Productive Environments

Subject ENVS10011 (2016)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2016.

Credit Points: 12.5
Level: 1 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Semester 2, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 25-Jul-2016 to 23-Oct-2016
Assessment Period End 18-Nov-2016
Last date to Self-Enrol 05-Aug-2016
Census Date 31-Aug-2016
Last date to Withdraw without fail 23-Sep-2016


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 2 hours lecture + 1 hour tutorials + equivalent of 1 hour as excursion
Total Time Commitment:

170 Hours

Prerequisites:

The following subjects can be taken concurrently:

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 1, Semester 2
12.50
Semester 1, Semester 2
12.50
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects:

Bachelor of Environments students are not permitted to enrol as a breadth subject.

Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Prof Michael Tausz

Contact

The Eastern Precinct (building 138)
(between Doug McDonell building and Eastern Resource Centre)
Enquiries:
Current Student : http://ask.unimelb.edu.au/
Web: http://msd.unimelb.edu.au/

Subject Overview:

Productive Environments will look at living and ecosystem resources harnessed for producing goods and services to meet human needs. Questions such as the following will be addressed, to name but a few: How are living resources managed for the production of goods and services, such as construction and design materials, food, fibres and water? What systems are available for meeting such needs? What are the consequences of production and consumption on environments managed for immaterial needs such as recreation or biodiversity? How can human impacts on ecosystems be monitored and managed?

The subject will approach these questions by building an understanding of ecosystem function and ecosystem management implications and will introduce tools and issues relevant to environments managed for purposes such as agricultural food production, forestry for timber production, bioenergy production, delivering of ecosystem services and biodiversity, reserves and parks for recreational use etc. It will explain how such understanding feeds into planning and management tools used in impact assessment, ecosystem management and regional planning, land and landscape management, landscape architecture applications, assessment of environmental impacts of human activities, and implementation in regional planning.

The subject will deliver the skills and understanding in a mix of lectures delivering firm scientific principles, tutorials and project work using practical examples and case studies, and excursions to study productive environment issues first hand.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of Productive Environments students will have:

  • An understanding of land use and land management implications of the use and production of primary goods, such as food, timber and fibre, and bioenergy in productive landscapes;
  • An understanding of implications of mineral extraction on managed ecosystems;
  • A deepened understanding of ecosystem principles as involved in and applied to human management of productive landscapes;
  • An understanding of land management systems used to produce primary goods and services and manage associated resources;
  • An appreciation of the impacts of human activities on natural and productive landscapes;
  • An appreciation of ecosystem services and values delivered and conserved by managed land environments;
  • An understanding of measures to restrict or repair negative impacts on land environments;
  • An understanding of the use of ecosystem principles in environmental risk and impact assessment;
  • An appreciation and understanding of regional planning tools.
Assessment:

  • Tutorial participation with two assessed online quizzes weeks 5 and 9, (25%);
  • Written assignment (1000 words), due week 12 (25%);
  • A 2 hour examination during the examination period (50%).

Hurdle requirement: Attendance at a minimum of 9 / 12 tutorials throughout semester is required in order to achieve an overall pass in the subject.



Prescribed Texts: None
Recommended Texts:

Course reader.

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  • Appreciation of the environment;
  • Critical thinking;
  • Systems thinking;
  • Communication skills for written and oral presentation;
  • Analytical skills;
  • Critical reflection;
  • Appreciation of field work.

Related Course(s): Bachelor of Environments
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Civil (Engineering) Systems major
Environmental Engineering Systems major
Environmental Geographies, Politics and Cultures major
Environments Discipline subjects
Geomatics (Geomatic Engineering) major
Landscape Ecosystem Management major

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