village of Kirchzarten

College of Agricultural Sciences Office of International Programs - click here

The streets of Colmar, France

Penn State International Programs - click here