Sustainable Wood Supply Analysis
This course is the final course before the master’s thesis in the Industrial Wood Supply Management programme. It brings together and deepens the knowledge developed in previous courses by synthesising core competences in wood supply management with advanced digital analysis methods.
You work with forest-industrial supply systems as complex, integrated systems where raw material availability, industrial demand, sustainability and competitiveness interact. Through scenario development and modelling, you analyse how wood supply may evolve over time and how uncertainties such as climate change, policy shifts and market dynamics affect supply security.
As the programme’s capstone course, the course is strongly application-oriented. In advanced case studies, you use digital tools and analytical methods to evaluate and design supply strategies for both existing and emerging industries. You train to make strategic decisions under uncertainty and to assess long-term sustainability and competitiveness.
At the same time, you further develop key professional skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and professional communication. The course provides a systems-oriented and analytical perspective, forming a solid foundation for your master’s thesis and for advanced professional roles in forest-based raw material supply.
The course can be completed entirely on distance. However, teaching takes place from the campus in Umeå, where infrastructure is provided for students who are physically present.
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
SV0045 Sustainable Wood Supply Analysis , 15.0 Credits
Analys av hållbar virkesförsörjningSubjects
Forestry ScienceEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Supply scenarios | 4.0 | 0001 |
| Competitiveness analysis | 4.0 | 0002 |
| Case studies in sustainable and competitive supply | 7.0 | 0003 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has second-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1F)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
The equivalent of120 credits
10 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within wood science/wood technology
20 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within forest technology, including industrial supply planning and/or operations control
7,5 credits forestry science at second-cycle level within remote sensing and/or inventory
5 credits within geographic information systems (GIS)
and English 6.
Objectives
The course intends to advance student ability to develop sustainable and competitive supply strategies for the forest sector in industrial wood supply. This includes understanding the complexity of the supply chain, its large number of supply alternatives and mastering methods to handle uncertainties and unforeseen events.
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- develop long term regional forest scenarios and analyze corresponding trends for wood supply
- analyze effects of uncertainty, e.g. changing climate or policy, on wood availability
- model effects of the scenarios on mill-specific supply security and competitiveness
- analyze effects of supply system development on competiveness
- apply relevant supply scenarios for case studies of mill-specific sustainability and competitiveness
- develop and critically evaluate supply strategies for case studies to meet significant risks for both changing supply and demand conditions.
Content
Content:
The course focuses on analysis of future forest industry supply scenarios and how to respond to these with supply strategies that secure long-term raw material availability and competitiveness. This takes place through packages of exercises and theory, which also train the students' ability to evaluate the sustainability of supply strategies for a forest sector in constant development.
Implementation:
The course is divided into three parts. Initially, the course focuses on methods for simulating future supply scenarios (part 1) and analyzes of the industry's supply security and competitiveness (part 2). These methods are then applied in case studies (part 3) which form a large part of the course where the students independently analyze different path choices in supply for both existing and new industries. In the case studies, supply scenarios, supply security and competitiveness are analyzed over time in a joint forum for strategic response to changes in external factors.
The course is structured around practical exercises combined with literature seminars. Case studies are carried out in stages with periodic changes in conditions and coordination in the course's common group forum.
The course focuses on the following general competencies: Critical thinking, problem solving, oral communication, written communication, cooperation, time management.
The following elements are mandatory: Exercises, case studies and seminars.
Cooperation with the surrounding society takes place through working life/vocational connections in program/course development together with an external program council of employer representatives, as well as through guest lectures and exercise materials from the forestry industry.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Passed oral and written reports. Passed participation in compulsory components.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
The course is part of the master's program Industrial Wood Supply Management. It builds on the previous courses in the program by synthesizing the achieved core competence in wood supply with the deep competence in digital analyses. It is the last course before the master's thesis, and constitutes the program's synthesis/capstone course where advanced analysis can be based on in-depth understanding of forest industry supply systems. The course can be completed entirely on distance. However, teaching takes place from the campus in Umeå, where infrastructure is provided for students who are physically present. The course is given together with the Department of Forest Resource Management.The special entry requirement in wood science/wood technology can be met through the program course SV0047 Raw Material Properties and Refining Processes, the entry requirement in forest technology can be met through the program courses SV0048 Forest Industrial Supply Strategy and SV0049 Operational Management of Industrial Wood Supply, and the entry requirement in remote sensing can be met through the program course SV0065 Remote Sensing and Inventory.
Responsible department
Department of forest bioeconomy and technology
Cooperating departments:
Further information
Litterature list
Supply planning I
Eggers, J. et al. 2024. Adapted forest management to improve the potential for reindeer husbandry in Northern Sweden. Ambio 53, 46–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01903-7
Supply planning II
Eyvindson, et al. 2018. Mitigating forest biodiversity and ecosystem service losses in the era of bio-based economy. Forest Policy and Economics, 92, 119-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2018.04.009
*Industrial capacity and production economics *
Fohlin P, Silver M 1997. Kvantitativa modeler för lokalisering av sågverk. LTU. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:990235/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Diesen, M 2000/2007. Economics of the pulp and paper industry (Tappi: 114 eur) VOL1_Economics of the Pulp and Paper Industry.pdf
Nordström P-O, Pastila S, Pihllajamaki P, Lindroth 2021. Marknaden för skogsråvara och skogsnäringens utveckling fram till 2035. Skogsstyrelsen Rapport 2021/3. https://www.skogsstyrelsen.se/globalassets/om-oss/rapporter/rapporter-20222021202020192018/rapport-2021-3-marknaden-for-skogsravara-och-skogsnaringens-utveckling-fram-till-2035.pdf
Infrastructure and terminal etablishment
Widinghoff J. 2014. Ny logistiklösning I samband med nedläggning av Vilhelmina sågverk. SLU SRH 2014: 417. https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/6781/7/widinghoff_j_140602.pdf
Larsson J 2018. Analys av den totala logistikkostnaden för olika råvaruförsörjningsstrategier till Tunadals sågverk. SLU SRH 2018:494. https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/14256/1/Larsson_J%20_181213.pdf
Westin E 2020. Designförslag för Holmen Skogs nya omlastningsterminal i norra Sverige. SLU SBT 220:14. https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/16723/1/westin_e_210531.pdf
Transport network distances
Rönnqvist M, Svensson G, Flisberg P, Jönsson L-E. 2017. Calibrated route finder: Improving the safety, environmental considerations and cost-effectiveness of truck routing in Sweden. INFORMS Applied Analytics Vol 46, Issue 5.
Rönnqvist M, Flisberg P, Frisk M, Bredström D, Peradis J-B 2024. A new hybrid method for quick and accurate calculation of forest transportation distances. Intl. Trans. Op. Res 31. https://doi.org/10.1111/itor.13409
Transport system costs
Fjeld D, Väätäinen K, Hofsten H, Noreland D, Callesen I, Lazdins 2021. A common Nordic-Baltic costing framework for road, rail and sea transport of roundwood. NIBIO Rapport Vol. 7, Nr. 8. https://nibio.brage.unit.no/nibio-xmlui/handle/11250/2723839
Enström J, Hofsten H, Eliasson L, Parklund T 2023. Transportkostnader och virkesflöden. Skogforsk arbetsrapport 1170-2023. https://wwwtest12.skogforsk.se/contentassets/acb0f5cf51dd4eb5b51bb714e23ba507/ap-1170-2023-transportkostnader-och-virkesfloden.pdf
Wood flow planning with multiple planning periods
Lukka A. 1994. Materials acquisition planning models. Lappeenranta, Finland: Lappeenranta University of Technology. Research Report. 36pp.
Sjölling I, Rönnqvist E, Fjeld D. 2023. Rail transport in Swedish wood supply – seasonal variation, system risks and mitigation costs. Int J For Eng 34:2, 294-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/14942119.2023.2167379
.