2020/21 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

GEOG3321 Management of Wilderness Environments

10 Credits Class Size: 37

Module manager: Steve Carver
Email: S.J.Carver@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2020/21

Mutually Exclusive

GEOG3180 Management of Wilderness and Global Ecosystems

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module examines environmental problems and management issues in wilderness and global ecosystems. These include Arctic, mountain, forest, desert, savannah, wetlands and coastal/marine ecosystems, all of which are coming under increasing pressure from over use and development. The module focuses in particular on human/environment interactions, dealing in turn with environmental impacts, current and proposed management strategies, protected areas, wilderness preservation, sustainable development and national and international policy implications. Reference is made to examples and case studies from the UK, Europe and around the world to illustrate key issues and concepts.

Objectives

Objectives
On completion of this module students will have acquired:
- an appreciation and understanding of the broad theoretical and practical issues pertaining to wilderness landscapes and global ecosystems: their relevance in the global, regional and national context, policy development (with an emphasis on international examples, Europe and the UK), their role in maintaining ecosystem services, management approaches, spatial decision making, and issues surrounding their sustainability and resilience to external pressures; and
- a knowledge of wilderness and global ecosystems within the UK, Europe and global contexts.

Learning outcomes

.On completion of this module, students should be able to:
- demonstrate a broad and detailed knowledge about issues pertaining to wilderness and global ecosystems including sustainable development (including both political and scientific approaches), natural capital, ecosystem services, carrying capacity, development and use of indicators, drivers for change, and recreational opportunity; and
- demonstrate an appreciation of the issues of scale, quality and character in relation to the measurement and evaluation of landscape values.

Skills outcomes

Skills outcomes
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. demonstrate an appreciation of the issues of scale, quality and character in relation to the measurement and evaluation of landscape and sustainable development; and
2. demonstrate knowledge of research techniques that can be applied to the study of wilderness and global ecosystems.

Syllabus

Syllabus
Module content may include:
- Wilderness and global ecosystems
- Wilderness landscapes and biomes
- Values and meanings of wild places
- Wilderness use and recreation
- Threats to wild places
- Management and policy approaches
- Mapping and environmental assessment techniques
- Sustainable development.


Teaching Methods

Delivery type Number Length hours Student hours
Lecture 12 1 12
Seminar 9 1 9
Independent online learning hours 23
Private study hours 56
Total Contact hours 21
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) 100

Private study

1. Completion of independent online learning exercises associated with lecture/seminar (23hrs)
2. Reading and researching appropriate literature (56hrs)

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress is monitored by:
1. in class discussion of materials in lectures and tutorials;
2. seminar presentations;
3. independent online learning and online submission of associated tasks.

Methods of Assessment

Coursework
Assessment type Notes % of formal assessment
Assignment Minimum 4 short contributions (1500 words totalma x) plus 1 long thread (500 words max) plus comments on peers threads 100
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) 100

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading List

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 8/5/2020

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team