Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

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Co Requisite Comment

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Aims

The overall aim of this module is to introduce the framework of coupled human and natural systems (sensu socio-ecological systems, CHANS) and to explore how it can be applied in conservation and management to find solutions for global challenges such as food security and sustainable use of natural resources.

Humans have interacted with the environment since the beginning of human history. However, the scope and intensity of these interactions have changed dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. CHANS research is integrative and interdisciplinary across the social and natural sciences seeking to understand the complexity of interactions between humans and nature and the feed-backs arising from these interactions. For example, humans modify the environment through land use changes and fossil fuel use thereby affecting local and global climate. Climate in turns affects vegetation and humans, at local, regional and global scales with impacts becoming apparent over short or long time scales.

This is a module that draws on a series of lectures, and interactive seminars and workshops to support students to build a foundation of knowledge the CHANS framework, the challenges they face under current and future global environmental changes, the data needed to monitor and analyse responses to these challenges and to use that information for the creation of evidence-based solutions to these challenges. We particularly focus on the use of the CHANS concept as the base for modern conservation science adopted in practice by academics, government and non-governmental organisations.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will be taught as a 20 credit module and is offered to students across MSc and MRes degree programmes across SNES and SAGE. In this course, you will learn from academics working on a range of study systems in the UK and internationally. We will introduce the CHANS concept as the base for modern conservation science adopted by academics, government and non-governmental organisations.

Through a series of lectures we will detail case studies from terrestrial and marine/coastal systems highlighting their conservation and management challenges. We will also provide an overview on key tools used to collect data (e.g. remote sensing data) providing evidence on which to base decisions. The series of lectures will be accompanied by interactive seminars, in which colleagues from academia and industry/NGOs will talk about data, tools or case studies. In a policy brief practical (e.g 'Improve coastal protection through mangrove rehabilitation'), you will learn how to collect and present evidence to inform policy makers. In a workshop on an applied conservation challenge (e.g 'Managing forest-agricultural systems for food security, climate change mitigation and resilience and biodiversity'), we will work through the cycle of adaptive management to find solutions to this challenge drawing on the CHANS concept.

The module will build on existing research and teaching expertise in SNES. The teaching method will ask the students to actively engage with the material taught in the lectures and to apply the knowledge they acquired to answer a range of questions, including: What are the challenges presented for the study system? Which methods have been used/can be used to address these challenges? Have these methods been successful and if not, why not?

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of the module, a successful student will be able to describe the CHANS concept and identify case studies representing CHANS. They will be able to explain the fundamental details of the key challenges faced by coupled human and natural systems and they will be able to discuss why these are important challenges facing human society today. Successful students will be able to explain possible approaches for collecting data from specific coupled human and natural system and for analysing these data to understand the details of the feed-backs characterising these systems. Successful students will be able to critically examine at least one example of a CHANS, reflect on possible pathways to manage the challenges faced by this particular CHANS and develop a coherent strategy from assessment to solution to manage this particular CHANS. They will be able to critically examine the multiple trade-offs involved when making decisions and to analyse the potential conflicts that might arise due to multiple demands from different stakeholders.

PC1 Knowledge application. Apply in depth investigation of biological concepts and systems to solve complex scientific and applied (governance, societal and environmental) problems As well as critically evaluate and provide evidence-based arguments / solutions by drawing on appropriate academic knowledge and sources. The students will learn how to use a systems approach to apply and integrate knowledge to find creative and future focused solutions to real-world problems. The students will apply their learning (group debate topics) to the challenges experienced on the ground by protected area managers and other stakeholders in the system. The students will test their learning through group debates and data interpretation.

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of the module, students will be able to formulate questions relevant to the field. They will be able to critically assess information relevant to the field.

Students will practice working as a team. They will be expected to be able to disseminate and discuss key findings: using oral presentations and debate and written presentations. Students will be expected to give and provide constructive feedback and to evaluate their learning as they go along.

PC2 Information Literacy. Identify and critically assess appropriate sources of information. Find, read, evaluate and use appropriate literature; be able to analyse, synthesise and summarise information critically with recognition that information is likely contested, subjective, and provisional, particularly in the light of continuing scientific advances. This is a central element of the learning activities, and you will receive formative feedback on these during the activities. You will be tested against this competency in both assessments. Assessment 1 – Group debate and Powerpoint. Assessment 2 - Policy Brief and Technical Report.

PC3 Practical Skills
Design and implement scientific studies independently using appropriate and robust practices to address a relevant scientific problem. Students will develop practical skills during the workshops, learning how to apply the appropriate practices within conservation challenges and this is a feature of both the formative and summative assessments.

PC4 Data Literacy. Generate insights or test hypotheses using data under supervision. Find, evaluate, visualise, analyse and interpret data appropriately under supervision. Design and use data demonstrating understanding of responsible data curation (FAIR principles https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4792175/). Data Literacy competency is relevant in that you will be required to evaluate and interpret data and research figures for use in the policy brief practical and Assessment 2 - Policy Brief and Technical Report.

PC5 Communication. Give clear and accurate account of complex and uncertain concepts from within the discipline. Make convincing arguments and engage with styles and formats appropriate to a variety of audiences. You will learn how to draft a policy brief that can be understood by a general audience and policy makers. You will also be required to develop slides for use in your group debates to provide a clear and concise view, based on evidence, on a topic that is controversial in conservation sciences.

PC7 Ethics Literacy. Work within relevant legislation surrounding research ethics. Demonstrate understanding of and compliance with the ethical and moral obligations of being a student, scientist, and global citizen. Learning activities will cover aspects of conservation colonialism, knowledge bias and UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as equity in decision-making on interventions. In both assessments, we expect students to reflect on these aspects if relevant for the case studies.

PC8 Collaboration. Demonstrate both professional and interpersonal skills to enhance team performance, incorporating negotiation and self-evaluation as well as assessing the contributions of fellow team members. Workshop and tutorials involve interactive sessions and work in breakout groups. You will learn about group management to deliver on outcomes. You will be tested against this competency through Assessment 1 – Group debate and Powerpoint.

PC10 Integrated problem solving. Demonstrate critical thinking to tackle complex, multidimensional problems for outcomes that can be uncertain to produce reasoned evidence-based solutions. You will be tested against this competency through Assessment 2 – Policy Brief and Technical Report, choosing a case study of your own to apply a systems approach framework. Workshop 1 and Workshop 2 will allow you to prepare for this assignment in more depth, on two different case studies (marine and terrestrial).

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The teaching methods are designed to align with the Learning Outcomes. Following the lectures, which provide an overview on key ideas and examples of CHAN, the students are asked to read and research some of the CHANS case studies in more detail using publications provided and additional literature. lectures are pointing to additional reading material and raise questions/give tasks students can work on independently to test their understanding and discuss this understanding in the tutorials.

Lectures and seminars will be structured using a problem-centred approach with real-world examples The ‘policy brief’ practical as well as the two workshops are designed to allow students to test themselves on their understanding of the CHANS concept and its relevance for applied conservation and management. Formative feedback will be provided throughput tutorials and workshops, which are interactive.

Students will be guided through their independent analysis of information when writing the policy brief and technical report and when presenting their arguments during workshop 2 (summative assessment).

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

There will be two assessments, and these are aligned with the intended learning outcomes and the taught material. This course requires you to spend considerable amounts of time reading primary literature and preparing for interactive learning events.

You will be able to vote on the topic used for the first assessment (30 % of your mark), choosing from a range of topics (previous examples included: ‘Is the Valuing Nature approach to conservation an example of conservation selling its soul’? OR Managing systems for multiple outcomes - ‘Land sparing or land sharing’? OR ‘Protected Areas Management – Fortress conservation or conservation based on rights’? OR Biodiversity offsetting - clever solution or biggest gamble there is? All students / groups will do the same topic, and the final topic is decided by majority vote.


Assignment 1: Students will work with 6 students per group, with 3 in the ‘pro’ team and 3 in the ‘contra’ team. They will work through key literature (provided) and can add literature. They will prepare power-point presentations prior to the workshop (guidance through staff). They will subsequently be assessed: the teams will argue their case, choosing speakers within the group for pro- and contra- sides and they will need to make the topic accessible. Per team: 5 minutes introduction, 10 minutes per group for presentation, then up to 10 min debate between the two teams. So a total of 40 minutes assessment time per group.

Assignment 2: For the report assessment, the students will write policy brief (technical summary for specific audience: policy-makers) with associated technical report that will contain a critical discussion on one example of a CHANS, reflecting on possible pathways to manage the challenges faced by this particular CHANS and develop a coherent strategy from assessment to solution to manage this particular CHANS. You can choose any topic for your second assessment (70 % of your mark). For this, you will write a report that is structured into a 'Policy Brief' and a 'Technical Details' section. The latter provides the evidence underlying policy actions suggested in the policy brief. Previous assessment topics - amongst many others - included:'Natural Flood Management: solutions to reduce the risk of flooding in the UK', 'The increasing severity of bushfires in Australia: prevention and mitigation', 'Achieving Food Security and Biodiversity Conservation in Zambia: The Role of Agricultural Extension in the wake of Climate Change', 'Reducing the ecological impact of beef production in the Amazon', 'Lynx reintroduction to northern United Kingdom – mitigating depredation conflicts', 'Towards a Peaceful Future: Curbing the Human-Leopard Conflict in Uttarakhand', 'Local-Marine Management: Reef Fish Exploitation Mitigation Throughout the Philippines','Uk declining insect pollinator populations: The need to conserve the Bumblebee', 'Actions to mitigate saltwater crocodile: Human conflict in Bhitarkanika, Odisha, India'.

Formative assessment is provided through in person, interactive tutorials and workshops. These are run in breakout groups and provide direct oral feedback to students and their learning against learning and skills outcomes.

General Notes

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