Community Natural Resource Management

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

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 website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

In this interdisciplinary subject, a range of ideas and theories from the social sciences are applied to situations in which members of the community are involved in natural resource management. Subject teaching includes lectures, group exercises and case studies, including a one day field trip. The subject is presented under nine main headings:

• philosophy and evolution of participation and community management;
• models of community management of forests and other natural resources - overseas and in Australia;
• understanding communities and stakeholders;
• issues of power and knowledge in community management;
• policy and institutional issues in community management;
• process and techniques in participatory enquiry, planning and management;
• issues in Koori community resource management;
• forms of evaluation in community management programs; and
• conflict management.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Discuss different theories and models that underpin community participation in the management of land and natural resources;
• Analyse stakeholders and profile communities.
• Critically analyse the broader policy environment and its effect on community management of land and natural resources;
• Analyse a wide range of factors that affect community management programs, including power and knowledge related issues;
• Apply techniques that help in managing community based programs, including group facilitation and conflict management; and
• Select appropriate forms of evaluation for community management programs.

• A 3000 word assignment in a specialist interest area (45%). Due in week 12.
• An oral practical group exercise (30%). Due in week 8.
• A 2500 words learning journal (25%). Throughout the semester.

Students can select texts that interest them from a long reading list. Some examples are:

Borrini-Feyerabend, G., T.M. Farvar, J.C. Nguinguiri, J.C. & V.A. Ndangang (2000) Co-management of natural resources. Organising, negotiating and learning-by-doing. Kasparek Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany.

Boxelaar, L., M. Paine, et al. (2006). "Community engagement and public administration: Of silos, overlays and technologies of government" in Australian Journal of Public Administration Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 113-126

Chambers, R. (1994) ‘Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA): Analysis of Experience’ in World Development, Vol. 22, No. 9, pp. 1253-1268

Leeuwis, C. (2004) Communication for rural innovation: Rethinking agricultural extension. Third Edition. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK.

Petheram, J., P. Stephen, and D. Gilmour (2002), Collaborative Forest Management: A Review, prepared for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment: Melbourne, Australia.

Reid K., K J. H. Williams and M. Paine (2011), Hybrid Knowledge: Place, Practice and Knowing in a Volunteer Ecological Restoration Project, Ecology and Society Vol. 16, No. 3, pp 19-

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students will develop skills in:

• practical aspects of public and stakeholder engagement;
• interdisciplinary thinking through the application of theory in the social sciences to complex issues; and
• research, critical analysis and critical reflection through class exercises and assessment.