BIMESS: Ecological Survey Skills

Module code: BIMESS

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Mr Simon Boulter, email: simon.boulter@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Jonathan Mitchley, email: j.mitchley@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module develops key professional skills associated with the office-based elements of ecological consultancy. The module introduces the ecological consultancy industry (how it works, what it does and why it is needed), covers relevant wildlife legislation and planning policy, background data searches, development planning, project management and project tendering.   

Aims: 

• To introduce the ecological consultancy industry; 
• To describe relevant wildlife legislation (covering what is protected and how it is protected), development planning (how ecology fits into the planning process); 
• Report writing, tendering and ecological impact assessment. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand the requirements of an ecological appraisal case study and produce a written competitive quote (tender) for a client including how much it might cost
2. Understand the elements of Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) and prepare a receptor specific EcIA report based on a case study
3. Gain knowledge of the ecological consultancy industry, wildlife legislation, development planning, ecological impact assessment and working in a team to achieve objectives to a tight deadline

Module content

• Introduction to ecological consultancy. 
• Wildlife legislation. 
• Preliminary Ecological Appraisal. 
• Protected animal species and botanical surveys. 
• Invertebrate survey in consultancy. 
• Development Planning. 
• Report writing skills. 
• Tendering for projects. 
• Ecological impact assessment. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, seminars and workshops, roleplay exercises. 

Study hours

At least 28 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs