Overview

This UK-based field course will give you unique insight into the challenges and opportunities of conservation and wildlife management in a highly developed, densely populated industrialised nation. During this week-long course, you will be guided by experts in conservation with a passion for the natural world as they take you on a tour to meet people at the forefront of species and habitat management. You will spend time with key stakeholders involved in habitat management and conservation across a range of sites, and through your interactions, develop a practical understanding of the opportunities and constraints of conservation and land management in the UK. Through observation and discussions with experts, you will be exposed to topics including pest management, conservation conflict, and ecological restoration that are integral to conservation and management of biodiversity in a changing world. Moreover, you will learn about the context of sites visited, with an emphasis on current and historic land use, conservation designation, ecology and key species at the site, and local threats and have opportunities to trial ecological survey techniques. . Most of the teaching will take place in the field in the form of observations and discussions conducted with conservation practitioners and site managers. However, these field excursions will be supplemented by classroom sessions and discussions.

This UK-based residential field course gives students the opportunity to see how the principles of conservation that are discussed in earlier parts of their courses are put into practice. During visits to a range of conservation sites managed by bodies including Government and non-government organisations, trusts, and private individuals, students will make observations and engage in discussions with conservation practitioners about the sites that they manage. Most of the teaching will take place in the field in the format of observations and discussions conducted with conservation practitioners and site managers. However, these field excursions will be supplemented by classroom sessions and evening discussions. It is expected that by the end of the module students will view the environment with renewed understanding and will be able to assess the challenges and complexities of managing a range of species and habitats.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -A threshold student should have a basic knowledge of the essential facts and key concepts presented in the module. Assessed work should demonstrate a basic ability to synthesise and interpret data from site visits and discussions in a structured and logical manner, and all assessments should demonstrate the general capacity to organise acquired knowledge. (C/D, mark range 50-59%)

-good -A good student should have thorough factual knowledge across all aspects of the module and be able to cite examples and case studies where appropriate. Assessed work should demonstrate an ability to think about the subject and to synthesise lecture material and some information from background reading into coherent arguments. (B, mark range 60-69%)

-excellent -An excellent student should have a high level of detailed factual knowledge across all aspects of the module and be able to detail examples and case studies where appropriate. Assessed work should demonstrate an ability to think critically about the subject and to synthesise site visit information from extensive background reading in support of detailed, developed arguments. (A, mark range 70-100%)

Learning Outcomes

• Critically evaluate the in-field application of conservation management practices in the UK

• Demonstrate an ability to accurately relate conservation concepts to applied, real-world scenarios.

• Synthesise expert knowledge on the challenges and opportunities confronting conservationists (video diary & report).