Online Course in Conservation for Managing the Environment
ACS Student comment: I am finding it interesting and educational - it covers the primary facts and then encourages you to learn the details through the assignments and contacting numerous organisations involved in environmental issues. Jasmine Dungey, Aust - Conservation and Environmental Management course.
Determine appropriate approaches to a variety of different conservation and environmental management problems.
COURSE STRUCTURE
There are 8 lessons as follows:
1. An Introduction To Ecology
•Spaceship Earth
•Conservation; Use of Resources, ecological value, economic value, genetic diversity
•Overkill
•Urbanisation
•Basic Ecology
•The Ecosystem
•Constituents for the Ecosystem
•Ecological Concepts
•The Web of Life; climate, producers, consumers, decomposersThe Food Web
•Habitat and Niche
•Humans in the Environment
•Energy Flow
•Imbalances
•The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming
•Climate Change
•El Nino
•International Efforts to Counter Climate Change; IPCC, UNFCC, Kyoto Protocol, Copenhagen Summit, Worldwatch Institute, etc
•Terminology
2. A Perspective On Environmental Problems
•History of Conservation
•Natural Resources; Renewable, Non Renewable
•Goals of Conservation
•History from Industrial Revolution to WWII
•WW2 and Post War Period
•International Conservation
•Deforestation
•Loss of Agricultural Land
•Loss of BiodiversityEndagered Water Supplies
•Exhausion of Non Renewable Resources
•Political and Economic Issues of Conservation
•Environmental Damage in Free Economies
•Pollution in Planned EconomiesSupply of Resources
•Limits to Growth
3. Pollution and Industry Effects On The Environment
•Nature and Scope of Pollution
•Industrial Pollution
•Types of Pollutants
•Effects of Pollution
•Nuclear Pollution
•Sick Building Syndrome
•Asbestos Fibre
•Urbanisation
•Energy Alternatives
•Deforestation
•Nuclear Energy, Hydro Power, Solar Energy, Wind, Waste Power
4. Water and Soil
•Introduction
•Dams
•River Catchments
•Wetlands
•Water Pollution
•Recycling
•Desalination
•Water Environments
•The Hydrological Cycle; Infiltration, Rainfall, Evaporation, Effective Rainfall, etc
•Water and Plant Growth
•Keeping Water Clean
•Sewerage Treatment
•Soil; pH, texture, structure
•Land and Soil Degradation;
•Loss of soil fertility
•Erosion
•Salinity
•Soil compaction
•Soil acidification
•Build up of dangerous chemicals
5. Vegetation Conservation and Management
•Value of Trees
•Commercial Value of Trees
•Rainforests
•Forest Systems and Biomass
•Forest Conservation
•Trees and the Environment
•Environmental consequences of Deforestation
•Afforestation
•Classification of Forests
•Desertification
•Acid Rain
•Environmental Weeds
•Strategies for Preservation of Native Grasslands
6. Animal Conservation & Management
•The Human Animal
•Urbanisation
•Wildlife
•Threatened Species
•Invasive Species
•Wildlife Management; approaches, preservation, conservation, goals
•Wildlife Habitats
•Water Management for Wildlife
•Wildlife Surveys
7. Marine Conservation and Management
•Estuaries
•Fisheries; stock management, assessment, biomass, stock management methods
•Conservation of Sandy Shores
8. The Future
•Tourism and the Environment
•Ecotourism
•Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD)
•Framework for ESD
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
AIMS
- Describe ecological processes and associated sustainable management techniques.
- Investigate a specific environmental problem and provide possible solutions.
- Evaluate the relationship between industry and pollution.
- Discuss principles of water and soil management.
- Select a specific type of plant that is endangered or an environmental problem and submit a case study.
- Explain animal conservation strategies, including protection legislation, breeding programs and habitat conservation.
- Discuss a specific issue that applies to marine conservation.
- Profile three different conservation and/or environment lobby group organisations and the procedures used in promoting their cause.
Course Duration: Approx. 100 hrs
Tips
- upskill - make sure that your skills are current and relevant to the field of conservation
- join networking sites - meet people working in conservation
- get experienced - volunteer your time with a conservation group if you can, this looks great on your CV.
Open Learning
Open learning environment school -Online courses, certificates and education in biology, sustainability, ecology, marine studies, water, earth, animal, wilderness management, and environmental science.
