AP3AE60-Landscape and Ecosystem Management Fieldcourse 2

Module Provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Summer term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Prof Simon Mortimer
Email: s.r.mortimer@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
Summary module description:

• * Please note the course is taken in the summer term at the end of Part 2 only, but is credited as a component of Part 3. ***

A one week residential field course focussing on the principles and practice of environmental science and management in disturbed or stressed landscapes and habitats. The focus of the course is on habitats and landscapes not easily accessed from Reading, namely coastal and upland areas. Students will develop skills in environmental assessment and the formulation of management strategies to overcome environmental problems.

Priority will be given to students on the BSc Environmental Management programme. Students on other programmes can take this module if places are available.

Please also note that the cost of this field course is covered for students on BSc Environmental Management. Students from other Schools will need to talk to their Programme Director about subsidisation of the cost (full cost is normally approximately £350).

Aims:
To expose students to a range of environmental issues relating to the multiple demands on land in coastal and upland areas (including nature conservation, tourism, agriculture, forestry, coastal protection, industry and military uses)
To develop skills in environmental assessment through experimentation, ecological sampling and survey approaches.
To provide opportunities to use data to inform discussions on environmental management and policy.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Students will be able to:

• Undertake evaluation, assessment and monitoring in a variety of landscapes and habitats


• Conduct a variety of sampling methods and analyze the collected data to test hypotheses and prepare scientifically written reports of their findings


• Understand the management, policies and organisations involved in the conservation of upland and coastal habitats


• Describe and discuss management issuesthat arise from conflict between competing uses of upland and coastal areas.

Additional outcomes:
Students develop numeracy and teamwork skills through the sampling and analysis of data in small group situations. The module encourages teamwork and communication skills through the use of oral presentations and discussions in front of the module class. Students develop their scientific training by evaluating the contribution of research outputs to policy formation, and user-conflict in the countryside. Students will develop their IT skills by use of relevant web resources.

Outline content:
The field course is likely to be based in Wales or SW England, and students will study aspects of the geology, landscape, habitats and land use in that region. Fieldwork is likely to include the ecology and management of uplands, wetlands, coastal habitats and reclaimed industrial land. Students will be based in a residential field centre which will form the base for a range of activities.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Students will visit sites that illustrate particular environmental management issues within the area. Talks and guided tours or sites will be conducted by staff of organisations working in environmental management and will serve to illustrate the conflicting activities within the area. These ideas will be developed through the use of discussion and exercises. Visits to selected sites will be used to collect data, conduct analyses and draw conclusions. Transferable skills covered:

• Written communication


• Oral communication


• Problem-solving


• Team work


• Information handling

Information technology skills Specialist skills covered:

• Site evaluation


• Taxonomy


• Ecological sampling


• Environmental monitoring


• Design of experiments and surveys


• Data analysis
• Field work