Final Paper (35%)
Your term paper can be on any subject related to Forestry and Forest Conservation as covered in this course. This essay must be well connected to material and readings assigned in class and include several additional references. You can get ideas and references for your topic from the additional references highlighted during lectures. Essays are expected to be succinct and concise, and to clearly explore an issue pertinent to forest conservation in Canada.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to, invasive species, sustainable forest management, afforestation, urban forestry, tree physiology, sustainable forest management, climate change and forest conservation, wildfire, insect outbreaks, forest policy, etc. As you have limited time and space for this essay, I recommend that you identify a specific aspect of your selected forest conservation topic and explore it in detail. For example, instead of exploring “invasive species” in general, it would be preferred to select a single species and explore one aspect (e.g., biodiversity, tree loss, economics) associated with that species.
As with all good essays, yours will require a thesis (that is, a central argument). Identify something perhaps contentious, unresolved, or particularly fascinating related to your chosen topic, and take a stance, or ask a question, on the issue. Through your research and synthesis, you will then arrive at a point where the evidence either agrees or disagrees with your thesis. The essay should be well written, well argued, supported by references, and 1500 – 2000 words in length, excluding your references / bibliography.
Again, please prepare your report using Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, with standard margins and 1.5 line spacing. Include your name and student number in bold in the top left of the header section of your document, along with the report word count. Please use the APA format for references and use in-text citations as described above.