NES2104 : Site Management and Communication Skills
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Module Leader(s): Professor Guy Garrod
- Lecturer: Dr Simon Peacock
- Other Staff: Dr Amy Proctor
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The Module aims to provide students with core skills in management planning and ecosystems management and provide opportunities to apply and develop these and other core skills. In particular: to explain the communications systems and strategies needed by environmental managers; to demonstrate the role and importance of management plans in managing discrete countryside sites in private, public and third sector ownership; to demonstrate the role and importance of ecosystem concepts and function and how this relates to the management of ecosystems, nature reserves, country parks and other rural sites; to provide students with skills in site management planning; and to enable opportunities to develop core skills in written communications, team work, professional presentation skills, planning and organisation and initiative.
Outline Of Syllabus
Semester 1
1. The nature of ecosystems: Function, Energy Flow, Material Cycles
2. Ecosystem function and management: Human Impacts, Disturbance and Succession; Restoration
3. Ecosystem case studies: Agro-ecosystems, Grasslands, Wetlands, Heathlands, Woodland.
4. Ecological impacts of management and land use change
Semester 2
1. The rational for management planning
2. Preparation of site management plans
3. Management issues and solutions
4. Critical assessment of fragility and resilience of managed ecosystems
5. Field visits to case study site
6. Writing a site management plan
7. Emerging issues in ecosystems management
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Ecosystems Management Assessment preparation and completion |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Management Planning Assessment preparation and completion |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Lightening Presentation preparation and completion |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 18 | 1:00 | 18:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | Directed research and reading |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 21 | 1:00 | 21:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 2 | 6:00 | 12:00 | Management planning fieldwork |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Management Planning |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 34:00 | 34:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures provide the basic knowledge framework and appropriate further reading will provide insight into a range of issues in site interpretation, ecosystem concepts and function, and site management planning. Open discussions within lectures and workshops will provide an opportunity to articulate and critically evaluate alternative practical approaches to the topics covered in this module. Small group tutorials give students the chance to explore their knowledge on ecosystems management and prepare for site visits. Semester two field classes provide the opportunity to practice and develop the practical skills in ecosystem and site management planning (including data collection) introduced in lectures.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prof skill assessmnt | 2 | M | 50 | Ecosystem management exercise (up to 2000 words) |
| Prof skill assessmnt | 2 | M | 50 | Site management planning exercise (up to 2000 words) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 2 | M | Management Plan Pitch - An opportunity for students to deliver a lightening talk on a particular feature of their plans (3 mins maximum) and receive feedback. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
100% Continuous Assessment: 50% management plan exercise(set early in Spring Term, with submission after Easter); 50% ecosystems management exercise (set early in Spring Term, with submission in May.
The ecosystems management exercise(1) will test students' abilities to evaluate the environmental and ecological factors that control the function and variability of a particular ecosystem that they will visit.
The management planning exercise(2) will build on and extend the exercise in(1) by requiring students to practise their problem solving skills by examining management issues across the whole site, while testing their initiative and their ability to plan and organise the information that they have gathered and then structure their written output according to a set structure.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES2104's Timetable