AEM 2815 - Forest Bioeconomy

(CU-SBY)

Fall. 3 credits. Letter grades only (no audit).

Prerequisite: FWS or equivalent. Enrollment limited to: Dyson students. Satisfies CALS written expression requirement and Dyson Grand Challenges writing requirement.

T. Preszler.

We begin with an introduction to the role of the bioeconomy in society, a description of the various bioproduct categories, and an overview of the sustainable bioeconomy as it pertains to the timber industry. Our focus will be on understanding how the supply and demand dynamic of wood-based forest products affects personal and corporate behavior. Students will develop critical thinking and writing skills through assigned readings, class discussions, individual writing assignments, and presentations about important themes in the forest-based bioeconomy, including: the impacts of business innovation in emerging wood-based products, both positive and negative; environmental and social risk management through recycling, management of residues and wastes, and end-of-life product analysis; sustainability initiatives in the corporate sector, including intra-industry collaboration and the substitution of forest products for fossil fuels; stakeholder engagement to overcome knowledge and implementation gaps along the global forest product value chain; and future supply and demand dynamics based on business growth and evolving consumer perceptions.

Outcome 1: Analyze the environmental, economic, and social impacts of industrial practices within the bioeconomy.

Outcome 2: Recognize and evaluate the relative sustainability risks (pros adn cons) associated with various wood sources and propose actions that mitigate these risks.

Outcome 3: Identify advantages and disadvantages of a wood-based bioeconomy relative to a petroleum-based economy.

Outcome 4: Describe the interactions and roles of different stakeholders in teh bioeconomy (producers, regulators, consumers) and recognize opportunties for improving outcomes of these interactions.

Outcome 5: Examine the major differences in energy, waste, raw material usage, and environmental impacts of the various wood bioproduct pathways.

Outcome 6: Develop persuasive opinion essays that examine the environmental, economic, and social impacts of industrial practices within the bioeconomy.