Course Title: Manage natural area restoration programs

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2012

Course Code: ENVI5052C

Course Title: Manage natural area restoration programs

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5161 - Diploma of Conservation and Land Management

Course Contact: Judith McCann

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99258366

Course Contact Email: judith.mccann@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

 

Bruce Partland - Field Component
bruce.partland@rmit.edu.au
+61 3 9925 58323

 

Nevil Schultz  -   Ecology Component
nevil.schultz@rmit.edu.au
+ 61 3 9925 4221

Nominal Hours: 200

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

There are none for this course

Course Description

This competency standard covers the process of managing natural arearestoration programs. It requires the ability to inspect and assess site for the replacement of vegetation, plan natural area restoration program, monitor natural area restoration works, and review the natural area restoration program. Managing natural area restoration programs requires a knowledge of natural area restoration techniques, identification of plant and animal threats to treated areas, soils and nutrients, plant selection and culture, calculations for materials, preparation of plans and specifications and project management.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

RTD5003A Manage natural area restoration programs

Element:

1. Inspect and assess site for replacement of vegetation

Performance Criteria:

1.1. A vegetation assessment report is prepared.
1.2. Site conditions, level of degradation and potential for natural area restoration are determined.
1.3. Threats to existing ecosystem, flora, fauna and property from natural area restoration works are assessed.
1.4. Range of likely operating conditions, hazards and difficult/sensitive environments are assessed for impact on natural area restoration works.

Element:

2. Plan natural area restoration program

Performance Criteria:

2.1. Plans and specifications for natural area restoration works are prepared according to program/management aims and objectives.
2.2. Natural area restoration techniques are selected to meet management plans and enterprise requirements.
2.3. Staging strategy for works is outlined.
2.4. Protective structures are planned to ensure compliance with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and relevant legislation.
2.5. Appropriately skilled personnel are selected.
2.6. Equipment and personnel are transported to natural area restoration sites without injury or damage according to enterprise procedures.
2.7. Appropriate permits/licenses and authorisations are obtained according to legislative and enterprise requirements.
2.8. Equipment and materials required for natural area restoration work is sourced according to enterprise procedures.

Element:

3. Monitor natural area restoration works

Performance Criteria:

3.1. Observations are made according to natural area restoration plans and to enterprise procedures.
3.2. Checks are made that the site is prepared according to specifications.
3.3. Plant materials, machinery and equipment are checked to ensure compliance with enterprise guidelines and natural area restoration plan.
3.4. Natural area restoration works are effected according to enterprise guidelines.
3.5. Work is monitored to ensure remedial action is undertaken as required.
3.6. Occupational health and safety management conforms to legislative requirements and enterprise

Element:

4, Review natural area restoration program

Performance Criteria:

4.1. Site is monitored to ensure compliance with maintenance program plans and specifications or enterprise guidelines.
4.2. Site is assessed to determine whether natural area restoration works are addressing factors and issues consistent with management plans.
4.3. Changes to natural area restoration techniques are reported to enterprise procedures for adoption in future works.


Learning Outcomes


These are listed as competencies for this course


Details of Learning Activities

Manage Natural Area Restoration (Field Component) with Bruce Partland - Lectures, field work, lab pracs, classroom exercises.

Manage Natural Area Restoration  - (Ecology Component) with Nevil Schultz - Lectures, classroom exercises, field work, ecosystem report , biological succession & analysis tasks.


Teaching Schedule

Semester 1 Manage Natural Area Restoration Programs (Field Component) - Teacher: Bruce Partland

Class
Date

 Topic Assessment Task          
8/2 Introduction to natural restoration                                           
15/2 Introduction to Ecosystem functioning  
22/2 Commonly used terminology  
29/2 Restoration theory  
 7/3  Biological Camp - no class  
 14/3  The concept of resilience  
 21/3  Organ Pipes NP - field trip  
 28/3  Understanding your site and planning for restoration  
 4/4  Collecting and collating base information  Assignment 1
Due date: 6/4
 11/4  Easter Break  
 18/4  Introduction to Site assessment and Data Sheets  
 25/4  Vegetation identification and sampling - field prac  
 2/5  Vegetation identification and sampling - field prac  
 9/5  Geomorphology and soils - lab prac  
 16/5  Geomorphology and soils - field prac  
 23/5  Threats, pressures and management strategies  Assignment 2.
Due date: 25/5
 30/5  Fauna analysis                    
 6/6    Assignment 3.
Due date: 8/6
     

  

Semester 1 Manage Natural Area Restoration Programs (Ecology Component) - Teacher: Nevil Schultz

Class
Date   		 Topic                                                                                                                                             

Assessment Task                                         
9/2 The biosphere, Biomes, Bioregions, Ecological Vegetation Classes       
16/2 Abiotic & Biotic ecosystem components  
23/2 Case Study of a local ecosystem  
1/3 Anglesea Preparation  
8/3 Anglesea Field Work  
15/3 Energy inecosystems, biogeaochemical cycles  
22/3 ..continued  
29/3 Food Chains & Food Webs  
5/4 Easter Break  
12/4  Revision  
19/4 Mid-sem Quiz  Ecosystem report
Due date: 20/4
26/4 Sustaining Ecosystems  
3/5 Biological Succession I  
10/5 Biological Succession II  
17/5

Disturbance Effects on Ecosystems, Fire, Salinity
Biological Succession & Restoration analysis task

  
24/5 Acid Sulphate soils, Climate Change  
31/5 Revision  
7/6 End of Unit Test: End of Unit Test  7/6
     


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Restoring Natural Areas in Australia by Robin Buchanan


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Assessment for this course may include assignments, proect reports, tests and quizzes


Assessment Tasks

Manage Natural Area Restoration (Field Component) with Bruce Partland

 Assessment Task 1. Case Study on Restoration Sites - CA/NYC 15%

Assessment Task 2. Vegetation Assessment Report - CA/NYC 17.5%

Assessment Task 3. Site Assessment Data Sheets and Prac Reports - CA/NYC 17.5%

 

Manage Natural Area Restoration - (Ecology Component) with Nevil Schultz

Assessment Task 1. Ecosystem Report: CA/NYC 17.5%

Assessment Task 2. End of Unit Test: CA/NYC 32.5%

 

NB: All tasks must be assessed as CA to achieve competency in the Manage Natural Area Restoration course.

 

NOTE: This assesment is only for Semester 1. Details of Teaching Schedule and asessment for Semester 2 will be available on Blackboard.


 


 


Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview