Kenya Forestry College School Of Silviculture

Silviculture has been derived from the word silvics which is a natural science which deals with principles underlying the growth and development of single tree and of the forests as a biological unit. Silvics is the equivalent of forest ecology and is the basis of silviculture. Silviculture is the theory and practise of controlling forest establishment, composition, structure and growth. It involves the methods of handling the forest in view of its silvics, modify in practise by economics and environmental factors. It is also the application of growing knowledge about trees and forest.

The department offers the following Subjects:-Silviculture, Forest fires, Entomology and Forest Pathology.

PURPOSES OF SILVICULTURE

1. Improvement on Nature: Human intervention is called in by certain types of trees or forests with desirable characteristics. e.g by harvesting, planting and direct seeding.
2. Control the forest Structure, the structure of the forest is determined mainy by variation in species and age of classes
3. Control of Composition of the forest which refers to the species or groups of species that make up the forest.
4. Control stand density/Stocking which is the number of stems per unit area(Ha).
5. Restocking of unproductive lands resulting from effects of fires, destructive logging, animal damage and clearing for agriculture.
6. Protection and reduction of losses mainly by reducing the stocking to eliminate mortality.
7. Control rotation age considering the use of forests. In case of calamity rotation age may be shorter.
8. Facilitate economic harvesting.
9. Conservation of sites: can be used for soil and water conservation, habitats for other plants and animals.

SHORT COURSES OFFERED

1. Two weeks course Tree Nursery technology and practises
2. Three Weeks course on forest protection for community
3. Two weeks course on woodlot management for thecommunity
4. Two weeks course on plantation forest management targeting commercial tree growers