Unit Outline

This unit provides you with the knowledge and practical skills to prepare management plans for protected areas. Particular emphasis will be given to accessing and deploying information; community engagement and collaboration; and developing plans that support an adaptive approach to management. The cultural contexts of management planning will be considered, with a particular focus on the perspectives of Indigenous Australians. The unit includes an option of a 5-day field trip that gives students experience in preparing a management plan using the "Open standards" planning process. This is a highly recommended experience that includes working with other conservation professionals from around the country and is often a course highlight for students. For students enrolled in any GPSS course the cost of the field trip is an additional small fee for accommodation and meals (cost varies from year to year but contact unit coordinator for expected fee, as an indicative cost it is typically around $500). For students enrolled in courses outside of GPSS the full cost of field trip must be paid (cost varies from year to year but as an indication it is ~$1,200). For offshore candidates and those domestic candidates who choose not to attend the field trip, the "Open standards" planning process will be taught on-line via a virtual field exercise.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Analyse the diverse approaches and processes for protected area planning.
2.	Design and implement an adaptive planning process taking into account the conservation context.
3.	Prepare strategies to underpin a protected area management plan.
4.	Critique protected area management plans in terms of their quality and effectiveness.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Management plan context, approaches and processes	Week 2	30 %	LO1
Assessment Task 2:	Open standards management plan	Week 4	35 %	LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Comparative analysis of case study management plans	Week 6	35 %	LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Management plan context, approaches and processes

Task Description:

Context, approaches and processes - Engaging in online debate with your peers. You are required to post a series of responses to three tasks on the MyLO discussion board and to actively engage in meaningful debate with your peers. See the MyLO discussion boards for your discussion assignments.

Task Length:

Due Date:

Week 2

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse how plans reflect their purposes and context	LO1
2	Analyse strengths and weaknesses of theoretical approaches	LO1
3	Analyse developing and implementing a planning process	LO1
4	Engaged in meaningful debate with fellow students	LO1

Assessment Task 2: Open standards management plan

Task Description:

Your task is to complete the open standards steps to develop a management plan for your case study region and to present these as a recorded power point. Upload an individual PowerPoint and associated voice recording onto MyLO that explains the results of implementing the steps of the process that culminates in a viable management planning approach for a particular focal issue or theme for your assigned planning scope. See MyLO for further details.

Task Length:

Seminar: 10-15 minutes PowerPoint presentation with voice-over

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Use Open Standards to develop conservation strategies	LO2, LO3
2	Select and justify strategies appropriate for the conservation context or case study.	LO2, LO3
3	Present an open standards plan in a professional capacity to a wide audience	LO2

Assessment Task 3: Comparative analysis of case study management plans

Task Description:

In the role of a protected area management planner, critically appraise the two management plan case studies using planning theory and practical considerations as well as personal reflections to report on the extent to which each plan is responsive to and appropriate for the local context it is embedded within. As a planner you are often asked to give written planning advice or present to stakeholders. You may therefore choose for this assessment to submit in written or oral format but are asked in each format to present in a way consistent with how a professional planner would present this material. See MyLO for specific case study and analysis prompts to consider.

Task Length:

2,500 words or 10 minute presentation

Due Date:

Week 6

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Perform a comparative analysis of management plan case studies	LO4
2	Synthesise results from comparative analysis to inform management plan recommendations	LO4
3	Use professional standards and practices to produce a report	LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.