GEOGG069 Conservation and Environmental Management

OPTION: GEOGG069 Conservation and Environmental Management

(15 credits)

Term 2 (2012)

Staff: Dr Sam Randalls and Dr Jan Axmacher

Aims: The module has three aims:

1) To enable students to critically evaluate current conservation practice and underlying theoretical concepts

2) To analyse the rationales for and place of people, markets and science in conservation practice and environmental management

3) To be able to apply these debates to practical examples

Content:

The course will provide an integrated approach to conservation in theory and practice. It draws on debates about and within conservation science, economics and governance, and applies these to contemporary examples.

The course has the following foci:

1) Biodiversity

2) Politics of Biodiversity

3) Conservation Practice

4) Scientific proposal writing and the scientific approach

5) Conservation economics and brochure preparation

6) People and conservation

Assessment:

Brochure for a new nature conservation project - produced in group projects (3-4 students per group) and submitted as a group assignment (30%), Scientific research funding proposal for the conservation project (individual assessment) (70%)

Format:

On completion of the module learners will be able to:

1) Demonstrate understanding of key concepts and debates in contemporary conservation science, practice and governance

2) Be able to assess the challenges and opportunities in integrating science, economics and people in decision-making

3) Critically reflect upon conservation in practice

4) Be able to apply these understandings to examples

5) Design innovative solutions to problems

6) Learn practical skills of justifying funding applications for both scientific and private funders

7) Peer-learning with others and teamwork in student-led groups

8) Formulate a reasoned argument about conservation practice