Unit Outline

This unit provides you with the knowledge and practical skills to prepare conservation management plans - a skill essential for those working towards a career managing natural environments and people in protected areas. For those with other vocational interests, the unit is a way to learn about natural ecosystems and the principles of conservation management. Fire, weed, feral and people management require the biophysical knowledge that this unit provides. They also require an understanding of planning, administrative and management systems, all of which can facilitate or impede the achievement of conservation outcomes. We develop this broad understanding of factors relevant to the conservation management of ecosystems and species in protected areas, and train students in the formulation of natural environment management plans. The plans we produce are usually used by the protected area managers. Field work is used to familiarise students with the management problems of a particular protected area and to collect data relevant to the formulation of the management plan.

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	Engage in critical thinking about conservation in protected areas
2	Communicate effectively on the subject in maps and writing
3	Employ basic terminology and concepts in protected area management for nature conservation
4	Analyse and interpret basic spatial information and interpret spatial patterns in terms of management needs

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	KGA213 Natural Environmental Field Techniques

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:	Field map	Refer to Assessment Description	10 %	LO1, LO2, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Field test - proficiency in data collection	Refer to Assessment Description	10 %	LO1, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Topic quizzes	Refer to Assessment Description	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 4:	Management plan	Refer to Assessment Description	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Field map

Task Description:

During the intensive practicum, you will draft and then create map/s that will be used in a management plan of the field study area. Though eventually a summative task, multiple opportunities for formative feedback will be made available during the practicum.

This task will be used to assess your understanding of how to visualise field management objectives and priorities.

Task Length:

Management plan map(s)

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Quality of map elements	LO4
2	Synthesis of spatial data in maps	LO1
3	Accuracy and utility of map data	LO2

Assessment Task 2: Field test - proficiency in data collection

Task Description:

You are required to identify and communicate the major values and threats relevant to managing a study area for nature conservation. You will do this by way of an in-field 'test' of your knowledge and summations of the study area. This test will be of one-hour duration, supervised, during the intensive practicum.

Task Length:

One hour to complete a field task.

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify the major values and threats that appear necessary to manage the field study area for nature conservation.	LO3
2	Proficiency in efficient field data collection.	LO1

Assessment Task 3: Topic quizzes

Task Description:

You will show your understanding of the lecture material on each day of the unit lectorial series through your successful completion of daily quizzes. Each quiz contains short-answer and multiple-choice questions to assess your understanding. The quizzes are to be completed on paper, in-person, during the intensive period of this unit.

Task Length:

5 X 10-question paper-based quizzes, 30-minutes allocated per day for five days to complete the tasks. 1 X field data quiz within GIS map making practical.

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Accuracy of answer	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
2	Use of correct terminology in-context	LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 4: Management plan

Task Description:

You will write part of a management plan for a field study area assessed during an intensive practicum. You will provide a background, brief discussion of issues, objectives, policies, actions, monitoring and evaluation procedures in this plan submission.
This submission is due after the completion on the intensive practicum.

Task Length:

Maximum 1000 words.

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Adopts conventions and language of a management plan	LO2
2	Submission is feasible and appropriate to the context of the study area	LO1
3	Submission is clearly-communicated	LO3
4	Exhibits understanding of the ecological context of the plan	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.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

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.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

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.