Ecological Restoration

Subject FRST90034 (2013)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2013.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2013.

Time Commitment: Contact Hours: Equivalent of 24 hours lectures and 36 hours practical work, delivered in a two-week intensive teaching block.
Total Time Commitment:

60 contact hours over two weeks

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Contact

Melbourne School of Land & Environment Student Centre
Ground Floor, Land & Food Resources (building 142)

Enquiries
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352)
Email: 13MELB@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

Ecological Restoration examines the principles and practices needed to restore terrestrial ecosystems in a range of modified landscapes from agricultural to urban. Its focus is ecological, although consideration is also given to socio-economic factors that influence restoration programs. Lectures and field trips explore ecological principles and projects from site to landscape scales, encompassing biodiversity values and ecosystem services.

Objectives:

At the end of this subject students will have an advanced understanding of:

  • Properties of degraded versus functioning ecosystems
  • Need for ecological restoration (Australia and elsewhere)
  • Types and goals of ecological restoration at site to landscape scales
  • Planning, legislation, incentive schemes relevant to restoration of native systems
  • Ecological restoration strategies and methods (including harnessing natural processes and planning for climate change)
  • Indicators of ecosystem function and restoration success at different scales (from molecular to plant/animal populations to landscape processes)
  • Benefits of ecological restoration
Assessment:

An assignment of 1,000 words (20%), an oral presentation (30%), an assignment of 2,500 words (50%).

Prescribed Texts:

None

Recommended Texts:
  • Whisenant SG (1999) Repairing Damaged Wildlands. A process-orientated, landscape-scale approach. Cambridge University Press. 312pp.
  • Perrow MR, Davy AJ (Eds) (2002) Handbook of Ecological Restoration. Volume 1 Principles of Restoration. Cambridge University Press. 444pp.
  • Walker, L.R., Walker, J., Hobbs, R.J. (2007) Linking Restoration and Ecological Succession. Springer, New York, 190pp.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Links to further information: http://www.forests.unimelb.edu.au/subjects.html
Related Course(s): Graduate Diploma in Urban Horticulture
Master of Forest Ecosystem Science
Master of Urban Horticulture
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Conservation, Restoration and Landscape Management
Environmental Science
Environmental Science
Sustainable Forests

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