Wood

Online course "Forests, wood and carbon": start your wood science journey here

Learn about the role of forests and wood in the carbon cycle. This course introduces the essentials of wood science: forests in the carbon cycle, wood structure and properties, and raw material flows in the bioeconomy.

Students from all fields are welcome! The course is also available through Aalto Open University.

Sunlight streaming through tall green forest trees with bright leaves and blue sky

Do you want to learn more about forests and wood? Join our online course and start your journey into wood science.

CHEM-C2470 Forests, Wood and Carbon is a 5-credit bachelor-level online course designed as an accessible introduction to wood science by University teachers and subject experts. The course explores the role of forests and wood in the carbon cycle, wood structure and properties, and raw material flows in the bioeconomy. It is suitable for students from all fields, including those with no previous experience in the subject.

You can complete the course fully online. Learning activities include online sessions, short videos, readings, individual and collaborative assignments, and online exams. The course runs twice a year, in study periods I and V.

Aalto University and exchange students can register via Sisu portal

Open University students instruction can be found here

Illustration showing the transportation of CO2 from the atmosphere to the leaves, sugars going down in the phloem layer, water from the roots to the crown and oxygen back to the atmosphere. — This illustration follows the carbon atom from photosynthesis reaction in a tree to wood products acting as carbon storage. (Daniela Altgen)

Students will learn about global carbon sources and sinks, with a focus on the role of forests in the carbon cycle. The course introduces the basic principles of life-cycle analysis, including selected applications such as calculating the carbon storage potential of wood. It also covers wood structure and its connection to key properties, including appearance, dimensional stability, moisture behaviour, and strength. Students will explore the mechanical properties of wood, its interaction with moisture at the cellular level, and common long-lived wood products used in the built environment.

Teaching and learning take place on the MyCourses online platform.